My name is Jeremy Leonard Charles Toy. I live in New Zealand and I am a multi-instrumentalist, composer, producer, arranger and sound designer. I work mostly in Ableton Live with the Push 2. I have won New Zealand Music Awards as a producer and member of the band Opensouls. I play in She's So Rad with my wife Anji and solo as my own self - Leonard Charles.
Bio downloadable as .pdf: Click Here
Jeremy Toy a.k.a. Leonard Charles - Biography
some quotes from out in the wild:
"Great song with smooth feel, live action and shimmering chords. Looking forward to more from where this came from. Fresh! | DF" – Dam Funk (Stones Throw)
“That was the best thing I have seen all year” – Awesome Tapes From Africa
“You are crazy man” – Nick Hook (Ninja Tune) “That was some beautiful guitar playing.” – Todd Edwards (Daft Punk)
“I don’t normally buy this kinda stuff but I gotta get this!” – House Shoes (S.S.R. EP)
“Sittin’ on music that would blow your mind” – Chip Matthews
“One of my favourite 12”s from 2013” – Guy Blackman (Chapter Music, Aus) (S.S.R. EP)
Jeremy Toy has been a music producer since 2001 when he purchased his first sampler, the AKAI MPC2000. Growing up with his parents music collection he was exposed to Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis, The Beatles and Grover Washington Jr. from a very early age. A teenager in the 90’s took him on a musical journey from Psychedelic Rock to Grunge to Acid Jazz to Hip Hop obsessed with Jimi Hendrix, Nirvana, The Roots and Grant Green.
In his late teens he played guitar in The Roger Fox Big Band and toured with Randy Crawford. Jeremy attended the Red Bull Music Academy in 2003, South Africa where he performed with Hugh Masekela and attended a lecture with synth pioneer Bob Moog.
Jeremy Toy has won New Zealand Music Awards for his production and composing work with the Band Opensouls and singer Hollie Smith.
As a session guitarist Jeremy has played on recordings for Mark de Clive-Lowe, Julien Dyne, Liam Finn, Aaradhna, Teeks, Tyra Hammond, David Dallas, P Money.
As a producer he has worked with Leroy Burgess, Grandmaster Caz, Kimbra, Mara T.K., Georgia Anne Muldrow, Declaime, Wildchild and Guilty Simpson.
As a composer Jeremy is featured in his band She’s So Rad and as solo act Leonard Charles. His work can be heard all over the two Opensouls albums as well as Tyra Hammond’s E.P. He has also worked as a film composer on The Breaker Uppers.
Jeremy Toy has had music released on Jakarta Records, Hit + Run, Compost, Wonderful Noise and his own private press label From The Crate Records.
As an educator Jeremy Toy has taught guitar at Auckland University, electronic performance at M.A.I.N.Z. and works as a sound designer for New Zealand company Melodics.
You can hear Jeremy Toy’s sampling/audio work in the DAW Ableton Live10 as he contributed electric keyboards and samples to the DAW.
Standout Releases:
Opensouls - Kaleidoscope + Standing In The Rain
The Tornadoes - You Got Me Thinkin’ b/w Hui Hui
She’s So Rad - Tango + In Circles + Last Dance E.P.
Leonard Charles - Abracelebrex + Basement Donuts + Nine Lives