Today we’d like to introduce you to Jude Leighton
Hi Jude, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
As a troubled teenager, I found comfort in listening to music, in particular, jazz music. I went on to study jazz at university, playing tenor and alto saxophones and continued to play after graduating. However, the financial instability when relying on music as an income led me to classroom music teaching.
After moving to Denmark in 2004, it took some time to settle, and I went on to study IT which is the branch I work in today as my 9-5. It may not have been the direction I had intended in going as a child, but the financial stability has given me space to relax into composing, performing, and releasing music again.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s definitely not been a smooth road. I have always found it hard to believe in myself, to find confidence, and to trust in my own abilities. I have been good at navigating my way through difficult external factors, but not so much through the storms in my own mind.
I have PTSD as a result of childhood trauma, and many of the symptoms are those that have truly gotten in my way. I’m fortunate to have a wonderful network of family, friends, and colleagues today, who help me to realise my true potential.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a jazz saxophonist and independent artist. I often describe the music that I write and perform as ‘classic’ jazz, and by that I mean jazz standards in a style similar to that of Ben Webster, Zoot Sims, Dexter Gordon, Stan Getz, etc.
I’m best known for my very warm tenor saxophone sound and smooth, breathy vibrato. My first single, ‘Janne’, is probably the tune that I am most proud of as I feel that it is a true reflection of where I want to take my music. That’s not to say that I’m not proud of my other singles, but there is a certain extra emotional attachment to ‘Janne’, which I think others can also feel in my performance.
There are many incredible jazz saxophonists out there, and many who are technically way beyond my experience level. However, I feel that finding the sound that I describe as ‘classic’ has become few and far between when listening to today’s saxophonists. I miss the emotional, fuzzy stuff, so that’s what I strive to continue to produce.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
One of my favourite childhood memories is waking up on a weekend in the summer to my dad mowing the lawn, and the lovely smell of the freshly cut grass. Of course, musically, I would definitely say the Christmas morning when I received my very first saxophone – a Yamaha alto beginner model. I remember clearly the smell of the brass and the instrument case.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://judeleighton.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gingerlyjazz/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/judeleightonjazz
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/JudeLeighton
- Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4edvfMXHVIFinQhAfdADFo?si=ThdeTNp9RW242PJnQmNkAw
