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Leon Hunt
England
www.leonhunt.com
Leon Hunt is deservedly the UK's
best-known 5-string banjo player. A former student of American banjo virtuoso,
Bela Fleck, his exploits with
Daily Planet
and Southern Exposure have been making waves on both sides of the Atlantic.
His trademark has always been a
healthy disregard for the banjo's traditional boundaries, experimenting with
techniques, sounds and technology and using his earlier musical influences (both
of Leon's parents are jazz musicians) to ultimately make it a more versatile
instrument.
In 1999 Leon decided to take a three-year sabbatical from touring to take
advantage of an invitation to do a degree in music and music technology in his
home town of Bath, since graduating he has returned to his career as a
professional musician with refreshed enthusiasm. Seasons playing with the Royal
Shakespeare Company and at The New Vic as well as composing the soundtrack for a
production of 'To Kill a Mocking Bird', also at The New Vic have kept Leon very
busy, however he still managed to find the time to record his first solo album,
"Miles Apart".
"Miles Apart" is a true 'transatlantic session' with as much of the recording
taking place in Nashville, TN as in Leon's home town of Bath, England. 'Miles
Apart' features some of
the best acoustic musicians from both the US and the UK and
effortlessly spans several musical disciplines. Most noticeable are Bluegrass,
Jazz and Celtic music, styles that Leon describes as being; "natural bed
partners…whilst Bill Monroe was embracing his Scottish heritage Earl Scruggs was
busy re-working New Orleans jazz tunes - bluegrass music has always provided a
strong connection between traditional music and more improvisational forms of
music like jazz".
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