Leonard Gaskin died Saturday morning, January 24, 2009. According to workers  at Ozanam Hall, the nursing home in Bayside, Queens where Mr. Gaskin had  been living for the last several years, he did not experience any prolonged illness, but died of natural causes.
Gaskin has worked with Dizzy Gillespie and other beboppers in the mid-1940ies. In the 1950ies, he became one of the favourite bassplayers of the neo-traditional-movement around Eddie Condon, Bud Freeman and Ruby Braff. In the 1960ies, he worked with Lightnin’ Hopkins, Sonny Stitt and Brother Jack McDuff.