It’s Impossible to Sing and Play the Bass – Jazz à la Cité

The legendary american bassist and singer-songwriter Jay Leonhart, accompanied by Japanese pianist Tomoko Ohno, a prominent figure on the New York jazz scene, presents It’s Impossible to Sing and Play the Bass.
Following the concert, meet the artist in the Carnegie Library for a conversation about their book.

Jay Leonhart

Jay Leonhart is a distinctive figure in jazz: a bassist and vocalist known for his warm, intimate, conversational style and his dry wit.

As a bassist, he has been one of New York’s most respected and acclaimed session bassists for several decades. Throughout his career, he has worked with such prestigious artists as Carly Simon, Tony Bennett, and Mel Tormé. His upright bass playing is lyrical, subtle, and deeply rooted in swing.

As a singer-songwriter, he occupies a unique place in the musical landscape. His compositions are often funny, self-deprecating, and at times surprisingly moving. Songs such as It’s Impossible to Sing and Play the Bass have a charming, almost stand-up comedy sensibility, while showcasing genuine musicianship.

His albums, including Salamander Pie and Don’t You Wish, have an intimate, warm, late-night atmosphere, as though you were sitting in his living room listening to him play.

Jay Leonhart is also the father of award-winning jazz vocalist Carolyn Leonhart and virtuoso trumpeter Michael Leonhart, both of whom have built remarkable careers of their own, including long-standing collaborations with Steely Dan.

Tomoko Ohno

Tomoko Ohno is a remarkable Japanese jazz pianist, now based in New York. Born in Tokyo, she began studying piano at the age of four and was performing professionally on the Tokyo jazz scene as a teenager.

After graduating from Rikkyo University, she moved to the United States and enrolled in the Jazz Studies Program at William Paterson University in New Jersey, where she studied with Harold Mabern and Rufus Reid. During this period, she performed alongside musicians such as Jerome Richardson, Wynton Marsalis, Benny Golson, and Joe Henderson.

She has performed at such renowned venues as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, the Blue Note, and Birdland, and has recorded and performed with Slide Hampton, Claudio Roditi, Rufus Reid, the Dizzy Gillespie Alumni Big Band, and Sherrie Maricle’s DIVA Jazz Orchestra.

Her discography is particularly rich and diverse. Her first three albums — Powder Blue (1997), Affirmation (1999), and Natural Woman (2000) — were released on the Japan-based Tokuma label. She later recorded in Argentina, where she released Shadows of Spring (2005) and Tomoko Ohno in Buenos Aires (2007), followed in 2011 by the guitar duo album From Tokio to Buenos Aires, recorded with guitarist Ricardo Lew.

More recently, a new album featuring Tomoko Ohno, bassist Jay Leonhart, and drummer Dennis Mackrel is scheduled for release on May 1, 2026.

Tomoko Ohno has established herself as a highly respected pianist on the New York jazz scene. Deeply rooted in the bebop tradition, she is distinguished by her particularly lyrical touch and exceptional musical sensitivity.