Leon Breeden
| Leon Breeden | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Harold Leon Breeden |
| Born |
October 3, 1921 Guthrie, Oklahoma, US |
| Died | August 11, 2010 (aged 88) Dallas, Texas, US |
| Genres | Jazz, classical |
| Occupation(s) | Educator, musician, composer |
| Instruments | Clarinet |
| Associated acts | One O'Clock Lab Band |
Harold Leon Breeden (3 October 1921 Guthrie, Oklahoma – 11 August 2010 Dallas, Texas), known as Leon Breeden, was a jazz studies educator at the collegiate level, a classical and jazz clarinetist, a saxophonist, a prolific composer and arranger, a music clinician, and jazz festival judge. The Associated Press release of Breeden's death referred to him as, "legendary director of the University of North Texas' jazz program who made its 'One O'Clock Lab Band' internationally famous."
Breeden was the chairman of Jazz Studies — and director of the One O'Clock Lab Band — at the University of North Texas College of Music from 1959 to 1981. From early in his tenure at North Texas, Breeden led its Jazz Studies division to rapid rise in international prominence.
The One O'Clock Lab Band is the highest level of nine big bands at the College of Music. The College of Music is a comprehensive music school with the largest enrollment of any music institution accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music and the first in the world to offer a degree in jazz studies at the collegiate level.
Breeden took the One O'Clock Lab Band to London, Paris, Portugal, Russia, Mexico, Germany, Spain, and Switzerland. The band played in most major cities throughout the U.S. and the Spoleto Music Festival.
The band performed at the White House for the parties of Presidents Johnson, Carter and Reagan. They played for the U.S. visit of the King and Queen of Thailand.
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Wikipedia