# Leon Merian > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Leon_Merian > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Leon_Merian.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Merian > Source revision: 1348096393 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American jazz trumpeter}} '''Leon Merian''' (17 September 1923 – 15 August 2007) was an American jazz trumpeter and teacher. [Dizzy Gillespie](/source/Dizzy_Gillespie) described his playing as "one of the most beautiful sounds you'll ever hear".{{Cite journal|title=Jazz Times|date=2003|journal=JazzTimes|page=158}} Merian was also a French teacher and public school administrator. ==Life== He was born Leon Megerdichian{{Cite book|title=Pseudonyms|author=Joseph F. Clarke|publisher=BCA|date=1977|page=114}} in South [Braintree](/source/Braintree%2C_Massachusetts), Massachusetts, on 17 September 1923, to Armenian immigrant parents. Merian learned trumpet from [Georges Mager](/source/Georges_Mager). He was a member of [Lucky Millinder](/source/Lucky_Millinder)'s band when it toured the [segregated south](/source/segregated_south); he was not welcome at either "white" or "colored" establishments, and ended up sleeping on the tour bus. Merian moved to [20th Century Fox Records](/source/20th_Century_Fox_Records) in November 1958.{{Cite magazine |magazine=Billboard |title=Music as Written |last=Rolontz |first=Bob |page=12 |date=3 November 1958 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3goEAAAAMBAJ}} He later had his own band; one member of it was [Herb Phillips](/source/Herb_Phillips). His publications included the well known ''Trumpet Isometrics''. He published an autobiography in 2000.{{Cite web|url=https://www.local802afm.org/allegro/articles/802-bookshelf-leon-merian-the-man-behind-the-horn/|title=802 Bookshelf: "Leon Merian, The Man Behind The Horn"|website=Associated Musicians of Greater New York – Local 802|date=October 2000 }} Merian died on 15 August 2007, in [Sarasota](/source/Sarasota%2C_Florida), Florida. ==Discography== ===As leader=== * ''The Magic Horn'' (Decca) {|class="wikitable" !Matrix number (Decca)!!Date!!Title |- |103161||28 August 1957||The Magic Horn |- |103162||28 August 1957||Love theme from La Strada |- |103163||28 August 1957||Harlem nocturne |- |103164||28 August 1957||Someone to watch over me |- |103181||29 August 1957||My love and I |- |103182||29 August 1957||The crying wind |- |103183||29 August 1957||Lonely wine |- |103184||29 August 1957||[The nearness of you](/source/The_nearness_of_you) |- |103374||24 August 1957||Something sentimental |- |103375||24 August 1957||[When you wish upon a star](/source/When_you_wish_upon_a_star) |- |103376||24 August 1957||My silent love |- |103377||24 August 1957||Dream along with me |- |105219||26 June 1958||One Day I'll Buy a Trumpet |- |105220||26 June 1958||Bing! Bang! Bong! |} ===As sideman=== * [Specs Powell](/source/Specs_Powell), ''[Movin' In](/source/Movin'_In_(album))'' (Roulette, 1957) * [Tito Puente](/source/Tito_Puente), ''The Essential Tito Puente'' (RCA, 2005) * [Pete Rugolo](/source/Pete_Rugolo), ''[Rugolomania](/source/Rugolomania)'' (Columbia, 1955) ====Lucky Millinder Orchestra==== With the [Lucky Millinder Orchestra](/source/Lucky_Millinder_Orchestra): {|class="wikitable" !Matrix number (Decca)!!Date!!Title |- |73395||26 February 1946||How big can you get |- |73396||26 February 1946||More, more, more |- |73397||26 February 1946||There's good blues tonight |- |73398||26 February 1946||Shorty's got to go |- |73399||26 February 1946||Chittlin' switch |- |73561||10 May 1946||Fare Thee well Deacon Jones |- |73861||11 April 1947||You can't put out a fire |- |73862||11 April 1947||The spider and the fly |- |73863||11 April 1947||Let it roll |- |73864||11 April 1947||Begging for love |} ====Gladys Bruce==== With [Gladys Bruce](/source/Gladys_Bruce): {|class="wikitable" !Matrix number (Decca)!!Date!!Title |- |81296||20 July 1951||If, if, if you were mine |- |81297||20 July 1951||I've got the blues for my baby |- |81298||20 July 1951||Trinidad Daddy |- |81299||20 July 1951||The right kind of feeling |} ====Alan Freed Rock 'n' Roll Band==== {|class="wikitable" !Matrix number (Decca)!!Date!!Title |- |102267||15 April 1957||Swizzle Time |- |102268||15 April 1957||Late Hours |- |102269||15 April 1957||You for Me |- |102270||15 April 1957||Readin', Writin' and Rockin' |- |102279||16 April 1957||Three Bad Men |- |102280||16 April 1957||Gumbo Rock |- |102281||16 April 1957||Kissing Rock |- |102282||16 April 1957||Sweet Potato Pie |- |102283||17 April 1957||The Street |- |102284||17 April 1957||Mr. Onion Head |- |102285||17 April 1957||Ease Down |- |102286||17 April 1957||The King's Ring |- |103662||13 November 1957||Lady Whistle Bait |- |103663||13 November 1957||Fandango Rock |- |103664||13 November 1957||Cool Papa |- |103665||13 November 1957||Teenage Strut |- |103681||15 November 1957||Two Good Guys |- |103682||15 November 1957||[Tuxedo Junction](/source/Tuxedo_Junction) |- |103683||15 November 1957||[In a Little Spanish Town](/source/In_a_Little_Spanish_Town) |- |103684||15 November 1957||Pushing |- |103746||22 November 1957||Split Level |- |103747||22 November 1957||A Stomping Good Time |- |103748||22 November 1957||Two Head |- |103749||22 November 1957||Campus Rumpus |} ==Bibliography== * ''Trumpet Isometrics'' * ''Leon Merian, The Man Behind The Horn'', Leon Merian with Bill Bridges, Diem Publishing Co, [Bradenton](/source/Bradenton%2C_Florida), Florida, 2000, 287 pp. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== * [https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/heraldtribune/obituary.aspx?n=leon-merian&pid=92775102 Obituary] {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Merian, Leon}} Category:1923 births Category:2007 deaths Category:American jazz trumpeters {{US-jazz-trumpeter-stub}} --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Leon Merian](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Merian) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leon_Merian?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.