Health coach Manfred Wolscher describes musician Alexander Leon as ‘the most inspiring person I have met in my long life’. Alexander suffers from advanced MS and since his diagnosis in 2004, the illness has robbed him of his mobility and he can no longer sing. But his resilience and determination and the support of his loving family and carers has allowed him to remain creative and close to his music. Here, Alexander shares his powerful story on dealing with MS and how music continues to transform his life in a positive way.
Born in Havana Cuba, I was inspired by early R&B legends of the ’60s and ’70s, I grew up in a musical family, my father was a well known working pianist, and my brother is an accomplished guitarist.
I started this love affair with music when I wrote my first song at age 10 called “A Little Country Town”.
I played in many school bands while honing his musical ear. My first band experience was playing “The House Of The Rising Sun” and other long forgotten tunes, in a school band with my brother George on the stage at Rose Bay public school.
A chance breakup where my then girlfriend led me to discover the Congas and along with my guitar playing my musicality flourished.
Later when, I had a taste for the rhythm of the conga, there was no going back. From there I met many established Sydney Muso’s.
My first Appearance as a percussionist was at Selina’s in the Coogee Bay Hotel playing with Renée Geyer.
Later I formed a band with Keren Minshull (Who at the time was Sydney’s leading female session Singer) and her Brother Bobby, “Not Picasso” as the band was called, played many Sydney venues and TV appearances. Keren and I wrote over 30 songs together, in this very fruitful time. I then went on to play percussion with a band called Lifetime, featuring Ivan Waters, Sammy Taylor, Dougal Hallowes, Jeremy Park and again Keren Minshull, after Lifetime imploded, Ivan and I formed a duet, we wrote many songs together, two of which appear on the Album ‘Savage Days’ we also played in clubs around Sydney. Whilst playing percussion at a gig with Ivan at Kinselas in Sydney, I met Steve Balbi, who was also playing in a duet that night, Steve asked me if I would like to sit in, I did and later on I joined Steve Balbi’s band Universe as a percussionist.
It was during this period that I realised I had many feelings, thoughts and emotions that had to be recorded, so I bought myself a computer, a recording program, a microphone and started to teach myself through trial and error how to record songs. And so my debut CD “The Rains Keep Falling” was born. This debut solo Album was quickly followed by my second CD, “Savage Days”.
But then suddenly my whole life changed, after I had an accident playing beach Volleyball in 2004. My injury never improved and in fact worsened, after seeing many doctors and sports specialists I eventually was diagnosed by a neurologist in August 2004 as having primary Progressive MS.
Since then slowly slowly, starting with my ability to walk, I have since lost a lot of my motor neuron functions, which finally robbed me of the ability to play guitar, congas and to sing. However I still wrote what may turn out to be my two last songs with the help of one musician friend and one musician/Carer who composed the music for my words. I have recently recorded these songs in spoken word, (as I can no longer sing) both of these songs were weighing heavily on my mind and I knew that I had to get them recorded, one song for my father who put the music into me and passed away in 2010 may he RIP reincarnate in peace and one song for my second daughter.
I have also found a few half recorded (from at least 15 years ago) songs on my hard drive that with the help of two of my carers and two different singers one being my first daughter I has been able to revive.
I feel very passionately about the environment and what man in his arrogance towards nature is doing to it and this reflects in a few of my songs.
You can follow Alexander on his Facebook page here.
