Jimmy Leslie is a San Francisco-based singer, writer, and guitar slinger who draws on classic rock and soul inspirations to create vital modern roots music. He has a vibrant tenor voice, is an accomplished wordsmith, and has developed a signature guitar style. Leslie slaps and plucks deep, groovy rhythms, and his “trigger finger” technique adds flamenco-like flourishes. He uses his Stratocaster’s tremolo bar to create a slide-like effect on inventive chords and lyrical leads. Reverbs and echoes create a sense of otherwordliness. Leslie laces dreamy West Coast vibes over greasy New Orleans rhythms on his solo CD, Surfin’ the Swamp (featuring Galactic’s Stanton Moore and Robert Mercurio).
He performs live in formats from solo acoustic to a full band, the Jimmy Leslie Connection. It evolved out of weekly gigs at John Lee Hooker’s Boom Boom Room with the Honey Island Swamp Band—an offshoot of Eric Lindell’s touring unit that landed in the Bay Area after Hurricane Katrina. Leslie currently draws on a stable of top talent. Players include: drummers Shani Johnson (London Street, Lebo) and Garland Paul (Honey Island Swamp Band); bassists Mark Calderon, (Zigaboo Modeliste), Jonathan Herrera (Garaj Mahal), Sam Price (Otra), and Peter Canton (the Ritual); keyboard wizard Jordan Feinstein (the Ritual), and guitar guru Sean Leahy (Four Year Bender).
As a member of LunaGroove, Leslie helped pioneer the livetronica scene at events such as High Sierra, Xingolati, Sea of Dreams, Harmony Festival, and Earthdance. He performs regularly with Shana Morrison (Van’s daughter). Gig credits with her include the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival, and the Friends of the Earth’s Green Ball.
Leslie also writes for Guitar Player and Bass Player magazines, and coordinates monthly Guitar Player Presents concerts. He’s interviewed everyone from the Allman Brothers Band to George Clinton, and shared the stage with the likes of Papa Mali & Will Bernard. You never know who may show up at a gig…
“Leslie drops funk and pop mix that’s all his own.” –Pacific Sun
"Few pop/rock tunes are as good/catchy as ‘Sweetwater Sun." –Vintage Guitar
“It would be ironic if the modern New Orleans funk backbeat made national radio through its musical sister city, but stranger things have happened—and one listen to ‘Wash it Out,’ which would tickle Sublime and Galactic fans, bears that out.”—Offbeat
