With a moniker like Leon + the Fantastic, one can’t help but be curious about the artist behind the name.
Drawing on his experiences growing up in San Francisco and adventures in New York, Leon Rosen is sending a profound message into the world through his work. This full-time piano teacher integrates a classical approach to composition with rock, pop, and R&B, all while making his music accessible and compelling. In fact, hearing one of his songs provokes the desire to truly understand the full scope of what he is saying. The instrumentals draw you in; the lyrics grab you. This isn’t just music to listen to—it’s music to digest.
Now back in his hometown of San Francisco, Leon + the Fantastic recently released his new album Let Me Cool this May. Touching upon themes like justice, passion, and the glorious chaos of daily life, the 6-track collection is contemplative, forward, and raw and finds Leon joined by a brilliant team of musicians who helped him bring his vision to life. Check out Grieving Friend of a Superman below!
We managed to catch up with Leon as he talked about his latest release and more!
So how has the release of your album Let It Cool gone down so far?
It’s the best work I’ve done. I’m very proud of the musicians and the team behind it. I will do all I can to get it out there. To be honest I’m acting chill but I’m freaking out. I’m so scared this goes nowhere but so excited about the music. People like it so far. I’m just trying to strategize…
Can you tell us something about the release no one else knows?
I mixed and mastered the whole album, then while waiting for the music video (film takes time to complete) I decided to remix, then remaster. But then once video was complete it was so good I decided to do a third mix and master. And that was the keeper.
As a businessman, I am a complete failure, but as an artist I did the right thing. I also decided to go with multicolor vinyl, 180 gram, with all lyrics and liner notes in gatefold jackets. Another foolhardy biz decision, but again – as an artist it is staggeringly beautiful. I have to make my decisions based on what works as an artist. However, I am definitely trying to find a mentor who can help me balance that with at least a wee little bit of wisdom.
What is your is your favorite track from the album?
“Grieving Friend of a Superman”, no doubt. I love all the tracks. I like “25 cent” because its so honest. I like “Let Me Cool” ‘cause it’s everything in one song. I like “We Will Only Stop to Roar” for its Beatle-sque vibe. I like “Prairie (Rendezvous)” because it’s so passionate and dark, hopeful and cynical. I like “Roll in the River” because it’s very prog rock. I like them all. But nothing quite like “Grieving Friend of a Superman”, which is why that one is the first music video.
How has the release of Grieving Friend of a Superman gone down with fans?
We have 6k views on Youtube, and something like 90k views on Facebook. It’s been very well received. A lot of people have not heard a song like this in a while.
If you could work with any band or artist on a new song, who would it be and why?
Hmmm. I will name a few. I have always been a big fan of Anthony Hamilton, I think he is an absolute genius, and I feel like working together would be immense. His understanding of production, his voice, and the concept in the rhythm section is just on a whole other level and we would understand each other. I would also like to work with some country artists, though I’m more into country and western than country pop. But ask me tomorrow and I’ll have some other answer.
Will you be touring or planning on any festivals in 2018?
I’m just getting started so I don’t have anyone doing booking yet. So no gigs lined up. I worked on getting the release gig for about seven months. We had a great show at DNA lounge. After every show I’m like “damn I need to do this more.” But I don’t know how to. Some people just have the lineup and pipeline for booking strategic gigs. A big goal of mine with the release of this album is to find a mentor who can help me strategize, doing the right gigs, thinking systematically.
What do you get up to in your spare time when not working on music?
Oh man if I only had spare time. I teach piano when I’m not in the studio, and when I’m not doing that I’m… geez I’m a boring person outside of music. Nicole and I have started gardening. I watch a shit load of television.
What inspired you to get into music in the first place?
My stepdad Ray taught me at first. I was raised in an artist’s commune in San Francisco. So everyone did an art or two. It was assumed, though not expected. My mom pressured me to go to music school. Other moms do not do that. So it just built from there.
My mentors were Herbie Lewis and Sonny Simmons, two jazz legends, who blew my mind. Sonny lived with me for a few months and we’d practice four hours every night then do a gig every Wednesday at the Club Deluxe in San Francisco. But I always wrote my songs and sang them in private. I don’t have a great voice, but I have slowly worked on it over the years.
At 30 I did my first public performance of my songs. Correction: My third. When I was 15 my dad helped me book a show at this place Cafe Troubador in San Francisco. Reception was good, but people considered it self-indulgent. Then I performed at Camp Swig, this Jewish summer camp when I was 17, people thought I was going to be a big star. Here I am 13 years later starting out at 30.
Then after that, I tried to find ways to get something done. I was very religious for a while, I was a Hassidic Jew, and I gave them my youth! Lol. But after I freed myself from the constraints of organized religion I dove in deep. I released a solo piano album called Holding Space in 2008, that was my first thing. Then I tried to do my first rock record in 2013 but it wasn’t very good so I deleted it. I made a mixtape in 2015 but it also wasn’t very good so I deleted it. So this one, this was the keeper. This is the one I’ll be remembered for… by my few fans, namely my mom and sister.
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