LEROY DOWNS Being an "ICON IN THE JAZZ INDUSTRY"

LeRoy Downs has been an icon in the jazz industry for the past twenty years. He has been a Los Angeles jazz radio program host on several Los Angeles radio stations, festival host, journalist, television producer, curator of the Just Jazz Concert Series and has continued to contribute to the art form, currently broadcasting on 89.9 FM KCRW.

The love of the music continues with JustJazz.tv and TheJazzcat.net where you will find articles, concert reviews, interviews, events and multi-media projects that LeRoy has collaborated and produced over the years. 

“My vision and goal is to bring an eclectic sonic experience of jazz to my listeners. A blend of music, style, culture, love, social consciousness, and a voice for the unsung heroes of today and yesterday. “

I love curating radio shows and live performances with a sense of openness and agility while exploring the vast cerebral beauty of the sound. A mix of old and new dreams that bridge generations, colors, cultures, and politics while letting the natural vibrations of the harmonies and melodies inspire new visions of self and rediscovery for the audience.”

LeRoy has also been busy hosting many jazz festivals and performances including more that 20 years with the Monterey Jazz Festival, the Central Avenue Jazz Festival, the Angel City Jazz Festival, The Playboy Jazz Cruise, The Jazz Cruise, Winter Jazz Fest in New York, the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz performances and you can find him weekly at his own Just Jazz Series.

LeRoy developed an entertaining jazz pilot television program called “Hangin' with the Jazzcats” that eventually led to a partnership with Emmy award winning television producer Fred Smith, a forty-year veteran at CBS Television. The culmination of experience comes together as decades jazz and television knowledge are now aligned and working towards some lofty goals in the music!

Under the umbrella of All Music Television, the amalgamation of work produced such programs and events such as “Live from The Blue Whale”, “The Jazz Creative”, “Christmas Jazz with LeRoy Downs”, “Musicians Talk Race in America”, “Miles in May”, “Live from the Lobby”, “Backstage Pass”, “Sound Check”, “The Jazzcat Brunch” and now the successful Live Concert Series in Hollywood called, “Just Jazz”! 

You can enjoy all of these programs, interviews, articles and jazz radio broadcasts and more on “The Just Jazz App”, as well as listen to progressive music on his 24-7 online radio station called “SoundsandColorsRadio.com”.

There are some great plans, partnerships and collaborations for future endeavors and LeRoy Downs will certainly be there continuing to carry the torch, push the music forward, and once again, return the sound of jazz to its classic prominence! 


JUST JAZZ DATES

May 23, 2018 – Walter Smith III 

May 30, 2018 – John Beasley 

June 6, 2018 – Joshua White 

June 13, 2018 – Steve Lehman 

June 20, 2018 – Eric Revis 

June 27, 2018 – Terreon Gully and Tanktified 

July 11, 2108 – Bob Reynold Quartet 

July 18, 2018 – Geoff Keezer Trio featuring Gillian Margot 

July 25, 2018 – The Dwight Trible Quartet 

August 1, 2018 – The Coffee Shop Trio 

August 8, 2018 – The Nathan East Trio 

August 15, 2018 – The Denny Siewell Trio 

August 22, 2018 – The Gerald Clayton Trio 

August 29, 2018 – Guillermo Brown with Pegasus Warning (Zejj Zujj) September 5, 2018 – Kamau Daaood and a Band of Groits September 12, 2018 – Jeff Parker and the Happenings Quartet September 19, 2018 – Nicole Mitchell Ensemble 

September 26, 2018 – Armen Nalbandian with Eric Revis and Nasheet Waits October 3, 2018 – Alex Hahn 

October 10, 2018 – David Binney Quartet featuring Becca Stevens

October 17, 2018 – Munyungo Jackson and Jungle Jazz 

October 24, 2018 – The Daniel Rotem Quintet 

October 31, 2018 – Adegoke Steve Xolson and Iqua Colson November 7, 2018 – Tim Conlet and the MAST: Thelonius Sphere Monk November 14, 2018 – Bennie Maupin 

November 28, 2018 – Teodross Avery Quartet 

December 5, 2018 – Josef Leimberg 

December 12, 2018 – Alfredo Rodriguez and Cameron Graves December 19, 2018 – Jonathan Pinson and Boom Clap 

January 9, 2019 – Somi 

January 16, 2019 – Black Nile 

January 23, 2019 – Mark Dresser Quintet & Eric Dolphy Celebration January 30, 2019 – Daniel Rosenboom and the Orenda Quintet February 6, 2019 – The Josh Nelson Trio with Special Guest Kathleen Grace February 13, 2019 – Carlos Niño and Friends Aquarian Celebration February 20, 2019 – Danny Janklow Elevation Band 

February 27, 2019 – Stephen Crump’s Rosetta Trio 

March 6, 2019 – Eric Reed 

March 13, 2019 – Jonah Levine Collective 

March 20, 2019 – Artyom Manukyan Trio

March 27, 2019 – Otomaro Ruiz 

April 3, 2019 – Theo Croker 

April 10, 2019 – The David Weiss Sextet 

April 17, 2019 – Andy Milne and Unison 

April 24, 2019 – Just Jazz Birthday Broadcast with James Newton and “The Jazzcat” LeRoy Downs 

May 1, 2019 – Michael Dessen 

May 8, 2019 – Gene Coye’s Jazz Gene 

May 15, 2019 – Isaiah Collier and the Chosen Few 

May 22, 2019 – Just Jazz 1 Year Anniversary with John Beasley Circle May 29, 2019 – Jean-Michel Pilc 

June 5, 2019 – Hitomi Oba 

June 12, 2019 – Steph Richards 

June 19, 2019 – Third Eye: Nasheet Waits, Abraham Burton, Eric McPherson June 26, 2019 – Gregoire Maret 

July 3, 2019 – Oscar Hernandez 

July 10, 2019 – Curtis Taylor 

July 17, 2019 – Purple Gums 

July 24, 2019 – Sarah Reich 

July 31, 2019 – Greg Osby 

August 7, 2019 – Cathay Segal-Garcia

August 14, 2019 – Mark de Clive-Lowe 

August 21, 2019 – Benjamin J. Shepherd 

August 28, 2019 – Dale Fielder 

September 4, 2019 – Jaz Sawyer 

September 11, 2019 – Ferenc Nemeth Trio with Myron Walden and Ruslan Sirota September 18, 2019 – Paul Cornish Banned 

September 25, 2019 – Trevor Anderies 

October 2, 2019 – Iridescent and Artifacts 

October 4, 2019 – Vijay Iyer 

October 9, 2019 – Ego Mondo + Aaron Parks Little Big 

October 16, 2019 – Hearts and Minds 

October 23, 2019 – Alex Harding and Lucian Ban 

October 30, 2019 – The Dave Murray Trio 

November 6, 2019 – The Alan Pasqua Trio 

November 13, 2019 – Jen Shyu and Nine Doors 

December 4, 2019 – Bob Sheppard 

December 11, 2019 – Alex Cline 

December 18, 2019 – Eric Harland and Terrace Martin with a Tribute to Billy Higgins January 8, 2020 – Edwin Livingston 

January 15, 2020 – Dexter Story Presents the Bronzeville Little Tokyo Suite

January 29, 2020 – Orrin Evans Eric Revis and Marvin “Smitty” Smith February 5, 2020 – Shana Tucker 

February 12, 2020 – Tim Bern and Matt Mitchell 

December 29, 2020 – Orrin Evans, Eric Revis & Marvin “Smitty” Smooth - Black Elk Speaks 

December 29, 2020 – Stay Strong Everybody by Cosmic Vibrations featuring Dwight Trible 

February 20, 2021 – Just Jazz Live @ Mr Musichead Gallery 

March 26, 2021 – Just Jazz + Marquis Hill Present MADE IN LA April 30, 2021 – The Christian Sands Trio 

June 23, 2021 – Gerald Clayton Presents the GC New Duo 

August 18, 2021 – Taylor Eigsti, Ben Williams & Domo Branch 

September 1, 2021 – The Max Gerl Trio 

September 8, 2021 – The John Escreet Trio + 1 

September 22, 2021 – Logan Richardson 

October 20, 2021 – Eric Revis 

October 27, 2021 – Simon Moullier 

October 28, 2021 – Dave McMurray’s Grateful Dedication 

November 1, 2021 – Casey Benjamin 

November 3, 2021 – Joshua Crumbly 

November 10, 2021 – Liberty Ellman

November 12, 2021 – Mae.Sun 

November 17, 2021 – Anthony Fung 

December 1, 2021 – The Kalia Vandever Quartet December 8, 2021 – Janinah Burnett 

December 22, 2021 – Brian Swartz 

January 7, 2022 – *Postponed* Emilio Modeste’s ASTRIUM January 12, 2022 – *Postponed* Isaiah Collier January 14, 2022 – *Postponed* Nabate Isles January 19, 2022 – *Postponed* Sara Gazarek January 28, 2022 – *Postponed* Aneesa Al-Musawwir February 2, 2022 – MFUO with Jacques Lesure February 4, 2022 – Ami Taf Ra 

February 16, 2022 – Adi Meyerson 

February 18, 2022 – The Dayna Stephens Quartet