Leroy Jones: A New Orleans State of Mind

Richardson is the author of The Soul of Jazz, which features intimate and entertaining interviews with some of today's most fascinating jazz musicians. For more info, visit www.thesoulfofjazzbook.com.

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Published: October 7, 2008

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Leroy Jones He has chosen, along with wife and fellow musician Katja Toivola to manage his own career. Jones realizes the benefits to being managed by someone else: "It's great when an artist has a management team, booking agent, publicist, etc., because those aspects of the music business are usually a full-time job. Enough work goes into daily practice routines, rehearsing, composing and arranging. Having the luxury of a good manager allows the artist more freedom to be creative. When an artist is signed with a record label, then management, booking agents and publicists are attached."

Despite that, Jones and Toivola have chosen to manage his career together. "My wife is a great help to me, but she is also a musician, so we are doing a lot of things together and separately." He adds, "Katja and I are independent recording artists. So we must do those other jobs, as well as try to nurture our crafts. The pros are that you can be sure things will be done in the manner that you desire, without sharing the profits with any middlemen. The cons are that you can often get burnt out trying to do everything and this can sometimes cause your craft to suffer."

He advises up-and-coming musicians to remember that there's just as much business to the music business as there is music. "The audience basically sees the glamorous side of it. They don't see you when you when you're jumping off a plane or jumping off a bus at 6 AM after you've had three hours of sleep. You go from the hotel, to rehearsal and sound check, [perform], and then move on to the next place. It comes with the territory. I say if you don't want to be involved with it, do something else. But I wouldn't give it up for anything."

Selected Discography

Leroy Jones and Katja Toivola, Leroy Jones and Katja Toivola (Spirit of New Orleans, 2008)
Leroy Jones, Soft Shoe (Self Produced, 2007)
Various Artists, Putumayo Presents: New Orleans Brass (Putumayo World Music, 2007)
Guillaume Nouaux, Guillaume's Invitation (Self Produced, 2007)
Noon, Walk With Thee In New Orleans (JVC Japan, 2007)
Harry Connick, Jr., Chanson du Vieux Carre (Marsalis Music, 2007)
Jeremy Ryan, Gettin' Back Down to New Orleans (Self Produced, 2006)
Rob Espino, Y Sus Amigos de Nueva Orleans (Bucket Girl Records, 2006)
Spirit of New Orleans, Some of These Days (Spirit of New Orleans, 2006)
Leroy Jones, New Orleans Brass Band Music: Memories of the Fairview and Hurricane Band (Self Produced, 2005)
Miki Fujii, For Sentimental Reasons (Self Produced, 2005)
Craig Klein, New Orleans Trombonisms (Rugalator, 2004)
Dr. John, N'Awlinz: Dis Dat Or D'Udda (Blue Note, 2004)
Dany Brillant, Jazz a la Nouvelle Orleans (Columbia Europe, 2004)
New Orleans Helsinki Connection, At Last (Self Produced, 2004)
Harry Connick, Jr., Only You in Concert (Sony, 2004) (DVD)
Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Shake That Thing (Preservation Jazz Hall Recordings, 2004)
Leroy Jones, Wonderful Christmas: A Brass Salute To The King Of Kings (Self Produced, 2003)
Harry Connick, Jr., Harry For The Holidays (Columbia, 2003)
Harry Connick, Jr., Songs I Heard (Columbia, 2001)
Harry Connick, Jr., Come By Me (Sony, 1999)
Leroy Jones, City of Sounds (Louisiana Red Hot, 1999)
Harry Connick, Jr., To See You (Sony, 1997)
Harry Connick, Jr., Blue Light, Red Light (Sony, 1991)