Leonard Feather
British-born jazz critic, composer, and historian of wide influence.
Leonard Geoffrey Feather was a British-born jazz pianist, composer, and producer, but his greatest impact came from his writing. He was a widely read and influential jazz journalist, critic, and historian, serving as co-editor of *Metronome* magazine and chief jazz critic for the *Los Angeles Times* until his death.
Feather was born in London into an upper middle-class Jewish family. He taught himself piano and clarinet, and by his late teens was writing about jazz and film. He first visited the United States at twenty-one, worked as a record producer in both the UK and US, and settled in New York City in 1939 before moving to Los Angeles in 1960. In Britain, he helped develop jazz broadcasting, creating the *Evergreens of Jazz* programs in 1936 and the series *Leonard Feather's Swing Time* in 1937. He also wrote the regular "Tempo di Jazz" column for the *Radio Times* in the mid-1930s.
As a composer, Feather wrote songs widely recorded by others, including "Evil Gal Blues" and "Blowtop Blues" for Dinah Washington, and "How Blue Can You Get?"—co-written with his wife Jane—for Louis Jordan and B. B. King. Yet his biggest mark was as a writer. Even those who never read his books or articles knew him from the liner notes he wrote for hundreds of jazz albums. He was not always a neutral observer; he was known for writing glowing advance press about artists he planned to record, including his own compositions, and then reviewing those sessions as if he were impartial. He hosted radio shows like *Jazz Club* in the early 1950s and *Platterbrains* from 1953 to 1958. Feather organized some of the earliest jazz concerts at Carnegie Hall and helped bring jazz to the original Metropolitan Opera House. He also wrote lyrics for Benny Golson's "Whisper Not," recorded by Ella Fitzgerald in 1966.
In 1984, he received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music. His archives are held at the University of Idaho Library. Feather died from complications of pneumonia in Encino, California, at age 80. He was the father of lyricist and songwriter Lorraine Feather.
- born
- 13 September 1914, London, England
- died
- 22 September 1994, Encino, Los Angeles, California
- field
- Music journalism, composition, piano, production
- nationality
- British-born, later settled in the United States
- known_for
- Jazz criticism, The Encyclopedia of Jazz, liner notes, radio shows
Quick Facts
- Background
- non_vocal_instrumentalist
- Birth Name
- Leonard Geoffrey Feather
- Birth Date
- df=yes · 1914 · 9 · 13
- Birth Place
- London, England
- Death Date
- df=yes · 1994 · 9 · 22 · 1914 · 9 · 13
- Death Place
- Encino, California, U.S.
- Instrument
- Piano
- Genre
- Jazz
- Occupation
- Journalist, composer
- Spouse
- Jane Feather
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Feather was born in London into an upper middle-class Jewish family, learning piano and clarinet without formal training. By his late teens he was writing about jazz and film, and at twenty-one made his first visit to the United States. After working as a record producer in the UK and US, he settled in New York City in 1939, moving to Los Angeles in 1960. He contributed to jazz broadcasting in Britain, devising the Evergreens of Jazz programmes in 1936 and hosting Leonard Feather's Swing Time from 1937. He also wrote the regular 'Tempo di Jazz' column in the Radio Times in the mid-1930s.
Feather's compositions include 'Evil Gal Blues' and 'Blowtop Blues' recorded by Dinah Washington, and 'How Blue Can You Get?' co-written with his wife Jane, recorded by Louis Jordan and B. B. King. He wrote liner notes for hundreds of jazz albums and was known for writing glowing advance press pieces about artists he recorded, then reviewing his own productions as if impartial. He hosted radio shows including Jazz Club and Platterbrains, and helped organize some of the first jazz concerts at Carnegie Hall and at the original Metropolitan Opera House.
Reader's Guide
Leonard Feather's significance lies in his role as a prolific jazz writer, critic, and historian. For decades he was the most widely read and influential writer on jazz, shaping public understanding through books such as The Encyclopedia of Jazz (1955) and its subsequent editions, as well as through his columns in Metronome and the Los Angeles Times. His liner notes reached millions of listeners, and his radio programs like Jazz Club and Platterbrains brought jazz to broader audiences. Feather also contributed as a composer and producer, though his writing remained his primary legacy. His archives are held at the University of Idaho Library as part of the International Jazz Collections. He received an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music in 1984. His work, while not always neutral—he sometimes reviewed his own productions—helped document and promote jazz across several decades.
Did You Know?
- Feather learned piano and clarinet without formal training.
- He wrote the lyrics to Benny Golson's 'Whisper Not', recorded by Ella Fitzgerald.
- He organized the first Carnegie Hall jazz concerts and the only two jazz concerts at the original Metropolitan Opera House.
- Feather's archives are part of the International Jazz Collections at the University of Idaho Library.
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