Harry Leahey (born September 1, 1935 in Plattsburgh, New York, died August 12, 1990) was a jazz guitarist and guitar teacher who lived, taught and performed primarily in New Jersey.
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Leahey received his first guitar at the age of thirteen. He went on to study with Lou Melia, at Sayer's Studio in Plainfield; Al Volpe, the renowned studio guitarist and teacher of such players as Joe Pass and Sal Salvador; leading jazz and studio guitarist Johnny Smith and Dennis Sandole, teacher of such students as Pat Martino and John Coltrane. He studied music theory and composition at Manhattan School of Music.
Leahey's career began in the early 1960s and continued until his death in 1990. He played and recorded with Phil Woods at Carnegie Hall, Gerry Mulligan, Al Cohn, Jack Six, Warren Vaché, Mark Murphy and other well-known jazz artists. As part of the Newport Jazz Festival, the Maynard Ferguson Orchestra and the Phil Woods Quintet shared the bill at a midnight concert on June 28, 1977.
He was on the Grammy award winning Phil Woods Six - Live from the Showboat (1977) album. His composition "Rain Danse" and his arrangement of Django Reinhardt's "Manoir de mes Rêves (Django's Castle)" were featured on the album. From 1978 to 1990 he performed with his own trio, featuring Roy Cumming on bass and Glenn Davis on drums and in duo settings with various bass players. As leader, he recorded one album with his trio, one duo album with bassist Steve Gilmore and one solo album.
A dedicated and practical family man, he chose to devote himself to teaching the guitar, teaching privately at his home in Plainfield, New Jersey, and from 1974 to 1988 at William Paterson University (then William Paterson College). Over the course of a thirty-year career as a guitar teacher, Leahey taught literally thousands of students, many of whom went on to successful careers. Among his former students are Vic Juris, Bob DeVos, Jon Herington, Warren Vaché, Jack Six, Walt Bibinger, Larry Barbee and Chuck Loeb.
Leahey died at the age of 54. Although he had received little critical acclaim, fellow musicians were unanimous in their praise for Harry Leahey. A few representative quotes: “Harry was a master.” – Glenn Davis. “The most complete guitarist I ever heard.” – Vinnie Corrao. “I was flabbergasted by his playing.” – Warren Vaché. “He was the top of the heap. He was the best guitar player that I had ever played with and I played with every [one].” – Phil Woods. “I don’t think there’ll ever be another Harry Leahey.” – Jack Six. “He was a great guitarist and a very beautiful man.” – Leo Johnson.