CRAIG LEON

MUSIC INDUSTRY PEOPLE - USA (AMERICA) / UK


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Craig Leon

Music Producer Composer Music Artist Musician Arranger

DESCRIPTION: Craig Leon is an American born music artist, composer and record producer who is most notable for his work as a producer in developing music acts such as the Ramones and Blondie.

ACTIVITY STATUS: Active

ACTIVITY PERIOD: 1966 - Current

MUSIC GENRE: Contemporary / Instrumental

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: USA (AMERICA)

MAIN INSTRUMENTS: Keyboards, Synths

BANDS / OUTFITS: Solo Artist, Cassell Webb

MAIN WEB PAGE: http://www.craigleon.com/

CRAIG LEON - MUSIC PRODUCT (Master List)


ABOUT HIM:
Craig Leon - Background information
Born: 7 January 1952
Genres: Classical, Modern, Folk, Pop
Occupations: Composer, arranger, producer
Years active: 1966–present
Labels: Decca, DGG, Sony, EMI, VIrgin, Takoma, Enigma, Atlas
Associated acts: The Ramones, Blondie, Luciano Pavarotti, Joshua Bell, Andreas Scholl, James Galway, Cassell Webb
Website: http://www.craigleon.com

Craig Leon (born 7 January 1952) is an American born record producer, composer and arranger currently living in England. Leon was instrumental in launching the careers of many recording artists including The Ramones and Blondie. Active in pop music production from 1974–1998, Leon has focused on classical composition, orchestration, arrangement and recording from 1998 to the present.His work appears on many classical recordings with artists including Luciano Pavarotti, Andreas Scholl, Sir James Galway, Joshua Bell, The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the London Symphony Orchestra.

Leon has recently turned to work combining audio and visual imagery. Recently he has completed work as a producer and musical director/composer of the PBS broadcast "Quest beyond The Stars" which commenced broadcasting in June 2012 and the Discovery Network broadcast "Orbit:Journey to the Moon" which was viewed on the 40th anniversary of the Apollo Moon Landing. He is also the audio producer and musical director of the PBS broadcast "Bell’aria: Live From Las Vegas".

In 2011 Leon completed the Sony Classical recording of "Midwinter's Eve: Music For Christmas" featuring his orchestrations and arrangements of Christmas music performed by The London Chamber Orchestra conducted by Christopher Warren-Green.


CRAIG LEON - ALBUMS:

Nommos-Craig-Leon.jpeg Visiting-Craig-Leon.jpeg

CAREER

Craig Leon was born in Miami, Florida and raised in Fort Myers, Florida. After opening his own recording studio in Miami, Florida, In 1973,he moved to New York when he was hired as assistant to producer Richard Gottehrer at Sire Records. There he was responsible for the discovery and early development of the Ramones and Talking Heads amongst other artists. In New York, Leon also produced recordings by Blondie, Richard Hell, Suicide and many other artists connected with the burgeoning New York scene. Leon has produced over 150 & CD s of alternative pop music over the years.

In 1981 Leon produced his own first recorded work, "Nommos" that was released on John Fahey’s Takoma Records later that year. This was followed by “Visiting” in 1982 recorded for Enigma Records. After relocating to the UK in the later 1983, Leon continued producing pop and alternative recordings and also wrote and recorded ”Klub Anima”for the Kosh Dance Theatre piece, .In 1998 Leon produced the comeback “ No Exit” by Blondie.

Since 1998 Leon had been exclusively producing, orchestrating and recording classical projects including an arrangement and orchestration including work with Luciano Pavarotti, Andreas Scholl and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Elysium,the Vienna RSO, The London Symphony Orchestra, Joshua Bell and The Academy of St. Martin In The Fields, and Sir James Galway.


VIDEO / AUDIO ON VIDEO:


Craig Leon track (audio only) - 'She Wears a Hemispherical Skull Cap' off the Nommos album.


PRODUCER - CLASSICAL WORK
Classical Records produced, composed or arranged by Craig Leon

  • Various Artists - "Quest Beyond The Stars" Original Soundtrack- Atlas Realisations/Warner Music
  • The London Chamber Orchestra /Christopher Warren Green- Craig Leon: Midwinter's Eve: Music For Christmas- Sony Classical
  • Joshua Bell/Academy of St. Martin in the Fields Orchestra -Romance of the Violin-Sony BMG
  • Sir James Galway/London Symphony Orchestra-Wings of Song Deutsche Grammophon
  • Charles Griffes (arr. Craig Leon)-Roman Sketches op. 7 /Erich Korngold-Symphonic Serenade op. 65-London Symphony Orchestra cond. S, Pittau-ASV/Universal
  • Andreas Scholl and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra-Wayfaring Stranger-Decca
  • Ophelié Gaillard and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra-Dreams Aparte/Harmonia Mundi
  • Elysium- Decca
  • Various Artists- Cinema Italiano- Decca
  • Natasha Marsh/London Symphony Orchestra-Amour-EMI Classics
  • Julia Thornton-Harpistry-EMI Classics
  • Isobel Cooper(Izzy)-Decca
  • Isobel Cooper(Izzy)-Ascolta- EMI Classics
  • Isobel Cooper(Izzy)-New Dawn- EMI Classics

PRODUCER - POP / ROCK WORK
Pop Records produced or co-produced by Craig Leon


HIS WORK AS A MUSICIAN
Records performed by Craig Leon


REFERENCES

1.Massey,Howard,Behind the Glass(Top Record Producers Tell How They Craft the Hits) ,Miller Freeman.2000. ISBN 0-87930-614-9 2.Heylin,Clinton,From The Velvets to the Voidoids,Penguin,1993,ISBN 0-14-017970-4 3.International Who’s Who in Classical Music 2005,Routledge2005. ISBN 781857432954
Further reading

Massey,Howard,Behind the Glass(Top Record Producers Tell How They Craft the Hits) ,Miller Freeman.2000. ISBN 0-87930-614-9 Heylin,Clinton,From The Velvets to the Voidoids,Penguin,1993,ISBN 0-14-017970-4 True,Everett,Hey Ho Let’s Go (The Story of the Ramones)Omnibus 2002,ISBN 0-7119-9108-1


LINKS:

Categories:

American record producers
20th-century classical composers
21st-century classical composers
American composers


Parent Category Page Links: Music Industry People - UK Music Industry People - USA (America)
Record Producers - USA (America) Record Producers - UK Songwriters, Composers & Arrangers - USA (America)
Songwriters, Composers & Arrangers - UK Music Artists / Outfits - USA (America) Major Musicians - USA (America)

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