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Lee Hartley

About Me

My Jazz Story

Church Music was a way of life for me. My Father was a Bishop and My sisters and I sang as a trio. When I heard Jazz I was blown away. I had been sheltered musically from what we were taught was worldly music. Once I heard Jazz i moved to NYC to study. Truthfully I learned more in the clubs than in the class room but they both help to develope my craft. I love Bebop, Funk, Swing and soulful singers of any style. From the Jazz clubs in NYC to touring across the USA and Japan, I still crave to hear inspirited artist and work with creative souls. My long and cherished relationship with Les McCann, the living legend of Funk and Jazz, has been one of my greatest gifts. Getting to hang with Count Basie, Ella, Horace Silver, Jon Hendricks, Bill Withers, Joe Sample, Morgana King, Lou Rawls, Alphonse Mouzon, Ted Herman to name a few, has been a tremendous blessing to me as a musician and singer. It just keeps getting sweeter to be part of the grand family of folks making a joyful noise unto the Lord as I was taught as a child.