Matt Lemmler follows in the long tradition of great New Orleans pianists, from the Storyville jazz of Jelly Roll Morton, to the boogie and rhythm & blues of Antoine “Fats” Domino, to the New Orleans Stride of James Booker and Dr. John, to the modern jazz of Ellis Marsalis, to multifaceted entertainer (and Matt’s high school piano colleague) Harry Connick, Jr. His musical knowledge and abilities embrace all of these styles, as well as film scoring, music ministry and large scale arranging-a tribute to his prodigious talent. Matt Lemmler is a true New Orleans Jazz Piano Professor/Music Director.
His family ancestors immigrated to a recently settled New Orleans in the late 1750s from France and the Canary Islands; his relatives from the Canary Islands were early transplants in what would come to be known as the Isleños of Louisiana. This unique Spanish and French (New Orleans Creole) heritage trickled down into Matt’s DNA in the form of music. Raised just blocks away from the home of legendary New Orleans pianist/vocalist Fats Domino, Matt’s childhood in the Lower 9th Ward was constantly filled with music. Along with his brothers Richard, Jr. and Michael (also a great New Orleans pianist-bandleader), and his father, Richard, Sr., (a retired professional musician), Matt played jazz and classical piano around the clock.
After earning a Bachelor of Music from Loyola University and a Master degree from Manhattan School of Music in NYC, Matt toured four years with Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “The Phantom of the Opera”. Once he finished touring, he came back to the Big Easy and sharpened his skills with some of New Orleans’ finest bandleaders, including Bob French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, Herb Tassin and the Blue Room Orchestra, and master clarinetist Pete Fountain.
He has released many acclaimed CD’s including Portraits of Wonder-a tribute to the music of Stevie Wonder, The Music of New Orleans, Ubuntu, Southern Songs and Sonatas, Love, and his most recent release-a solo endeavor New Orleans in Stride-Volume 1 & 2.
Lemmler has toured internationally performing at Jazz Fests, Jazz Masses, house concerts, as well as conducted master classes and workshops. When in New Orleans, Matt and the NOLA Jazz Revival (an Ubuntu of talented musicians, producers, and educators) can be found creating masterful recordings, original show productions, and unique learning opportunities throughout the communities.
In addition to his band productions of various sizes, Matt regularly performs more intimate solo shows (house concerts) where he both sings and demonstrates his mastery of jazz piano. Drawing from his diverse background, he takes in a broad range of styles and filters them through his own unique sensibility. With both his larger ensemble work and his solo performances, his mission is to share the distinctly complex New Orleans culture with the world, and to ensure its legacy among future generations through collaborative mentorship and education grounded in world class musicianship. His most recent and his eighth CD release, New Orleans In Stride-Volume 1 & 2, is his first solo release featuring Lemmler on piano and vocals and is a musical history tour through New Orleans music.
Matt Lemmler presents “New Orleans in Stride” a story about New Orleans told through the voice and piano of New Orleans Piano Professor Matt Lemmler….in the spirit of Jelly Roll Morton-Louis Armstrong to Harry Connick, Jr and Ellis Marsalis, Jr….to Fats Domino, Allen Toussaint, Dr John and James Booker- musical Storyville tales, told from the birthplace of jazz, through the New Orleans voice and piano rolls of Piano Professor Matt Lemmler.
“New Orleans in Stride” can be seen Live from New Orleans every Friday from 6:30-9:30pm inside the Historic NOPSI Hotel.
He is the Jazz Piano Professor at Loyola University, College of Music in New Orleans, and is a Yamaha Artist. He is also a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS, the Recording Academy) and a union member of American Federation of Musicians (AFM).
www.mattlemmler.com www.nolajazzrevival.com
“Matt Lemmler is a pianist of rare originality and a point of view about standard songs that’s always surprising and often quirky.” -Dave Frishberg
“His recurring, revolving-cast Jazz Revival Band presents an articulate overview of local music, his jazz re-imaginings of Stevie Wonder songs, and his own inspirational compositions, rendered with equal parts studiousness and spirit.” -Keith Spera -New Orleans Times Picayune
16 сен 2023
