I Stand Corrected- Her Story- Jazz Virtuoso, Jennifer Leitham

We have been definitely busy, here at Ankh Entertainment.  We sent a high end, search team, out to discover a few rare stones.  We had to dig a little deeper for this one. This stone comes in several different flavors and in a delicate outer sheath.  Director, Andrea Meyerson, tells a compelling and emotionally sensitive story. This story is two fold and involves, two main characters, a woman, named Jennifer, and a left hand, we call, strength. Together they can pluck the hell out of an upright bass. Watching Myerson’s film, “I Stand Corrected”, made you feel like licking an ice cream cone and when the lick got to be too much. and the ice cream began to melt from a warm summer day, you gulped it down, knowing that the taste would be unbelievably delicious and soothing to the throat.  This is how Director Meyerson, told, Jennifer’s story.  We took the journey, with Jennifer as seen through Andrea’s eyes.  Our immediate observation was that, Jennifer, always looked liked Jennifer, even when she was John.  The characters took the stage, Jennifer had always been into music and became really great at playing with her left hand. She took an interest in the school band. Jennifer became totally immersed in an inner world that we can only imagine to think of.  The conventional world of school for John, now Jennifer, took her into glimpses of a true gender identity, highlighting Leitham, as a budding bass virtuoso.  As Jennifer’s talent grew from bud to full blown flower, so did a list of other things.  

An attraction to women and all things feminine. The desire to dress like a female and lastly the development of a kind heart. A heart that often women possess.  As Jennifer began to explore her inner driven talent she discovered the art of, expression. Expression in not only fashion, but an artistic expression as well. As an artist, Jennifer’s expression extended far beyond the first layer of content where other artist remain.  Meanwhile Jennifer, became more proficient at covering up her true self.  Her majestic and Goddess like stance over the bass, coupled with a gifted inbuilt voice, furthered her playing for top billed acts.  The more Jennifer used her voice. the more popular she became. There were lots of phone calls and the most delightful of voices, that welcomed Jennifer into her new family, of world wide experts. Experts who dwell in the realm of authenticity and on the high end of, jazz. Generally speaking, most of the jazz community is male dominated and leaves relatively small room for politically correct potentials. As an accepted and revered musician, Jennifer began to gain popularity cutting her creative teeth on encouragement and performances with good friends, like, Ray Brown, Jr. Roy McCurdy, Danny Tedesco, Ed Shaughnessy, Agent Dale Sheets and the infamous, romantic, passionate and incredible, Mel Torme.  All of the voices on the other side, of the frequent phone calls, that came Jennifer’s way, were famous ones.  One such famed voice, was the voice of Mel Torme, which Jennifer, then John, heard for the first time at about 3:00AM in the morning.  Mel asked Jennifer could she be up and out to an out of state gig, to perform with his band, by 10:00 the next morning, and, poof! just like that, the spell was cast. Mel and Jennifer, quickly became fast friends. Jennifer traveled everywhere with Mel Torme up until he became ill and passed away. Jennifer went onto work with another legend, the incomparable, “Tonight Show” band leader, Doc Severinson, who she mentions became one of her strongest supporters.  When Doc first saw John as Jennifer, she was dressed in an all black ensemble with White pearls, and looked much like Audrey Hepburn.  “I couldn’t believe it, Doc said, John looked so beautiful as Jennifer.” Doc said that he announced to his entire band that there would be no heckling, no putting down or cracking jokes about John.  John was to be treated in the same manner and with the same respect as any other member of the band would be treated.  Then, Severinson asked Jennifer to let him take her shopping, to buy her a new pair of shoes.  Jennifer, prefers, “Baby Jane’s.”   Finally, we, the audience, who now stand corrected, see a woman, full of hope, full of life and flashing the warmest smile that any man or woman, could be held in account for.  Jennifer Leitham can be held up high, and in every sense of the word, can be matched accurately with the word, “human.”.  Her life up until now, can be viewed through a broad lens.  A lens that shows us that at the end of the day, it’s all about the music. Jennifer Leitham, we welcome you into our bag of rare stones. Your bright life, powers up dark skies, and brings and array of color, to hazy days.