Re: [Harp-L] Charlie Leighton 1922- 2009



Friends and family,

Charlie Leighton will be missed like no other chromatic player I know. I first met Charlie in 1998 and he encouraged me to continue playing chromatic for the rest of my life and showed me just how much joy the chromatic can bring to you and the rest of the world. He was a great influence on me and just yesterday I was listening to his album "Angel Eyes" and thinking about the man who could produce a tone like no other.

I will never forget you Charlie and all my condolences go out to the family, friends and fans of this great musician.

Michael Polesky

----- Original Message ----- From: <wgalison@xxxxxxx>
To: <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, September 27, 2009 10:32 AM
Subject: [Harp-L] Charlie Leighton 1922- 2009



Dear Friends,



Our dear friend and teacher, and perhaps the greatest harmonica player ever, Charles Leighton, has died at age 88. Charlie was an eminently elegant, generous, gracious and talented man. ?He taught us that as an instrument of tonal beauty and range of expression,?the harmonica could stand proudly alongside any other melodic instrument.




Moreover, Charlie was a musician of stunning virtuosity and sensitivity. He would have been a celebrated master instrumentalist on any instrument, and we can only be grateful that he chose the humble harmonica to express his exquisite musicianship.





Charles was a great friend and mentor to me and the others who descended on his apartment every Tuesday for nearly thirty years, Those "Tuesdays" sessions witnessed astonishing performances by Charlie as well as countless laughs, deep discussions and simple affection among Charlie and his friends.?





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYV5vU1Ju1k





Charlie was the "gold standard" of harmonica players, whose music will continue to inspire and instruct as long as people continue to play the harmonica, in terms of tone, technique and sheer musicality.





This posting is not an obituary, just a brief announcement. A few of Charlie's friends are working on an obituary for the New York Times to be published soon, We will post it here as well.?





At Charlie's request, there will be no formal funeral. We are arranging a website to honor Charlie, and a celebration of his life and music, to be held in the coming weeks, to which all will be invited. The location and date will be announced on Harp L.





In our shared loving memory of Charlie,











Will





Please pass this to other friends and fans of Charlie.







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