His Grandmother and her two sisters, were the famous Wyatt sisters, dancers who
performed the Vaudeville circuit and settled in their later years in a dancing
Academy on Washington Street in San Francisco. His first piano was their baby grand that at one time was painted bright pink and was used in the studio on Washington Street. Luckily, by the time he got it, it was mahogany once again.
Lenny’s early years were spent trying assorted instruments and playing in the trunks that held his Grandmother’s vaudeville costumes. He studied music at San Francisco State University, The San Francisco Conservatory of Music and the Skyline Community College. He has played professionally for musicals, as an accompanist and soloist in many varied settings. During his college years he even paid the rent as a high end street musician, always in the same spot on Union Square.
He came to the piano relatively late in musical time,
starting his musical career as an early music specialist in college playing
classical guitar, recorders, and early instruments in a Collegium Musicum
performance group.
As recent owner of Baker Street Live (a Jazz Restaurant and Performing Arts Center in Nelson, BC) Lenny headed the house band playing many styles of music nightly. He recently releasing my first Solo piano CD.
Read more about Lenny Kaplan on his website www.lennykaplan.com
