The Biography of Leo Casino

Producer, Composer, Songwriter, Film Maker, Musician, Vocalist, Actor

CLICK HERE FOR LEO CASINO'S SOUTH FLORIDA STAR BIO COLLECTION

LEO CASINO

After 30+ Years, Contemporary Jazz Saxophonist Leo Casino Continues to Move People

The irrepressible Grammy-nominated saxophonist and composer, filmmaker, actor, model and activist reaches people through his music, life experience—and soul

Leo Casino’s soulful, passionate sax has a way of reaching people. Not some people, but all people. Gabe Berman, Miami Herald reporter, described one of his recent performances at Mardi Gras Gaming this way: “…he's belting out Sweet Home Chicago. Passersby stop in their tracks to dance. Valet parkers pop out of their office to shake a leg. Two priests chatting at a table jump to their feet. Small children and old-timers sway to the beat. This scene could be cut-and-pasted into the movie The Blues Brothers.” But this isn’t some chance event. It’s been a common occurrence at every one of Leo Casino’s performances over the past 30+ years.

Even former President Bill Clinton is a fan, writing Casino a personal note: “Leo, your new CD is really smoking.”

After 30 years of show business, Casino has some pretty impressive credentials. He is a Grammy-nominated composer and sax artist who has recorded 100+ songs, scored/acted in 18 movies, and has appeared on the Geraldo, Maury Povitch, and Today Shows. He recently performed at the Memphis Jazz Festival, Jamaica Jazz & Blues Festival and numerous festivals and concerts around the globe. Along the way, Leo has performed with many greats including George Benson, Earth, Wind & Fire, Neil Diamond, Jimi Hendrix, Donny Hathaway, Peter Tosh, Neville Brothers, Miles Jaye, Bob Marley, Gloria Gaynor, Robert Flack, Lionel Richie, Grace Jones, Meat Loaf and Jaco Pastorius—to name just a few.

But for Casino, it’s more than just an impressive resume—it’s always about the music.

Casino is equally adept on alto, soprano and tenor sax. He is perfectly capable writing his own sultry smooth jazz tunes—or unearthing interesting covers like Marc Cohn’s “Walking in Memphis.” Casino paints with a musical palette from around the world—using Latin grooves on some tracks, or Middle Eastern modes on his instrumental, “A Night in Baghdad.” Leo is also an accomplished dancer and singer, but he’s equally happy to let others get their due. He always pushes his band members—made up of Miami’s best studio musicians—to reach new musical heights. Besides being a musician and composer, he’s a great bandleader, and knows when to let others do their thing.

It’s impossible to talk about Casino without mentioning his Pittsburgh roots. He overcame a broken home and turbulent upbringing in the city’s Hill District, by gravitating towards the neighborhood’s rich musical scene. He began studying music at the age of nine, and by his teen years was playing with such giants as Stanley Turrentine, Cy Morocco and George Benson.

Later, Casino received a full scholarship to the prestigious Howard University in Washington, DC. He had the honor of becoming US’s first Jazz Major, studying under Donald Byrd and the great Quincy Jones. After school he moved to Miami, playing nationally with artists including Dr. Lonnie Smith, Timmy Thomas, Mitch Ryder, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, Eddie Floyd, Jimi Hendrix, Spider Martin, Jack McDuff, Carla Thomas, Benny Latimore, Roberta Flack, Diamond Tooth Mary, David Keith, Don Johnson, The Neville Brothers, Bobbie Keys, Robert Cray Band, Meatloaf, Viola Wells, Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Grace Jones, Bob Marley and Peter Tosh in performances that brought him around the world. He played at the annual White House Party, several benefits for the American Cancer Society, President Nixon’s Inauguration and the Orthopedic March and Soul Explosion (a benefit for the homeless).

However, the more he performed, the more Casino became noticed for his equally commanding stage presence, smooth looks—and unequalled sense of style—which put him in demand as a model, actor, and more. Casino delved into writing and acting, developing numerous plays and musicals: among the plays are I am Innocent, and Odyssey. Musical credits include Land My Father Died and Funk Opera. Among Casino’s film credits are Forsythe County, Soweto and East of Overtown. Leo can also be seen in the 1987 German film Otto and in a 1986 episode of Miami Vice as Slick.

But as his career flourished, Leo became more involved in giving back. He lectured on race relations at colleges around the country including UCLA, Harvard Law School, the University of Chicago and Morehouse College. He was awarded an honorary Doctorate Degree from Mallory College for his work. Casino was the guest speaker at the Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) Jail’s General Equivalency Diploma (GED) graduation ceremony honoring the jail’s achievers. Recently, he was the headline entertainer at a fundraiser for New Orleans’ victims of Hurricane Katrina and the American Red Cross that also featured Jamie Foxx, Colin Farrell, Paris Hilton, Victoria Cummock, Shaquille O’Neal, Cedric the Entertainer, Boris Becker and Jim Brown in South Beach. Additionally, Casino was a recent keynote speaker at Florida International University’s Black Student Union’s Conference on ““Empowerment: Searching and Finding Solutions” alongside the Reverend Al Sharpton.

However, after all of this success, something was missing. Casino decided to return to his roots—visiting his native Pittsburgh, to shoot an original film. Part documentary, part memoir and part entertaining story about his return to the Hill District—he confronts great memories of his youth as well as the tragic increase in murders, particularly of young Black Pittsburghers. This film presents a wonderful platform for further discussion and a harsh engagement with what plagues us within and outside our communities. Not surprisingly, Return to the Hill has been shown at festivals and theaters worldwide.

Leo is currently performing as a jazz musician with Miami’s popular “The Florida Players.” He is also working on his latest documentary film project Brothers, the story of his chance meeting in May 1996 with his younger brother Reginald Harris, whom he had not seen or heard from in over thirty years. He is also currently promoting his latest CD, Better Days, which is dedicated to those that lost their lives on September 11, 2001 and their families and loved ones. He is constantly in demand playing concert and music festivals, as well as acting in commercials and TV ads.

And after 30 years as a musician, composer—and so much more—it seems that Leo Casino will always be reaching peoples’ hearts.

During his illustrious career, Leo has played with the likes of:

• Dr. Lonnie Smith
• George Benson,
• Earth, Wind & Fire
• Timmy Thomas
• Neil Diamond
• Mitch Ryder
• James Brown
• Wilson Pickett
• Eddie Floyd
• Jimi Hendrix
• Spider Martin
• Jack McDuff
• Carla Thomas
• Benny Latimore
• Roberta Flack
• Donnie Hathaway

• Shirley Scott
• Diamond Tooth Mary
• David Keith
• Don Johnson
• Jaco Pastorius
• Neville Brothers
• Bobbie Keys
• Robert Cray Band
• Meatloaf
• Viola Wells
• Donna Summer
• Gloria Gaynor
• Grace Jones
• Bob Marley and
• Peter Tosh

Click here to read Leo's Testimonials

Press:

Jazz musician works for change

Rebecca Nuttall

Click here to view more articles by Rebecca Nuttall

Jazz musician works for change

For musician and Pittsburgh native Leo Casino the Hill District doesn’t conjure images of violence or Penguins hockey. When Casino thinks about "The Hill," he can still hear music playing through the streets.

"People from all around the world used to come here to visit," Casino said of his birthplace. "I think a lot of the growth and opportunities were on the Hill."

Casino is a Grammy Award-nominated jazz musician who strives to give back to his community. In recognition of his accomplishments, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl had a day named for him.

"It is really an honor to have a day named after me in the city of my birth," Casino said. "We grew up hard and tough. My brother used to say if you can make it in the ’Burgh you can make it anywhere."

Casino, who now lives in Miami, can remember the days when the Hill District had a rich musical culture.

"I meet a lot of retirees from Squirrel Hill and the suburbs down here and they reminisce about the times they used to go up on the Hill and listen to the music," Casino said. "I think it could be like that again."

While living in the Hill District Casino became inspired by the sounds of jazz and over the course of his career he has worked with some of the world’s best known artists.

Leo receives plaque

SPECIAL DAY—Leo Casino was honored with a plaque from Mayor Luke Ravenstahl setting aside a day in his honor.

"Growing up in the ’Burg with August Wilson, George Benson and so many greats inspired me," Casino said. "Jazz has so many different aspects to it. I think music is really like a universal language."

Casino made a film about the Hill District and his journey back to the place of his birth. Besides being a personal memoir of his journey, "Return to the Hill" presents the problem of Black-on-Black violence in Pittsburgh.

"A lot of musicians and artists are just for the arts, but I came up in a generation of artists that were vanguards in the Civil Rights Movement and really broke down a lot of the segregation and Jim Crow laws," Casino said. "I think as musicians we really got away from that."

Since completing his film, he has returned to Pittsburgh several times to address the issue of violence in the Hill District, as well as what the community must do to ensure economic growth and stability.

"I would like to work to stop the senseless killings in the ’Burg amongst young people," Casino said. "I’m helping to spread the word of the potential that’s in our city."

Casino is in the process of making another film, but this time he plans to focus on the more positive aspects of the African-American community.

"I think this one will be a little more light-hearted. We tried to balance it out this time and show that there are really people out there doing things," Casino said. "There’s a lot of people doing good things that you never read about in the newspaper."

Casino thinks the media presents only the worst of what exists in the African-American community. He points to this negativity as a catalyst for more negative behavior.

"The media can inspire or it can build up more division," Casino said. "I think a lot of the reporting isn’t uplifting. I think that plays into the stereotype that people think the Black community is one of poverty and violence."

As opposed to this stereotype, when Casino reminisces about the Hill District he will always remember a community with "drive and a can-do outlook."

"It was on par with Harlem and Detroit. There was a lot of movement," Casino said. "We had a lot of Black businesses there. That cohesiveness has really been lost."

http://blog.radioleft.com/blog/_archives/2006/2/12/1757201.html