Biography

Darrell Leonard

DARRELL LEONARD is a Grammy and W.C Handy Award-winning Los Angeles-based trumpet player, arranger and composer. Recording artists B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Taj Mahal, Jimmy Smith and The Rolling Stones, among others, have featured his work. Films include: Swing Shift, One Night Stand, Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood, Cold Mountain and Be Cool. Recent TV includes the Jim Belushi show According to Jim. Darrell performed at the major blues and jazz festivals while extensively touring Europe. He has worked with Kansas City legends Joe Turner and Jay McShann and for many years was a big band leader in Los Angeles. This is Darrell’s second time at the Steppenwolf Theatre. His first was a collaboration with T Bone Burnett, writing an original score for the Eric Simonson directed production of Bertolt Brecht’s Mother Courage and Her Children.