Biography
Danish born Lee Oskar is a world-renowned harmonica virtuoso, composer, producer, visual artist, musical explorer and manufacturer of Lee Oskar Harmonicas. Oskar shares his signature music with loyal fans around the globe, featuring new arrangements, innovative compositions and well-loved hits. In Oskar’s iconic role as a founding member and lead harmonica player for the pioneer funk/jazz band, WAR, Lee and his colleagues composed and recorded such hits as “Low Rider,” “Spill the Wine,” “Cisco Kid,” “The World is a Ghetto” and many other arrangements that gained them international renown for over three decades (1969-1993). Oskar and his original band mates continue performing today as the LowRider Band. Lee also performs his individual compositions locally and around the world with some of the most outstanding musicians selected from the Pacific Northwest as Lee Oskar & Friends.
Over his lifetime, Lee Oskar has been dedicated to spreading his love of harmonica playing and music with people all around the world. As a harmonica manufacturer since 1983, he created an exclusive harmonica system designed for music lovers of all kinds, levels, genres and styles. Lee considers the harmonica to be a natural instrument for music lovers of all ages, backgrounds, skill levels, and musical tastes. So, it has been a pleasure for Lee to provide Lee Oskar Harmonicas to Playing for Change students and aspiring musicians and share a mutual commitment to unite people through the universal language of music.
As Lee expresses, “I am deeply honored to be a part of Playing for Change and blown away by all the great work that this amazing organization accomplishes on a global level. It’s like a dream come true for me!”
Hometown
Copenhagen, Denmark