Leo Pellegrino, popularly known as Leo P, is an American saxophone player from Pittsburgh, PA. His chops on the baritone sax and unique dance moves alongside his ever-changing hair color and matching outfits have taken him from the subways of New York City to featured status at Royal Albert Hall and international prominence.
Leo moved to New York in 2010 to attend the Manhattan School of Music. His unique performance style created friction with his professors. Some loved him and believed in his ... view more »
Leo Pellegrino, popularly known as Leo P, is an American saxophone player from Pittsburgh, PA. His chops on the baritone sax and unique dance moves alongside his ever-changing hair color and matching outfits have taken him from the subways of New York City to featured status at Royal Albert Hall and international prominence.
Leo moved to New York in 2010 to attend the Manhattan School of Music. His unique performance style created friction with his professors. Some loved him and believed in his alternative style, while others claimed he would never be able to get a good sound while moving around.
He began playing in the New York City subways in 2014 while he was still in school and later switched to full- time performance. His subway performances led to viral videos with two different groups: Lucky Chops (LC) and Too Many Zooz (TMZ). Eventually, Leo put his focus on TMZ, and since that time, the band has recorded and played live with Beyoncé and recorded with Diplo. Their song “Warriors” has been featured in an international commercial for the Google Pixel 2 (alongside a visual from a TMZ performance) and named “Song of the Week” by the BBC.
In 2017, Leo was chosen to perform as a featured artist at the BBC Proms’ tribute to Charles Mingus at Royal Albert Hall. According to SeenandheardInternational.com, “possibly the true highlight of the evening was the outstanding solos of fuchsia-haired New York-based saxophonist Leo Pellegrino, choreographed to a tee in zebra-striped shoes, in ‘Moanin’.” His sheer physical agility while playing his instrument virtuosically was simply unlike anything I have experienced before. Unsurprisingly, he brought the house down.” In 2019, Pellegrino and alto saxophonist Grace Kelly announced a long-term collaboration project known as 2SAXY.
This will be Leo’s first guest artist performance with a full 18-piece big band.
Texins Jazz Band is a full 18-piece community big band based in Dallas, TX. The band is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1986 at Texas Instruments in Dallas. The majority of band members have STEM based degrees and careers (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). The band is under the musical direction of Bill Centera. Texins Jazz Band is funded in part by the City of Richardson through the City of Richardson Cultural Arts Commission.
The Berkner High School Jazz Band will open the show and perform with Leo P. as well.
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