 Ari
Lehman (born May 2, 1965) is an American actor. He is best known as
the first person to portray Jason Voorhees in the film Friday the 13th.
Although he was not the killer in the film and only appeared for a brief
moment at the end, his cameo is considered one of the scariest and most
memorable scenes in the horror film genre.
A native New Yorker, Ari grew up in Westport, CT, where
he trained in
classical music and jazz piano. Recognized at an early age for his musical
abilities, Ari was presented with an award for pianistic excellence and
a
scholarship to Berklee School of Music by jazz great, Dr. Billy Taylor.
Also actively engaged in performance and theatre, Ari actually snuck into
an audition for a new movie, "Manny's Orphan's", directed by
Sean S.
Cunningham. This role led to Ari getting the call for "Friday the
13th" -
and the rest is history.
Ari returned to New York City where he studied jazz piano
in its breeding
ground with Joanne Brackeen and enrolled in NYU studying big band
orchestration and jazz piano with Jim McNeely and Vladmir Shafranov.
Finding new inspiration in the West African and Reggae music
scenes, Ari
began to venture beyond the western tradition. He toured nationally and
in
Cote D'Ivoire, West Africa, as keyboardist and vocalist for many
international artists, including Ishmael Isaacs, Ijahman Levi, Sister
Carol; and Majek Fashek, with whom he made two albums, "Spirit of
Love"
(Interscope) and "Rainmaker" (Tuff Gong).
A seasoned recording artist and professional musician, Ari
already
received acclaim with his own World Rock and Reggae band, Ari Ben Moses
Band, when upon moving to Chicago with wife Elaine in late 2002, he (after
long staying quiet about his 1980 role) was "discovered" by
Horror fans
who actively sought his attention.
In response to their enthusiasm, Ari drew upon his 20 years'
experience as
a professional musician and recording artist and created FIRSTJASON, a
Progressive Punk project that has emerged as a force in Horror Rock. Punk
rock, inspired by the Dead Kennedys, the Bad Brains, and The Misfits,
punctuated with searing guitar, edgy bass lines, and hard-hitting drums,
are masterfully blended by this superb singer, songwriter, and
keyboardist.
FIRSTJASON has performed in clubs, festivals, and conventions
throughout
the Chicago and Midwest areas. They opened for for a fashion show hosted
by Elvira at their first gig, in Chicago at the Halloween and Haunt Trade
Show. The engaging showmanship and superior musicianship have consistently
received enthusiastic response and have developed a strong following.
Lehman has appeared in E!, Entertainment Weekly, Blender
Magazine, Chicago
Reader, Illinois Entertainer, and signings nationwide. In November 2005,
he was the first Jason Voorhees to visit Hamburg, Germany. In 2006, he
appeared at Collectormania G-Mex in Manchester, England. Also, he plays
Dilbert in the independent horror film "Thanxgiving."
In December 2006, Lehman completed an original score for
"Vampira: The
Movie," directed by Kevin Sean Michaels.
|
FIRSTJASON:
Loudly wreaking righteous vengeance, at breakneck speeds,
leaving nothing
but chaos and mayhem in their bloody wake, FIRSTJASON slashes their way
onto the Modern Horror-Rock scene, wielding a razor-sharp machete forged
in Punk & Metal.
Commandingly fronted by none other than the First Jason
himself, Ari
Lehman, the musician/actor who portrayed the young Jason Voorhees in
"Friday the 13th", this band of Prog-Punk Monsters launched
their first
assault by opening for the Mistress of The Dark, Elvira, herself, at the
2005 Haunt & Attractions Show in Chicago, beginning an onslaught that
led
them to overtake many Horror Conventions and Punk/Metal clubs in the
Midwest, summoning Jason's legions into the moshpits at Flashback Weekend
and Fangoria's Weekend Of Horrors in Chicago.
Relentless, and without mercy, FIRSTJASON's disarming style
and message
has made enough noise to be featured in BLENDER Magazine, The Chicago
Reader, on BBC-Radio, and as a regular guest on Shock Jock ManCow's
Morning Madhouse.
|
