Leonard Gaskin

Who was Leonard Gaskin?

Leonard Gaskin was an American jazz bassist born in New York City.

Gaskin played on the early bebop scene at Minton's and Monroe's in New York in the early 1940s. In 1944 he took over Oscar Pettiford's spot in Dizzy Gillespie's band, and followed it with stints in bands led by Cootie Williams, Charlie Parker, Don Byas, Eddie South, Charlie Shavers, and Erroll Garner. In the 1950s he played with Eddie Condon's Dixieland band, and played with Ruby Braff, Bud Freeman, Rex Stewart, Cootie Williams, Billie Holiday, Stan Getz, J.J. Johnson, and Miles Davis.

In the 1960s he became a studio musician, playing on numerous gospel and pop records. In the 1970s and 1980s he returned to jazz, playing with Sy Oliver, Panama Francis, and The International Art of Jazz.

Leonard Gaskin became involved in educating young people later in his life. He performed and shared his knowledge with elementary students with the Good Groove Band at Woodstock Elementary School in Woodstock, NY in 2003. Gaskin died January 24, 2009