Leslie first surfaced on the Manhattan jazz scene in a trio with legendary bassist Red Mitchell at Bradley's. Red chose Leslie (along with guitarist Scott Hardy) for the warmth and powerful interplay he heard in their music. Red Mitchell wrote "Leslie Pintchik and Scott Hardy play miraculous music - in tune in all ways. And you can quote me on that."

In the ensuing years, Pintchik formed her own trio with bassist Scott Hardy, and a series of drummers, including her current band-mates Michael Sarin and Satoshi Takeishi. Her trio performs regularly at New York City jazz venues such as the Kitano, Smalls Jazz Club, Bar Next Door, the Blue Note, Knickerbocker, and 55 Bar. Her trio was one of four finalists in the Cognac Hennessy Jazz Search; more recently, they performed as part of the JVC Jazz Festival at the Kitano Hotel in Manhattan, at Scullers, Boston's premiere jazz club.

Leslie, with Scott Hardy and percussionist Satoshi Takeishi, released her debut CD "So Glad to Be Here" on Ambient Records in June 2004. In his review in Downbeat magazine, Ken Micallef wrote "... Pintchik's music is fresh, full of light and instantly invigorating.... 'So Glad To Be Here' is simply a joyous release.... Pintchik and Takeishi express such playfulness in their musical conversations... that their elation is contagious."

Her second CD, "Quartets", also on Ambient Records, was released in October 2007. It features bassist Scott Hardy and drummer Mark Dodge, with special guest artists Steve Wilson on soprano and alto saxophones, and Satoshi Takeishi on percussion. Timeout NY wrote "Pianist Leslie Pintchik’s playing urges the same kind of reflection in her listeners that she uses to make things sparkle. Just check the reserved but gorgeous version of 'Happy Days Are Here Again' on her new album, Quartets."

In the fall of 2010, Leslie released two new projects: her 3rd CD ("We're Here To Listen"), and a DVD/CD combo ("Leslie Pintchik Quartet Live In Concert"). Both projects again feature bassist Hardy, drummer Dodge and percussionist Takeishi. Jim Wilke, creator of the nationally syndicated "Jazz After Hours" radio show included "We're Here To Listen" on his "Best CD's of 2010" list, and the jazz journalist and scholar W. Royal Stokes included both projects in his
"Best of 2010" list.

Leslie released her latest CD "In The Nature Of Things" in March 2014. It features a stellar band: saxophonist Steve Wilson, trumpeter Ron Horton, bassist Scott Hardy, drummer Michael Sarin and percussionist Satoshi Takeishi. The New Yorker magazine called it "...one of the more captivating recordings to come out so far this year...", and Gary Walker of WBGO jazz radio called it "...a gorgeous display of the trio."

This past July (2015), Leslie recorded a new CD ("True North"), scheduled for release in March 2016. It features the same stellar bandmates with whom she recorded her last CD "In The Nature Of Things".

In addition to composing the music for her band, Leslie has also written the liner notes for some notable recent jazz CD's, including "Duologue" by saxophonist Steve Wilson and drummer Lewis Nash (on the MCG label), and "Daybreak" by pianist Bruce Barth (on the Savant label).