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Recorded in 1954. This baritone saxophonist, vocalist and eventual bandleader was one of six brothers that were raised playing in a family band by their musically talented father. Ray Anthony was the biggest name of the boys professionally; he played trumpet and led the Ray Anthony Orchestra, which among other things provided employment for Leo Anthony for a period of more than seven years. Leo Anthony was raised in Cleveland and started out playing alto saxophone with local bands. In 1946 he joined the band of his trumpeter brother, three years his senior. High points during Leo Anthony's time with this band included a recording session backing up Frank Sinatra. The Aero company has several video releases of this band during the final years of Leo Anthony's involvement, including numbers performed with the stylish singer Vikki Carr. The band also backed up Mel Torme at the Playboy Jazz Festival, an event captured for posterity on recording. Displaying not a scintilla of sibling rivalry, the bandleader handed out some nice features to his little brother, including a version of "Baritone Boogie" that prompts baritone sax cultists to place Anthony on the same altar as Bob Gioga of the Stan Kenton Orchestra.



Leroy Anderson or sometimes Lee Roy Anderson became the baritone saxophonist's identity in the mid '50s onward as he changed musical directions and headed for the pop and rhythm and blues market. He had a spurt of recording activity with Epic during this time period, releases that have evolved into a kind of matter record collectors scour for in used record piles that require the gloves to be worn for sanitary reasons. There was a 10-inch, entitled Mr. Baritone Sax, as well as the full length Who Dat LP. While jazz influenced, the music on these albums goes for more contrived rhythms and not alot of open soloing space. Indeed, some critics complained when even one of these tracks somehow found its way onto a compilation of swing music. ~ Eugene Chadbourne, All Music Guide