Leon Spencer

Leon Spencer (November 1, 1945 - March 11, 2012) was an American acid jazz / soul jazz organist born in Houston, Texas.^[1] He played piano with David Newman, and later organ with Melvin Sparks.

Spencer is best known for his albums for the Prestige Records label in the early 1970s, such as Sneak Preview (1970), Louisiana Slim (1971), and Where I'm Coming From (1973). Some of the musicians who appeared with him on these albums include Grover Washington, Jr., Idris Muhammad, Melvin Sparks and Buddy Caldwell.^[2]

Discography

As leader

• Sneak Preview! (Prestige, 1970) -with Grover Washington Jr., Melvin Sparks
• Louisiana Slim (Prestige, 1971) -with Grover Washington Jr., Melvin Sparks
• Bad Walking Woman (Prestige, 1972)
• Where I'm Coming From (Prestige, 1973)
• Legends Of Acid Jazz: Leon Spencer (Prestige, 1997) (compilation of Sneak Preview! + Louisiana Slim)

As sideman

With Rusty Bryant

• Fire Eater (Prestige, 1971) -with Wilbert Longmire

With Karl Denson

• Dance Lesson #2 (Blue Note, 2001)

With Lou Donaldson

• Pretty Things (Blue Note, 1970)
• The Scorpion (Blue Note, 1970)
• Cosmos (Blue Note, 1971)

With Wilbert Longmire

• Revolution (World Pacific, 1968)
• This Side of Heaven (J&M, 1976)

With Melvin Sparks

• Sparks! (Prestige, 1970)
• Spark Plug (Prestige, 1971)
• Akilah! (Prestige, 1972)

With Sonny Stitt

• Turn It On! (Prestige, 1971)
• You Talk That Talk! (Prestige, 1971) -with Gene Ammons
• Black Vibrations (Prestige, 1971)

References