Jerry LeDuff Congas & Percussion

Bio:

JAZZ     AFRO-CUBAN     BRAZILIAN     WORLD MUSIC

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JERRY LEDUFF
All photos by Annette Wecker LeDuff
unless otherwise indicated.

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JERRY LEDUFF plays congas, cuica, berimbau, tabla, bongos, surdo, ethnic flutes, ocarinas and many other percussion instruments. JERRY LEDUFF uses his large collection of ethnic and contemporary percussion instruments in performance, recording and lecture presentations. JERRY LEDUFF plays Innovative Contemporary Jazz, Latin Jazz and World Music. He composes, arranges and performs music for video, television, film and dance projects. JERRY LEDUFF is available for music performances, studio work, music collaborations and lecture presentations (World Music - general knowledge to advanced level).

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JERRY LEDUFF is a visual artist, graduating from CRANBROOK ACADEMY OF ART with a MASTERS OF FINE ART.

JERRY LEDUFF was a member of ROY BROOKS ABORIGINAL PERCUSSION CHOIR and he designed the ABORIGINAL PERCUSSION CHOIR logo.

.. He created the artwork for ROY BROOKS "DUET IN DETROIT" CD jacket and MARVIN "DOC" HOLLADAY'S "SWEETNESS AND LIGHT" CD jacket.

Annette and Jerry LEDUFF designed the logo for the Dizzy Gillespie School of Jazz in Quito, Ecuador.

JERRY LEDUFF has recorded and/or performed with: Paul Abler, Dwight Adams, Afram Jazz Band, Afrikan Folk Ensemble, Geri Allen, Jimmy Allen, Audrey Allison, Robert Allison, Kofi Ameyaw, Bill Banfield, Spencer Barefield, Marcus Belgrave, George Bennett, Biakuye Percussion Ensemble, Racey Biggs, Mike Blanchard, Tassili Bond, Emil Borde, Ron Brooks, Roy Brooks, Lorenzo Brown, Vincent Bowens, Gary Bubash, Buddy Budson, Michael Carey, James Carter, Francisco Mora Catlett, Joe Chila, Gerald Cleaver, Bill "Clayman" Cloutier, Chris Codish, Jervonny Collier, Danny Colton, Greg Cook, Cordova, Kenn Cox, Huby Crawford, John Dana, George Davidson, Richard Davis, John Douglas, Ron English, Jim Esnault, Johnny Evans, Stev Fair, Brad Felt, Michael Frank, Larry Fratangelo, Patrick "Pat" Freer, Girard Gibbs, Dizzy Gillespie, Edward Gooch, Andy Gonzales, Jerry Gonzales, Miguel Gutierrez, Alex Harding, Wendell Harrison, Marion Hayden, J C Heard, Andres "Drez" Hernandez, Marvin "Doc" Holladay, Anthony "Tony" Holland, Akunda Hollis, Maureen Honoré, Barbara Huby, Perry Hughes, Steven Hunter, Robert Hurst, Ali Jackson, Angie Jackson, David Janeway, Cornelius "JuJu" Johnson, Marvin Kahn, Keith Kaminski, Mark Kieme, Leonard King, Earl Klugh, Stefan Kukurugya, Kerry Lacy, Larry Lamb, Sheila Landis, Phil Lasley, Michael Layne, Howard Levy, Joe LoDuca, Eugene Mann, Ray Mantilla, Pete Martinez, Rick Matle, Harold McKinney, GayeLynn McKinney, Duncan W McMillan, David McMurray, Diego Melendez, Bill Meyer, Steve Morris, Amina Claudine Myers, Alberto Nacif, Greg Nance, Ed Nelson, Shahida Nurullah, Babatunde Olatunji, Oopapada, Orange Lake Drive, Parsec 9, Nick Pena, Percussive Arts Ensemble, Scott Petersen, Ed Pickens, Christopher Pitts, Zach Pliska, Terry Pollard, Marianne Porter, Melvyn Price, Patrick Prouty, Enrico Rava, David Reinstein, Althea Rene, Max Roach, Badal Roy, Sam Sanders, Satori, Gary Schunk, Jaribu Shahid, James Simonson, Warren Smith, R J Spangler, David Staub, Rick Steiger, Mark Stone, Storytellers, Straight Ahead, Sun Ra, Walt Szymanski, Tani Tabbal, Craig Taborn, The Aboriginal Percussion Choir, The Fireworks Arts Ensemble, The Lyman Woodard Organization, Bastian Trimpe, Earl Van Dyke, Earl Van Riper, Keith Vreeland, Donald Walden, Ursula Walker, Donald Washington, Peter Wenger, Rodney Whitaker, Lawrence Williams, Pamela Wise, Lyman Woodard, Vincent York, Ai Yumiba and many others.

The Detroit music scene is ripe with talent and many music performances, collaborations and relationships have developed over the years.

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JERRY LEDUFF & BADAL ROY collaborate on original music...

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JERRY LEDUFF performs music with his group, CREOLADA, featuring original compositions and arrangements of Afro-Cuban and Contemporary Jazz and World Music.

JERRY LEDUFF collaborates, records and performs with other musicians on various music projects.

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JERRY LEDUFF is profiled in the book "Detroit Jazz Who's Who", text: Herbert Boyd, photos: Leni Sinclair, Jazz Research Institute, 1984.

JERRY LEDUFF sponsored master drum classes held in his home/studio, including two with Cuban master percussionists: Changuito (born José Luis Quintana), Giovanni Hidalgo's teacher and Jesus Alfonso Miró Quintero, leader of Los Muñequitos de Matanzas.

JERRY LEDUFF was born October 14th in Alexandria, Rapides Parish, Louisiana to Creole parents Mary Elizabeth Esnault and Octave LeDuff. He was raised in Pontiac, Oakland County, Michigan and also spent time with extended family in Louisiana.

(1) Melrose Plantation "Big House" (Originally Yucca Plantation "Big House", owned and built by Jerry's 5th Great-Grandfather)
National Register of Historic Places
(2) Jerry's 2nd Great-grandfather Tom Neal's summer cabin, relocated to LSU Rural Farm Museum
(3) Yucca House, original home built circa 1800 before the "Big House" on Yucca Plantation

Blues music was an integral part of Jerry’s childhood experience. JERRY LEDUFF was introduced to jazz in the 1950s by twin jazz aficionados: brothers Obadiah and Rashid McConnell of Pontiac. JERRY LEDUFF expressed a desire to be in the Junior High School Band. His parents gave him a new Conn alto saxophone in 1957, a precious sacrifice from his parents still appreciated today. He studied music and played sax until 1961. The community of Pontiac was the home of the legendary Jones brothers: Hank, Thad and Elvin. The polyrhythmic drumming of Elvin Jones was known within small circles that were also rooted in the Beat movement. Jazz culture and ethnic awareness expanded simultaneously with the Beat movement. These environs stimulated Jerry’s interest in the arts and culture.

In 1961 JERRY LEDUFF joined the Navy “to see the world” and was stationed for three years at the Great Lakes Naval Station outside Chicago, Illinois. For a travel-hungry recruit this station was a disappointment, but for a jazz musician, not a bad concession. JERRY LEDUFF had the home advantage of proximity to Chicago and Detroit bars and jazz scenes.

After leaving the Navy in 1964, he purchased his first conga drum. At this time Americans had little access to authentic African music. Over a few years, visiting African drummers provided the needed instruction and guidance to develop the fundamentals of African drumming. JERRY LEDUFF and friend Melvyn Price formed a group called the Afrikan Folk Ensemble in Pontiac, Michigan for the study and performance of African-based music. By 1967 JERRY LEDUFF was involved in avant-garde jazz, and performing with a Pontiac group called The Fireworks Arts Ensemble.

In 1971 Jerry attended Oakland University (Rochester, Michigan), completing a Bachelor of Studio Arts degree in 1974. During this time JERRY LEDUFF performed with the Afram Jazz Ensemble under the directorship of Marvin “Doc” Holladay. At this point in his career, LeDuff was influenced by, studied and performed with Detroit jazz legends Marcus Belgrave, Sam Sanders, Harold McKinney, Jimmy Allen, and Terry Pollard.

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Having lived with the blues and studied and performed African and jazz music, JERRY LEDUFF naturally extended his interests into WORLD MUSIC. LEDUFF’s music career has afforded him the opportunity to play and record with many great jazz musicians.

In 2009, JERRY LEDUFF was honored as guest artist at Oakland University, teaching students Brazilian rhythms and music, culminating in a performance with Akwaaba and Pan Jumbies.

ORIGINAL LEDUFF MUSIC The Detroit Instititute of Arts, Diego Rivera Murals

JERRY LEDUFF composed and performed original music for the video entiltled "Rivera's Labor Legacy", now part of the Collection of The Detroit Institute of Arts Research Library and Archives: Rivera's Labor Legacy (videorecording). Diego Rivera's murals at the Detroit Institute of Arts are acclaimed as a timeless tribute to the power of modern industry. This video profiles the artist and explores the legacy of Rivera's murals against the backdrop of 1930's Detroit. Produced by Detroit Labor History Tours. Created and produced by Ron Alpern. Script by Steve Babson (Oakland CA). Distributed by The Working Group. Circa 1990. Subjects: Diego Rivera, 1886-1957. Description: 1 videocassette (26 minutes): sd, color with black and white sequences; 1/2 inch. Contributors: Ron Alpern and Steve Babson, Detroit Labor History Tours. Narrated by Paul Caplan.
Credits: Videography by Robert Brady, Bill Bryce and Don Carter. Edited by Sue Giannotta and Deirdre Bellomo. Original music composed and performed by JERRY LEDUFF. Genre: Art. Reference Source: DIA Research Library iPac2.0
Detroit Institute of Arts Research Library and Archives

JERRY LEDUFF and his wife Annette Wecker LeDuff
began a musical instrument collection in 1976.

Their collection consists primarily of ethnic percussion instruments from a variety of cultures throughout the world.

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"No Vibrations, No Movement. No Movement, No Life"
Jerry LeDuff

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