Lawrence Leathers, Grammy Award-Winning Jazz Drummer, Found Dead At 37

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Leathers was featured on Cécile McLorin Salvant's Grammy Award-winning albums Dreams and Daggers and For One to Love.

Jazz drummer Lawrence Leathers was found dead on Sunday afternoon.

In a report from the New York Times, Leathers was discovered in the stairwell of the Bronx apartment building where he lived. He died at 37. Two people have since been arrested in connection with Leather's death — Sterling Aguilar and Lisa Harris. Aguilar and Harris, 28 and 41, respectively, were charged with assault. Police have since upgraded the charges to first and second-degree manslaughter and criminal negligent homicide.

According to police, Harris lived in the same building as Leathers but it's unknown if what his relationship to her was.

However, in a separate report from ABC News, Leathers' death was allegedly the result of a physical altercation between him, Harris, and Aguilar. The report also refers to Leathers and Harris as a couple.

Per ABC:

"The couple was reportedly in the middle of a physical dispute when Aguilar allegedly placed Leathers in a chokehold as Harris punched him in the head, according to police."

Leathers was born in Lansing, Michigan, and began playing drums professionally at 15. He studied jazz at Michigan State University before moving to New York City in 2007 to attend the Juilliard School. He esetablished himself in New York City's jazz scene, becoming a fixture at jazz clubs like Dizzy’s Club and Smalls.

During his time at Julliard, he met pianist Aaron Diehl and bassist Paul Sikivie. The three formed a rhythm section called the Aaron Diehl trio and ended up becoming the backing band for singer Cécile McLorin Salvant.

Leathers was featured on Salvant's Grammy Award-winning albums Dreams and Daggers and For One to Love.

Source: New York Times