Serving the San Francisco Bay Area New Music Community

                    
David Leikam
Artist, Composer-Performer, Improviser ~ Sonic Architect
SFBA-based improv composer-performer and sonic architect. Being born with cerebral palsy has affected his body and speech, giving him a distinct view into his creative arts/music process and being largely a self-taught multi-instrumentalist. Studied music composition-improv at CalArts primarily with Wadada Leo Smith (BFA 2001, MFA 2006).

Endorsing NS Design and Schertler Acoustics, rep by STLR Entertainment.

You are the note(s) within music composition and those you select to compose/perform music with you, either live on stage or in the recording studio.

He has performed and/or recorded with: Wadada Leo Smith, Pamela Z, Eddie Gale, Kidd Jordan, Paul Wexler, John Bergamo, Doug Ellington, Muruga Booker, James Gurley, Perry Robinson, Sikiru Adepoju, Jon Raskin, Timothy Orr, Patrick Cress, Sheila Bosco, amongst others.

Read More: https://linktr.ee/davidleikam

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Work In Progress

Solo: You are the note(s) within music composition and those you select to compose/perform music with you, either live on stage or in the recording studio. https://www.davidleikam.net/bio

• NS Design CR6-strings Radius fretless electric bass (NS Artist)
• NS Design CR6-strings fretless electric cello (NS Artist)
• Moog Rogue synthesizer
• Acoustic piano

Friday Night Music is/was one of the longest free improv arts/music collectives in the SFBA (1978-94, 2000-06, ?), focused on audio/dance/video collaboration... continuing work on the Friday Night Music Archive Project: https://www.davidleikam.net/fridaynightmusic

Musta (Finnish: Black) is a new sonic trio of blackened metal improv led by veteran SFBA artists/musicians, David Leikam and Rent Romus. Inspired by Finnish culture/story and the tapestry of heavy metal sonic envelopment within the framework of improvisation... https://www.davidleikam.net/musta

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"Window is Brilliant. Composition at a very high level."
—Paul Wexler, Wexwax

"I really enjoyed it. I like your piano playing a lot and it's a great interaction between the two of you."
—Thollem

"Man, I've heard most of your set [with zBug], it was fuckin' brilliant! What you do on your bass [NS Design CR6-string electric cello] is amazing, ok it's amazing, REALLY amazing! Ah, so impressed... what your first song reminded me of was... [Airto Moreira's Nativity featuring Jaco Pastorius] ...one of the greatest things I've ever heard in my life."
—Paul Wexler - producer, recording, mastering (Warner Bros. Records, Island Records, etc.)

"diG your music. Eclectic ain’t the word. Film noir multiverse ethnic blade runner desert world. Love it."
—Nivek Ogre - ohGr / Skinny Puppy

"[zBug] ...sounds very similar to Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Trio / MM3!"
—John Baffa - CalArts Music Faculty, TV Tray Recording Studio / Lou Reed’s MM3: The Creation Of The Universe

"I don’t play tunes but create a state of consciousness within the vocabulary of music based on architecture."
—David Leikam - zBug’s Splitting Glass | Twilight Sunrise EP

Read More: https://www.davidleikam.net/testimony
Contact information:
Email: https://www (DOT) davidleikam (DOT) net/contact
Upcoming Events:

Friday, July 18 2025 6:30 PM
Midpen Media Center [900 San Antonio Rd, Palo Alto, CA 94303]
Segment 3: In this segment, Bay Area experimentalist David Leikam will deliver a live performance on the iconic Moog Rogue synthesizer, bringing analog warmth and raw sonic texture to the program for the evening.  More...
Tuesday, July 29 2025 8:00 PM
KZSU 90.1 FM [Stanford, CA 94305]
A weekly radio journey into musical sculpting, live in basements studios of KZSU. Every show is handcrafted to absorb your day and show it to you inverted, upside down and from the inside out.  More...
CDs on which David Leikam appears:
ArtistTitleLabelNumber
The Noriegas Never Regret Becoming Time
Artist: The Noriegas
Title: Never Regret Becoming Time
Label: Bandcamp
Label page on this site: Bandcamp
Bandcamp
David Leikam A Pathway into Dawn
Artist: David Leikam
Title: A Pathway into Dawn
Label: Bandcamp 019
Label page on this site: Bandcamp
Bandcamp 019
David Leikam Meeting Thomas & Others Along The Way ... (1996-2001)
Artist: David Leikam
Title: Meeting Thomas & Others Along The Way ... (1996-2001)
Label: Bandcamp 002
Label page on this site: Bandcamp
Bandcamp 002
Moe! Staiano/Moe!kestra! An Inescapable Siren Within Earshot Distance Therein and Other Whereabouts
Artist: Moe! Staiano/Moe!kestra!
Title: An Inescapable Siren Within Earshot Distance Therein and Other Whereabouts
Label: Bandcamp
Label page on this site: Bandcamp
Bandcamp
David Leikam Opus 1 for Solo Piano
Artist: David Leikam
Title: Opus 1 for Solo Piano
Label: Bandcamp 001
Label page on this site: Bandcamp
Bandcamp 001