Musician. Author. Educator. One Mission.
Jonathan Leslie,
better known as J Leslie
has been creating, producing, and teaching music for over four decades. Co-founder of VAP Records. Half of J.S. Floyd Distinguished Gentlemen of Smooth Jazz, Author of 13 books. Guitar instructor. Sound designer. He doesn't just talk about hustle he's lived it.
Latest Video /
Featured — 'On You Radio' Out May 17th
Where It Started
Jonathan Floyd co-founded VAP Records — Virgin Archer Production — in Amityville, Long Island in 1978. As president, he helped shape the dance music scene of the late '70s and early '80s, producing 12" singles, working with record pools and DJs, and launching artists like Final Edition. That independent spirit never left. It just evolved.
About J Leslie
J Leslie is the creative identity of Jonathan Floyd musician, author, entrepreneur, and educator. His career has never fit a single category, and he wouldn't have it any other way.
VAP Records
It started in 1978 in Amityville, Long Island, where Jonathan and his brothers co-founded VAP Records Virgin Archer Production. As President, Jonathan helped build an independent dance music label from scratch: producing 12" singles, working with record pools and DJs, and launching artists like Final Edition. VAP Records released three singles between 1979 and 1983, establishing the Floyd brothers as serious players in the New York independent music scene.
Discography
Jonathan Leslie has been building a catalog since 1978, when he co-founded VAP Records (Virgin Archer Production) in Amityville, Long Island. From early dance music 12" singles to smooth jazz and funk releases under JLeslieMusic and J.S. Floyd, the body of work spans more than four decades and multiple formats. Credits include releases on VAP Records, Invictus Records, Atlantic Records, Fool's Gold Records, Interscope/Dreamville, and Ol' Skool Flava, with appearances on international compilations across Europe and the U.S. His work has been featured alongside artists including Duck Sauce, Ari Lennox, Armand Van Helden, and others a range that reflects a career built at the intersection of independent hustle and legitimate industry reach.
225 original songs registered with ASCAP. Production, performance, and writing credits going back to 1977.
Latest release: "On You Radio" available May 17th on all platforms.
Closing
From Amityville to Los Angeles to Oregon, Jonathan Leslie has spent a lifetime creating things worth hearing, reading, and experiencing. He's not done yet.