The article below was published in the Jazz Forum magazine in
August of 1999. Later that year it was reprinted in the Arts &
Entertainment section of South Florida's leading newspaper Sun-Sentinel.
Some changes have been made to update obsolete information. The UNDERLINED text indicates internet links. The GREEN text indicates the biographical information not found in the original article. If it involves music, Les
Blachut has probably done it. Piano, organ, electronic keyboards,
trumpet, drums, percussion, MiDi expert, soloist, accompanist, teacher,
church musical director, music librarian, producer, composer, arranger,
lyricists, competition judge, jazz combo, big-band, classical ensemble,
pop group, solo act, metal rock, ethnic folk group, outer-space music,
etc. etc.
Les was born in Poland and came to the United States in 1989. He got
his Masters Degree
in music from Berklee College
of Music in Boston, studying vibes with jazz giant Gary
Burton and music education with Broadway wizard Wayne Ward. His credits since then are long: regional productions of
Broadway shows with the Turtle Lane Playhouse and (now defunct) European Institute of
Music & Dance. Shared a stage with jazz pop diva Basia,
a fellow Pole. Toured Poland, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Austria,
Germany, Switzerland, France, Canada, and the Caribbean Islands with
various music groups represented by the Sony-Europe
Entertainment Group. Sat in with several internationally recognized
ethnic-music ensembles, such as the Miami World Percussion Orchestra.
Appeared in NYC's "Fireplace" and "Sweet & Low", Boston's "Irish
Embassy" and "Ryles", Atlantic City's "Caesar Casino" and headlined Orlando's
grand opening of "Blue Martini".
His knowledge of music history landed him a position of an assistant to the director at Berklee's Stan Getz Library and an exclusive contract to direct a weekly broadcast of
music interviews for the WUNR radio station.
His piano trio supported one of the oldest and most imitated groups in the history of show-business: the
Ink Spots. Les is an active member of the Boston
Microtonal Society and the American
Musicians Union. For many years Les has been consistently lending his expertise to the
US Songwriting Competition and the Billboard Songwriting Competition.
He often accompanies world-class vocalists, such as Raquel Williams, Terri Gonzalez, and Dawn Mitchell. Les's name can be found in the on-line Database
of Vibraphone Players, List
of Jazz Musicians from Poland, and Profiles of Independent Jazz Musicians.
Les came to South Florida in 1996. He immediately joined two distinctive bands: the Jazz Survivors
and Blues Therapy. They
recently performed an opening act for Al
Jarreau at the Miami
Music Fest and Tavis Smiley Presents... . aired nationally on C-SPAN TV.
In 1999 Les established the Liturgical Music Organization, the publisher of his increasingly popular composition "Mass at Sunrise".
He also directs the music at Saint
George Church in Fort Lauderdale, teaches music at Saint Jude School in Boca Raton and North Broward Preparatory School, is involved in the development of Piano
Showcase, Inc., sits in with some better known local big-bands, steel bands, and forums of experimental music. Les occasionally lectures at the Miami School of Audio Engineering and Broward Community College.
The music of Les Blachut and his associates is well represented on record and in print.
