Leo Green is the frontman of The Leo Green Experience, a talented jazz band performing gigs all over the UK.
As one of the UK’s finest sax players, Leo was always destined to follow this path in life as the son of legendary broadcaster, journalist and musician Benny Green. He’s played with the likes of Van Morrison, Dionne Warwick, Paul Weller, Tom Jones, Burt Bacharach, was part of Jools Holland’s Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and was described by Jerry Lee Lewis as ‘the greatest sax player I have ever worked with.'
Leo presents Leo Green & Friends every Sunday from 2-4pm.
Looking for Leo's playlists? Visit his programme page.
Interview With Leo Green
1. What’s your favourite Jazz FM programme and why?
Smooth Jazz in the Morning with Rosie Kendrick, the perfect show to chill out to when you get home from a gig at silly o’clock in the morning.
2. What’s the first record you ever bought and where did you buy it?
Shakin Stevens – ‘This Ol’ House’, purchased from Our Price in Watford High Street – a true classic.
3. What’s the most embarrassing song on your iPod/in your collection?
Am proud to own every single one of them…
4. In your opinion, what’s the greatest album of all time and why?
‘Suited & Booted’ By The Leo Green Experience, which you can order directly from me. Don’t think of it so much as buying my album - just get satisfaction from the fact that you’re helping to feed and cloth my children…
5. What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
There was a night, many years ago, whilst on stage playing sax at The Paradiso in Amsterdam with the great Jerry Lee Lewis. I just had one of those rare nights where everything I tried to play worked out just great – the band sounded amazing, Jerry Lee’s piano was receiving an absolute pounding and my sax seemed to have a mind of its own, which let’s face it, considering it was in my hands, was probably a good thing.
6. What’s your favourite live music venue and why?
The 100 Club on Oxford Street is a really special place for me. I associate the club with the start of my career – many happy nights playing with bands like The Big Town Playboys, sitting in with Ray Gelato and playing with one of my heroes, Big Jay McNeely. I also remember regularly being taken there as a very small child while my father recorded his radio show, ‘Jazz Score’, which was often recorded from the club. Jeff Horton runs it now, as he does done for as long as I can remember and he deserves a medal for the work and hours he puts into the place. Scandalously, he receives no funding from any Culture or Arts body, which quite frankly is outrageous -literally every single iconic musician has played there and the club should be declared a listed building and given a whacking great grant to make sure it is there for years and years to come, not just for musicians, but for music fans across the genres.
7. Jazz Is…
Probably not going to help me when it comes to explaining to my wife that I got another parking ticket this afternoon.
8. In your opinion, who’s the most inspirational radio presenter of all time and why?
Benny Green – for obvious reasons.
9. What’s been your most embarrassing moment in radio?
Blimey, you’d need a separate website for me to list all those…
10. What’s your favourite film and why?
The not-yet-developed one currently sitting in my camera which has pics of myself and two of my sons on their first, unforgettable trip to Wembley – United 3 Chelsea 1 – a glorious day out, recorded forever.
11. Who would you invite to your fantasy dinner party?
Larry David, Bryan Robson, Frank Sinatra, Ray Gelato, Stuart Yorke, Barbra Streisand, Joan Rivers, Jeff Beck, Sir Alex Ferguson, Oscar Peterson, Jackie Mason, my wife, and as long as the dinner didn’t go on too late, there would have to be places at the table for my kids.
Good Afternoon Leo,
I would be most grateful if you could please play either the recorded version of a lovely jazz version of ‘This Masquerade’ by the Carpenters from 1973 or their live version with Ella Fitzgerald which I think was done for their TV shows in the US in 1976 or 1978.
Many many thanks for your help….I think you will like it.
Vivienne Ahmad x
Hi Leo,
You’ve played some fantastic music this afternoon… blown away by some of it. Just beautiful!
I caught the show this Sunday (Nov 21) for the first time today. I loved it, and want to say how delighted I was to hear your appreciation of Sinatra’s place in the record of all time greats. There is SINATRA at the very top and then, some long way below come THE BEST, THE REST and THE OTHERS. No-one will ever touch him, although just a few come close.
Incidentally why does no-one play Dick Haymes any more?
Hi Molly,
Many thanks for your lovely message – glad you’re enjoying the show. Please do let me know if you have any requests! Thanks for the support, Best, Leo
Hi Leo, really good show, what was that final track you played just before 4pm?
It was a sax instrumental and i’m guessing you had something to dpo with it.
Hi Gordon, Many thanks for the message. That track was “Don’t Play That Song”, a version I recorded with my band, The Leo Green Experience, a couple of years ago – glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for listening, please do let me know if there’s anything you’d like to hear. Very best, Leo
Hi Leo-Hugely enjoyed your tribute to the Master,12/12/10 -Great show-many thanks
Hi Chris & June – Many thanks for the message – it seems there are lots of you out there who would like more from ‘The Master’ – will include more FS over the coming weeks. Thanks for dropping me a line – please let me know if there’s anything you’d like to hear. Very best, Leo
Hi Leo
Still waiting for the name of your Sunday show fade out tune Pleeeeese!
Hi Sharon! Many thanks for the message. That track was “Don’t Play That Song”, a version I recorded with my band, The Leo Green Experience, a couple of years ago – glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for listening, please do let me know if there’s anything you’d like to hear. Very best and Seasons Greetings! Leo
Re nominations for greatest living saxophonists.
1. Houston Person
2. Phil Woods
3. Joshua Redman
Excellent choices Johnny! Am a big fan of Houston Person, HUGELY underrated player – thanks for taking the time. Very best, Leo
Hi Leo,
Thanks for playing Houston Person.
Didn’t realise how much David Sandborn sounded like Curtis Stiggers – Whoops!
Kind regards
I am looking for a replacement CD suited and booted, by Leo, The Leo Green Experience.
Any help on where I can buy a copy, would be much appreciated.
Many thanks
Sue
Greetings Leo
I have just this very day discovered your excellent programme.Seeing your likeness on JFM website I was amazed to see who I thought was (excuse the old cliche) the late, great Benny Green. I hope BG is playing Jazz Score with Ronnie Scott et al in their little corner of heaven. I am a fan of Rock music and Modern Jazz especially Be bop.
Look forward to many more happy hours of listening to your prog.
Respect and kind regards CD
Dear Clive,
Many thanks for your kind words – much appreciated. Please do let me know if there’s any tracks or artists you’d like me to include in the show, meanwhile I’ll slip in some Bebop for you…… Very best, Leo
Hi Leo,
After”discovering” you some months ago I try not to miss any of your shows and thoroughly approve of your playlist. I am a more mature listener but still like some of the more modern stuff.How about some of the old “west coast” jazz.? I haven’t heard you play any of Peter Grant , he is a much underplayed English singer.
Best regards
John
Hi John,
Thanks for the email. I’m a big Peter Grant fan; really good singer. I’ll try and dig something out for you for the next show. Message received re: some West Coast jazz…listen up next week….Thanks for taking the time to drop me a line, Very Best, Leo
wonderful fade out track “don’t play that song”
any chance it is still available to buy???
Hi Leo,
Jo Stafford (a great voice very rarely heard on radio )
and as it’s Mother’s Day a nice surprise for me to hear her sing
as she was on of my Mum’s favourite,she would would have loved
your show
It’s a Sunday must for me and my partner Grainne,the influence of
our parents music comes back as you get older and you realise what they
listened to on the old radiogram and valve radio was fantastic,
my Dad was a great jazz fan too,
Great show and station
Regards,
Steve Timmins
Sutton
Hi Leo,
Thought I would have a small rant about your apology for playing the great Jack Jones. I put him in the same group alongside Sinatra, Bennett, Peter Grant , Steve Tyrell, Buble, Tony de Sare (rhymes with car), Budddy Greco etc, etc.He has great phrasing and musicality. As indeed has Vic Damone, who you play rarely. You don’t seem to mind playing Dean Martin.
Rant over , I do enjoy your show and rarely miss listening in.
Keep up the good work. John