Leno remembers Lennie's

I remember my parents taking me to Lennie's on the Turnpike (aka Route 1 in Peabody) to hear Erroll Garner, maybe on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon, circa 1970. I was going to say Oscar Peterson, but the growling and mumbling as he played tells me Garner. Anyway, good story in Globe North this weekend by Kathy McCabe talking to Andover native Jay Leno about his early gigs at Lennie's, how Lennie Sogoloff rescued him from months of crappy strip-joint gigs. Leno's back in town on Monday for a sold-out benefit show at Salem State College for the Barbara Ann Sogoloff Scholarship (that's Lennie's late wife). Fans of Leno or Lennie's can still support the Barbara Ann Sogoloff Scholarship with checks sent to the Salem State College Foundation, 352 Lafayette St., Salem, MA 01970.