Hello and Welcome back to Friday! I’m going to a jazz and seafood festival tomorrow so I wanted to celebrate this most delightful of genres with a shoutout to two Jazz musicians. One from the 30s and one still active today. They are Billy Tipton and Jennifer Leitham.

Born 1914 in Oklahoma City Billy Tipton started performing professionally in 1933 Tipton spent pretty much his entire life Stealthing with nobody knowing he was Trans until he died In 1989. Tipton’s music is a very big band and swingy. None of it would sound out of place at a swanky nightclub in 50s Las Vegas or New York. His Piano playing is excellent one of my favorite players on Piano

The second artist of the day Double Bassist and Vocalist Jennifer Leitham has been active for over 50 years and has collaborated with a vast list of Musical Masters including Peggy Lee, Doc Severinson, K.D Lang, and Take 6. She has a long and varied career so narrowing it down to one sound is impossible, to say the least. But, on her solo stuff, she sings with a snappy style that tends to match her Bass grooves and her lyrics are often political with her 2019 album Remnants Of Humanity being very anti-Trump.

Both musicians have documentaries out about them. Billy Tipton’s is No Ordinary Man from 2020 and Leitham’s is I Stand Corrected from 2012. I haven’t seen either yet but I want to.

Well that’s all she wrote! Remember to Support Our Local Clam Fighter, Protect The Mayor, Hoggle Some Poggles and Be Excellent To Each Other