"We're all smiles, Mickey!" Karen Oberlin, Ellen Bullinger, Janet Fanale,
                                   Jane Scheckter, Johnny Meyer, Barbara Brussell, and our own incomparable
                                    Linda Amiel Burns.  At the piano, the man of the hour:    Michael "Mickey" Leonard.
                                                                                                                                        Photo by Sam Teicher

with Mickey Leonard, Barbara Brussell, John Meyer, and special guests Karen Oberlin, Ellen Bullinger, Jane Scheckter, and Janet Fanale

What a show! Not just that the program was sensational with Mickey Leonard's music and this cast, we knew it had to be something wonderful, but they really did outdo themselves. Wow! From tears to laughter and back, and what a trip! How do you single out anyone when everyone is so great, but Barbara Brussell gets extra points for getting the whole shebang together. It doesn't seem fair that she's beautiful, talented, and also a great organizer. (However, she is!) Karen Oberlin and Ellen Bullinger were more than marvelous on their solos, but when Barbara, Ellen and Karen did that F Minor Vocalise, they stopped the show. That's not quite fair. Every moment of that afternoon was a show stopper. To prove it, just recollect how Johnny Meyer showed us once more what it is that makes him a star: talent! And the two really funny ladies (Jane Scheckter and Janet Fanale) were really funny. But the thrill of thrills was when Mickey Leonard performed what was in essence his one-man, one-act play: "Bach and Bill." What a performance! Mickey Leonard's presence was a joy. No words can describe the charm that he has, and so freely dispenses. Thank you, Mickey. Bless you all.

An afternoon of the Music of
Michael (Mickey) Leonard
February 2, 2002

"I'm All Smiles" from "The Yearling" with lyrics by Hugh Martin ..........................Barbara Brussell
"Don't Let A Good Thing Get Away" lyrics by Carolyn Leigh..............................Karen Oberlin
"Childhood's End" lyrics by Herb Martin.............................................................Ellen Bullinger
"Nice Jewish Girl" from "How To Be A Jewish Mother" lyrics by Herb Martin ....Jane Scheckter
"Where Do The Lonely Go?" lyrics by Barbara James ........................................Ellen Bullinger
"Let Me Off The Boat" lyrics by Annie LeBeaux .................................................Janet Fanale
"I'm Not There" lyrics by Sheila Davis ................................................................Karen Oberlin
"Old World Charm" from "Pousse Cafe"  lyrics by Marshall Barer ......................John Meyer
"Not Exactly Paris" lyrics by Russell George .......................................................Barbara Brussell F Minor Vocalise .................................................................................Karen, Ellen and Barbara

Songs from "The Yearling" lyrics by Herb Martin
"Why Did I Choose You?" ......................................................Barbara Brussell
"Growing Up Is Learning To Say Goodbye" ............................Ellen Bullinger
"Everything Beautiful".............................................................. Karen Oberlin
"Kind of Man A Woman Needs" ............................................Barbara Brussell
"My Pa" .................................................................................Ellen Bullinger
"Spring Is A New Beginning" ..................................................Barbara Brussell
"Bach and Bill" lyrics by Russell George ..................................Mickey Leonard

Composer, arranger, conductor, pianist, Michael Leonard has worn many musical hats in a fruitful and distinguished career. He is the composer of innumerable songs, many of which have become standards. His music has been heard on Broadway, television and radio, films, recordings, commercials, in cabarets, elegant clubs and smoky jazz dives. His talent pervades the American musical landscape.

A native New Yorker, Mickey was considered a musical prodigy. He received his training at the Julliard School of Music and the Handel Conservatory in Munich. Early in his career, he covered the musical bases as a Broadway rehearsal pianist, dance arranger, musical director and conductor for several artists, including Geoffrey Holder and Carmen Delavallade, Dick Haymes and Fran Jeffries, Shari Lewis, Tommy Sands and Nancy Sinatra, to name a few. He was a staff composer and arranger at the April-Blackwood publishing company.

The songs from his first Broadway show, "The Yearling" (with lyricist Herb Martin) include "I'm All Smiles", "Why Did I Choose You?" "The Kind of Man a Woman Needs", "My Pa", and "My Love". They were first recorded by Barbra Streisand and subsequently by many artists throughout the world.

Mickey's work in musical theater includes the original production of "Grease" for which he served as the orchestrator and musical supervisor. He composed the score (with lyricist Herb Martin) for "How to Be a Jewish Mother," which had a national tour prior to its Broadway opening. He was the musical director and arranger for "Kumquats," billed as "The World's First Erotic Puppet Show", which had a successful run off-Broadway. He wrote the music for "Words Fail Me," an original revue for the Penguin Repertory Theater. Mickey was the musical director and arranger for "Jack," a musical about John F. Kennedy, produced by Isobel Robins Konecky for the Goodspeed Opera House.

In television, Mickey Leonard's music has filled the airwaves for almost three decades. His credits include: "Linda in Wonderland" (CBS), a SmithHemion Production staring Linda Lavin; "The Ted Knight Show" (CBS); "Joannie Loves Chachie" (ABC); "Laurel & Hardy Revisited" (PBS - 10 half hour films); "Bustin Loose" (CBS  main title & music); the Playboy Channel, and pilots for which he was the composer and arranger. In addition, Mickey wrote scores for several feature films.

No stranger to the jazz world, his music has been played and recorded by scores of artists, including Shirley Horn, Carmen McRae, George Shearing, Tommy Flanagan, Hank Jones, Marian McPartland, Betty Carter, Mark Murphy, Helen Merrill, Dave McKenna, Stan Getz, Bobby Short, Al Cohn, Zoot Sims, Earl Klugh, Toots Thielmans, Jim Hall, Ernestine Anderson and Scott Hamilton. The list goes on and on. For the legendary jazz pianist Bill Evans, Mickey arranged and conducted the album "From Left to Right" (MGM/Verve Records), which received high critical praise and a Grammy nomination.

A member of ASCAP since 1960, Michael Leonard served on the Board of Governors of the Los Angeles chapter of NARAS, and divides his time between New York and Los Angeles. His music continues to be recorded and performed by notable musicians and singers the world over.