Lenny Balistreri’s musical career began at the age of 10 in the circus town of Sarasota, Florida with trumpet lessons from John Horak, an original member of the Ringling Brothers Circus Band. At age 13 he learned drums, and by age 16 played his first real professional job as lead trumpeter in Ringling Brothers Circus.
Lenny worked his way thru college playing drums in a top-forty soul band. Fortunately the Flame Lounge and the 5 piece group stayed in business for the four years needed to complete a degree in Music Education from the University of South Florida in Tampa. In college, he also performed for a short time on trumpet with the Florida Orchestra.
After college, Lenny went on the road touring with pianist Mac Frampton, a concert touring act based in Atlanta. While in Atlanta, he did extensive studio work, recording commercials for Coca Cola and other big-name clients. After three albums and four years of touring the U.S. and Canada with Mac, he returned to the Tampa Bay area, where he has had an extensive and rewarding musical career since 1978.
Due to Lenny’s reading ability, he has had the pleasure of backing such legends as: Billy Eckstine, Rosemary Clooney, Mel Torme, Smothers Brothers, Julie Budd, Vic Damone, Lorna Luft, George Goebel, Phyllis Diller, Clint Holmes, Norm Crosby, Sadler and Young, Connie Haynes, Patti Page, Carrie Smith, and Steve Allen. He has also backed such great jazz artists as: Dizzy Gilespie, Barney Kessel, Milt Jackson, Mose Allison, Zoot Sims, Bucky Pizzarelli, Tal Farlow, Scott Hamilton, Jimmy Witherspoon, Herb Ellis, Clarke Terry, Buddy Tate, Ira Sullivan, Kai Winding, Teddy Wilson, and Flip Phillips. He has also performed in the show bands for: The Coasters, The Drifters, Fabian, The Platters, Joey Dee and the Startliters, The Four Aces, The Mills Brothers, Frankie Laine, The Lettermen, Danny and the Juniors, and The Diamonds.
Lenny played drums and recorded with the two-time Grammy nominated Dan McMillion Big Band. He has also recorded with The Macar Brothers, a Tampa based jazz fusion group that was briefly in the national limelight. Lenny played sporadically with the Mike Eisenstadt Band from 1985 until about 1994, when he became the full time drummer.
Lenny's last recording was "Turn up the Guitar" with Howlin' Bob. Lenny also currently plays with his band Lenny B. Band.
Lenny currently works in the Tampa Bay - Sarasota area with several bands and as a musical contractor. For the last two years he has been musical director for a kid band, "Jazz Juvenocracy" consisting of six teenage musicians that play jazz and popular music in the Sarasota area.
For the last four years Lenny has also been the artist in residence at Riverview High School working with its jazz band and Mr. Norm Vaugn who is the assistant band director at Riverview. Lenny continues to look for and create new venues for his talents.
