Lafayette Leake
Encyclopedia
Lafayette Leake was a blues
and jazz
pianist, organist, vocalist and composer who played for Chess Records
as a session musician
, and as a member of the Big Three Trio, during the formative years of Chicago blues
. He played piano on many of Chuck Berry
's recordings.
, Missouri
, in 1919. Information about his early years is sparse, but in the early 1950s he joined the Big Three Trio (replacing Leonard Caston
) and began his association with Chess Records, where he worked closely with bassist, producer, and songwriter Willie Dixon
.
Leake played piano on One Dozen Berrys
, Chuck Berry's second album, released in 1958 by Chess. He was then on Chuck Berry Is on Top
; Leake (not Berry's longtime bandmate Johnnie Johnson
) played the prominent piano on the classic original rendition of "Johnny B. Goode
". Leake played on numerous other Chess sessions from the '50s through the '70s, backing many of the Chess greats, including Sonny Boy Williamson
, Otis Rush
, Junior Wells
, and Little Walter
.
During the 1960s Willie Dixon formed the Chicago Blues All-Stars, with Leake as resident pianist. Leake toured and recorded with this group until the mid-1970s. After that he did little recording or touring, although he appeared with Chuck Berry at the Chicago Blues Festival
in 1986 and recorded "Hidden Charms" with Willie Dixon in 1988.
Besides being a respected performer, Leake was a composer. He recorded a number of his own songs as a member of various ensembles, and others have been covered by notable musicians. Fleetwood Mac
, for example, recorded his song "Love That Woman" on their album The Original Fleetwood Mac
. Leake's song "Wrinkles", performed by the Big Three Trio, was featured on the soundtrack of David Lynch
's 1990 film
, Wild at Heart
. Blues band Slo Leak was named after one of Leake's instrumental pieces.
Leake fell into a diabetic coma
in his home in Chicago, where he remained undiscovered for several days, dying in hospital on August 14, 1990.
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
and jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
pianist, organist, vocalist and composer who played for Chess Records
Chess Records
Chess Records was an American record label based in Chicago, Illinois. It specialized in blues, R&B, soul, gospel music, early rock and roll, and occasional jazz releases....
as a session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
, and as a member of the Big Three Trio, during the formative years of Chicago blues
Chicago blues
The Chicago blues is a form of blues music that developed in Chicago, Illinois, by taking the basic acoustic guitar and harmonica-based Delta blues, making the harmonica louder with a microphone and an instrument amplifier, and adding electrically amplified guitar, amplified bass guitar, drums,...
. He played piano on many of Chuck Berry
Chuck Berry
Charles Edward Anderson "Chuck" Berry is an American guitarist, singer, and songwriter, and one of the pioneers of rock and roll music. With songs such as "Maybellene" , "Roll Over Beethoven" , "Rock and Roll Music" and "Johnny B...
's recordings.
Biography
Leake was born in WinonaWinona, Missouri
Winona is a city in Shannon County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,290 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Winona is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
, in 1919. Information about his early years is sparse, but in the early 1950s he joined the Big Three Trio (replacing Leonard Caston
Leonard Caston
Leonard "Baby Doo" Caston was an American blues pianist and guitarist. He is best noted for the tracks "Blues At Midnight" and "I'm Gonna Walk Your Log".-Life and career:...
) and began his association with Chess Records, where he worked closely with bassist, producer, and songwriter Willie Dixon
Willie Dixon
William James "Willie" Dixon was an American blues musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger and record producer. A Grammy Award winner who was proficient on both the Upright bass and the guitar, as well as his own singing voice, Dixon is arguably best known as one of the most prolific songwriters...
.
Leake played piano on One Dozen Berrys
One Dozen Berrys
One Dozen Berrys is Chuck Berry's second album. It was released in 1958 under Chess Records.This album published in both UK and US only as LP record in 1958.-Track listing:All songs written by Chuck Berry.Side one#"Sweet Little Sixteen" – 3:03...
, Chuck Berry's second album, released in 1958 by Chess. He was then on Chuck Berry Is on Top
Chuck Berry Is on Top
Chuck Berry Is on Top is a compilation album by rock and roll pioneer Chuck Berry, released in July 1959 on Chess Records. The album consists of some of his single releases up to that point, along with one new track "Blues for Hawaiians". In his review of the album on Allmusic, Cub Koda describes...
; Leake (not Berry's longtime bandmate Johnnie Johnson
Johnnie Johnson
Johnnie Johnson may refer to:*Johnnie Johnson *Johnnie Johnson *Johnnie Johnson See also:*Johnny Johnson *John Johnson...
) played the prominent piano on the classic original rendition of "Johnny B. Goode
Johnny B. Goode
"Johnny B. Goode" is a 1958 rock and roll song written and originally performed by American musician Chuck Berry. The song was a major hit among both black and white audiences peaking at #2 on Billboard magazine's Hot R&B Sides chart and #8 on the Billboard Hot 100.The song is one of Chuck Berry's...
". Leake played on numerous other Chess sessions from the '50s through the '70s, backing many of the Chess greats, including Sonny Boy Williamson
Sonny Boy Williamson II
Willie "Sonny Boy" Williamson was an American blues harmonica player, singer and songwriter, from Mississippi. He is acknowledged as one of the most charismatic and influential blues musicians, with considerable prowess on the harmonica and highly creative songwriting skills...
, Otis Rush
Otis Rush
Otis Rush is a blues musician, singer and guitarist. His distinctive guitar style features a slow burning sound and long bent notes...
, Junior Wells
Junior Wells
Junior Wells , born Amos Wells Blakemore Jr., was an American Chicago blues vocalist, harmonica player, and recording artist...
, and Little Walter
Little Walter
Little Walter, born Marion Walter Jacobs , was an American blues harmonica player, whose revolutionary approach to his instrument has earned him comparisons to Charlie Parker and Jimi Hendrix, for innovation and impact on succeeding generations...
.
During the 1960s Willie Dixon formed the Chicago Blues All-Stars, with Leake as resident pianist. Leake toured and recorded with this group until the mid-1970s. After that he did little recording or touring, although he appeared with Chuck Berry at the Chicago Blues Festival
Chicago Blues Festival
The Chicago Blues Festival is an annual event held in June that features three days of performances by top-tier blues musicians, both old favorites and the up-and-coming. It is hosted by the City of Chicago Mayor's Office of Special Events, and always occurs in early June...
in 1986 and recorded "Hidden Charms" with Willie Dixon in 1988.
Besides being a respected performer, Leake was a composer. He recorded a number of his own songs as a member of various ensembles, and others have been covered by notable musicians. Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac
Fleetwood Mac are a British–American rock band formed in 1967 in London.The only original member present in the band is its eponymous drummer, Mick Fleetwood...
, for example, recorded his song "Love That Woman" on their album The Original Fleetwood Mac
The Original Fleetwood Mac
The Original Fleetwood Mac is a compilation album by blues-rock band Fleetwood Mac, first released in 1971. It consists of various outtakes recorded by the first incarnation of the band in 1967-68...
. Leake's song "Wrinkles", performed by the Big Three Trio, was featured on the soundtrack of David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
's 1990 film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Wild at Heart
Wild at Heart (film)
Wild at Heart is a 1990 American film written and directed by David Lynch, and based on Barry Gifford's 1989 novel Wild at Heart: The Story of Sailor and Lula. Both the book and the film revolve around Sailor Ripley and Lula Pace Fortune , a young couple from Cape Fear, North Carolina who go on...
. Blues band Slo Leak was named after one of Leake's instrumental pieces.
Leake fell into a diabetic coma
Diabetic coma
Diabetic coma is a reversible form of coma found in people with diabetes mellitus. It is a medical emergency.Three different types of diabetic coma are identified:#Severe diabetic hypoglycemia...
in his home in Chicago, where he remained undiscovered for several days, dying in hospital on August 14, 1990.
Major recordings
- Might is Right! (1960) YamboYambo RecordsYambo Records was a blues record label based in Chicago, Illinois. It was founded by arranger and composer Willie Dixon in the late 1960s after he left Chess Records. Yambo Records also had two subsidiary labels, Spoonful and Supreme. The label was based at 7711 South Racine Avenue in Chicago,...
/Weis - Feel So Blue (1978) Black & BlueBlack & Blue RecordsBlack & Blue Records is a French record label specializing in swing jazz and blues.Black & Blue was founded in 1968, and in its early years concentrated on reissuing jazz that had been previously released on American labels. The label recorded Blues and Jazz musicians both in America and France and...
(France), reissued as Easy Blues (2002)