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Cecil Leonard

Music has always been a powerful influence in Cecil’s life. Much of his early childhood was spent singing in church choirs and experimenting with vocal music. As a teenager, Cecil picked up electric guitar and bass. He attended Settlement School of Music, and studied privately with bassist Gerald Wright. While attending Germantown High School, Cecil discovered the string bass and performed with the Jazz Band, and the String Ensemble. Cecil majored in music at Cheyney State University with a concentration on strings he performed with the student jazz band, the faculty jazz ensemble, and started his own band Communication, where he wrote and arranged most of the music. Cecil also attended and performed with Trane Stop Resource Institutes Musician Workshop at LaSalle University conducted by Monet Saddler. He also sat in with the Philadelphia Community Jazz Band, and Master Musicianship workshops at Temple University conducted by Grover Washington Jr.

Cecil has had the opportunity to perform with the following artist: Khan Jamal, Bernard Saunders, Joe Johnson, Miles Jay, Willie Nelson, Byron Landrum, Joe Patterson, Adam Blackstone, Professor Randy Gibson, Wayne Bennett, James Marshall, Rob Henderson, Byard Lancaster, Vera Eubanks, Don Fanelli, Dr. Fred Taylor, Linda Williams, McKinley Horton, Julie Burrell, Monett Saddler, Barbara Montgery, and a many other artists.

He has performed on the gospel TV show, “Singsation”(Harpo Studios, Chicago), and at the Uptown Theater, Coatesville Jazz Festival, Cape May Jazz Festival, Burlington Jazz Festival, Hainesport Jazz Festival, West Oak Lane Jazz Festival, and a wealth of other festivals, clubs and private affairs. Cecil was the chief musician at Calvary Baptist Church. He’s also performed, composed and arranged for the Instrumental Orchestra Umoja, at Christian Stronghold Baptist Church. Cecil is an avid composer and does studio sessions all over the tri-state area.

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