Harlan Leonard played lead alto sax for Benny Moten from 1924-1931 and then started his own band with Thamon Hayes. By 1939 Leonard had taken it over completely and had developed a group on the tradition of Moten and Basie, but with progressive tendencies demonstrated by the first arrangements of Tadd Dameron and outstanding playing by tenor saxophonist Henry Bridges and particularly trombonist Fred Beckett, who was cited as an important influence by J.J. Johnson later . .
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