Native New Yorker Ari Lehman is a talented actor/singer with a unique claim to fame: he played the role of the first Jason Voorhees in the 1980 Paramount horror film "Friday the 13th". Lehman's experience working with special effects master Tom Savini at a young age instilled in him a deep appreciation for the horror genre, including the works of Lon Chaney, Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, and Vincent Price.
Born in New York, Lehman grew up in Westport, Connecticut, where he received classical music and jazz piano training. He was recognized for his musical abilities, earning an All-State Award for Excellence in Jazz Piano and a scholarship to Berklee School of Music.
Lehman's early career in performance and theatre led him to audition for the film "Manny's Orphans", where he landed the role of "Roger", a pre-pubescent comic character. This role ultimately led to him being cast as Jason Voorhees in "Friday the 13th", when director Sean S. Cunningham asked him if he could swim, and Lehman replied "Yes!".
After the release of "Friday the 13th", Lehman returned to New York City to study jazz piano with notable educators Joanne Brackeen and Jim McNeely. He also enrolled in NYU to study big band orchestration and jazz piano with recognized masters.
Lehman's career took him to become a prominent touring keyboardist for top names in reggae and African music, touring the US, Europe, and West Africa. He worked with Bob Marley's own Tuff Gong Records and Interscope Records.
As a seasoned recording artist and professional musician, Lehman went on to receive acclaim with his own world rock and reggae band. In response to horror fans' enthusiasm, Lehman created First Jason, a horror rock band specifically for horror fans, especially those of Jason Voorhees and "Friday the 13th".
First Jason has performed at various punk/metal clubs, film festivals, and horror conventions throughout the US, Europe, and Asia, consistently receiving enthusiastic responses and developing a strong following.
Ari Lehman has appeared in various media outlets, including E!, Entertainment Weekly, Blender Magazine, and Fangoria Radio, and has performed at horror events in Germany, Italy, France, Holland, and the UK.
