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Gene Lees

Gene writes for a living.

About Me

Gene Lees (February 8, 1928 – April 22, 2010) was a Canadian music critic, biographer, lyricist, and journalist, renowned for his contributions to jazz literature. Born in Hamilton, Ontario, he studied music at the Ontario College of Music and journalism at the University of Toronto. Initially a newspaper journalist, he served as music critic and columnist for the Montreal Star and Toronto Telegram, and later as editor of DownBeat magazine (1959–1962). His sharp, insightful writing made him a leading voice in jazz criticism.

Lees wrote definitive biographies of jazz legends, including Oscar Peterson: The Will to Swing (1988), Leader of the Band: The Life of Woody Herman (1995), and Singers and the Song (1987), blending meticulous research with personal anecdotes. As a lyricist, he penned English lyrics for songs like Antônio Carlos Jobim’s “Corcovado” (retitled “Quiet Nights of Quiet Stars”) and collaborated with artists like Bill Evans and Charles Aznavour. He also published the influential Jazzletter (1981–2008), a subscription-based newsletter offering in-depth jazz commentary.

A respected figure, Lees was praised for his elegant prose and deep jazz knowledge, though some criticized his occasionally sharp opinions. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Jazz Journalists Association in 2003. Lees passed away in Ojai, California, leaving a lasting legacy in jazz scholarship and criticism.