Lesli Carroll - About

Lesli Carroll is a Los Angeles based recording artist and native Angeleno, whose sax style and performances have been described as "a unique incomparable sound on sax that combines a soulful warm, bright tone with original melodic and rhythmic phrasings … and added to the equation is a high energy stand-out stage performance, sultry vocals, and original compositions that further highlight her incredible musical savvy."

Lesli's career in the jazz, pop, R&B, funk, latin, gospel, classical, and non-mainstream Middle Eastern and Asian circles has included performances and/or recording session dates with some of the world's great legendary music artists and groups, such as, Harry “Sweets” Edison, Clark Terry, Andrew Blakeney, Sylvester Rice, Hampton Hawes, Jimmy Smith (organ/piano), Jimmie Smith (Jazz Drummer), Henry Franklin, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Ted Dechter (Trombone/Band Leader), Maiden Voyage Big Band (founding member), Jay McShann, Mary Watkins, Gildo Mahones, Clora Bryant, Bill Tole Big Band, Dick Shearer Big Band, Ernie Andrews & Juggernaut Big Band, Herb Jeffries, John "Scatman" Larkin, Stacy Rowles, Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Blake Aaron, David Morgan (Three Dog Night), Alicia Morgan, Bobby Womack, Lenny Williams (Tower of Power), Lou Rawls, Michael Reilly Band, Roadhouse Blues Band (U.K.), Arturo Castro y Sus Castro’s 78 (Mexico), Armando Manzanero (Mexico), Juan Gabriel (Mexico), Bobby Day, The Bean Brothers, Dewey Terry (Don & Dewey), Richard "Dimples" Fields, Alexander O'Neal, Thelma Jones,
Helen Lewis Mastor (The Lewis Sisters) ...

... The Four Tops (1990-2006), The Temptations (1990-2006), Thee Midniters, Tierra, Salas Brothers, Martha Reeves, The Fifth Dimension, The Dramatics, Bobby Vinton, Mary Wells & The Shirelles, Bonnie Raitt, David Crosby, B.J. Sharp, Bruce Conte (Tower of Power), Roy Gaines, Rose Stone, Sly Stone, The McCrarys (Alfred, Howard, Linda), Pauline Wilson (Seawind), Jerry Huang (Pop Recording Artist - Taiwan), Chen Chang (Pop Recording Artist - Taiwan), Bachelor Ballet (Musik Disc In'tl - France), Mike Chen (Pop Recording Artist - South Korea), Jay Graydon (Manhattan Transfer), Urban Dread, Jahmark & the Soul Shakers, Mouse & the Toy Band, John Finley, Danny Ironstone (piano/keys), Rick James, Mary Wilson, General Kane (Mitch McDowell), Johnny Gill, Elmer Armstrong (The Platters), Calista Carradine, Alvin Taylor, Steve Beckmeier, Denise Motto, Mike Costley, Meremblum Symphony, The Pacific Symphony Orchestra, L.A. Chamber Orchestra, L.A. City Urban Band, L.A. Symphonic Concert Band, Dariush, Martik, Ebi, Shohreh, Mansour, Leila, Shahram Solati, Sharam K., Morteza Barjesteh, Helen, Andy & Kouros, Siavash, Sattar, as well as theatrical stage productions, including, "West Side Story," "Cabaret," "You're a Good Man Charlie Brown," "Country Fever" (Las Vegas), and a host of other shows and artists.

Lesli's performances have included world wide travel in Mexico, Turkey, England, Wales, Germany, and Canada, which have included performances at the Playboy Jazz Festival, Concord Jazz Festival, Kansas City Jazz Festival, and Laguna Arts Jazz Festival. She has also appeared in the feature film, "The Sting II” (MGM) and The Johnny Carson “Tonight Show," "Loco Valdes Show" (Mexico), "Siempre en Domingo" (Mexico), "Musicians Discoveries" (PBS), and "Two on the Town" (L.A.). In addition, she has performed for worldwide dignitaries, including President Bill Clinton, President Portillo (Mexico), the Armenian Pope, Israeli Ministries, and others.

Lesli has contributed her music skills to numerous major film score and TV projects, with notable film and TV composers, John Debney, James Newton Howard, Hummie Mann, John Powell, Marc Shaiman, Mervyn Warren, and Snuffy Walden, to name a few. Some of the films include, "The Sixth Sense" (Academy nominated film score, composed by James Newton Howard), "End of Days," "The Passion of the Christ (Academy nominated film score, composed by John Debney),” "King Kong," "Chicken Little," and "The Wedding Planner." TV show work includes, "The West Wing" (Emmy winning Title Theme music composed by Snuffy Walden), and "The Simpsons" (Composed by Alf Clausen). Lesli composed the Title Theme and End Credits music for the controversial documentary film, "Banking on Heaven," (2nd release short edit version (©2006), featured at the 2006 Sedona International Film Festival.

Lesli's music studies include private classical and jazz training with her father, Ted Dechter (classical/jazz trombonist/Music Educator) on Beginning to Intermediate Clar., Sax, Fl. and John Setar (L.A. Studio Woodwind musician/educator) on Advanced Clarinet, Sax, & Flute studies & Jazz Improvisation.

... vocal and piano studies with Helen Lewis Mastor (Vocal & Piano studies in jazz, pop, R&B) and Ron Coleman (Vocal studies in Jazz & R&B),

... Brandeis University, Waltham, MA (Music/Ethnic Studies - Dual Major),

... and additional music performance "Big Band" classes (during high school and after formal college studies) at L.A.C.C. (Los Angeles, CA), Pierce College (Woodland Hills, CA), C.S.U.N. (Northridge, CA), and Dick Grove School of Music (Studio City, CA).

Currently, Lesli is completing an upcoming solo artist CD/Vinyl album, that is currently being mixed and mastered for an upcoming world-wide release on an independent label. Her new CD will feature Lesli on saxophones, clarinet, and vocals, co-produced by her longtime music partner, Helen Lewis Mastor, a veteran jazz and Motown recording artist and songwriter/composer of the Lewis Sisters fame. All material is original, composed, performed, arranged, orchestrated, recorded and mixed at LesLen Studios (CA, USA) by the LesLen Productions team of Lesli Carroll & Helen Lewis Mastor.

OCCUPATION: Professional Musician (1973- Present)

INSTRUMENTS: Saxophones (Tenor, Alto, Soprano), Clarinets ("Bb," "A, "Eb", Alto, Bass), Flute

DOUBLE INSTRUMENTS: Piano/Keyboards, Percussion, Recorders

OTHER PERFORMANCE SKILLS: Choreographed horn section experience and front person stage performer/artist on pop and R&B shows - 15 years of formal dance training. (Ballet, Toe, & Tap) - Performance choreography in Jazz, Modern, Hip-Hop, & International/Middle Eastern.

VOCAL RANGE: 2nd Soprano/Alto (3 1/2 octaves)

OTHER PRO MUSIC SKILLS: Composer, Songwriter, Arranger, Orchestrator, Copyist, Music Prep, Private Teacher, Master Classes, Music Contractor and Band Leader (Solo, Duos, Trios, to large ensembles as needed)

OTHER: Music Tracking & Mixing Recording Engineer; Audio, Music, & Effects Digital Editor; Midi Programmer; Music Computer Software Consultant, Installer, Repair Tech, & Trainer (Apple/Mac), Pro-Audio Consultant

PREFERRED MUSIC SW: Digital Performer (Digital Audio & Midi Recording), Finale (Music Notation)

MUSIC ORGANIZATIONS:
AFM - (Musicians’ Union) - Local 47 (since 1974)
ASCAP - (The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers)
B.M.I. - (Broadcast Music International)

Overview