About Pete
Salisbury native Peter Leonard has been making a name for himself as a popular local performer with his left-field musical stylings, improvisational live performances and use of ethnic world instruments over the last 6 years.
Drawing on classic masters such as Skip James and John Lee Hooker as the base for his inspiration Peter is also informed by a love of avant-garde electronica and experimental production that has resulted in live performances that range from pure archetypal blues maestro to Aphex Twin-esque musical explorer.
At core his songs are charmingly cinematic with flashes of the surreal that paint a landscape of old Blues and the new that will delight lovers of roots music and beyond.
Having just recorded his new album ‘Headlights’ with added Bolivian lute, Chinese flute, banjo and harmonica Peter will undoubtedly be laden with an array of musical armour to conquer.
Reviews, Articles & Interviews
Bug Bear Review
Folk blues acoustic music masterfully played via the Dobro guitar. That particular kinda axe is jangled delightfully with bluesy bass patterns throbbing thru…Pete mediates various beatific thoughts over this, and does it all himself too. Mean and moody music wherein John Martyn meets Bukka White.
Blues in london Review
It wouldn’t be a Bluesinlondon Night though without a bit of a challenge towards what blues can mean in the 21st century and Peter Leonard does just that. His playing draws recognisably on blues forms but works a deconstruction on them and his songwriting is refreshingly idiosyncratic and cliche free.
Click here to read the Beat Route Review ( Page 6 & 7 )
Creaturemag review
Displaying a mixture of influences and accomplished ability on a number of instruments this is a showcase of Pete’s musical experimentation and a modern interpretation of traditional genres and techniques. With sprinkles of Middle Eastern and Indian influences, added country twang, a folky haze and the usual heavy helping of blues influenced guitar and vocal presentation, the album displays in Pete a worldliness beyond his years.
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Pete Leonard – Headlights : Album Review by Flom Productions
This the first album review from ‘For the Love of Music’, it’s also the first time we have been given a CD from an artist who has played at one of our events since we have kicked off in London.So Pete Leonard’s “Headlights” album has been placed in the digital disc player and span up, although the music feels like it should be heard on a 12” vinyl with background noises adding to vibe given. A very natural and deceptively simple blues & folk sound greeted me as Pete’s confident vocals cut through the silence, with picture painting lyrics such as: “Walk on down to the harbour, find an old man there, sitting next to this old beaten ship, I do despair, say hey Mr. can I get a… on for a ride, says course you can my son”…
Full article: Click here