Bobby Lyle, Andrew Neu, and The Bright & Tight Horns

For more than 30 years, pianist/Hammond B-3 organist Bobby Lyle has excelled as a performer, composer, and recording artist (on Capitol Jazz, Atlantic Jazz, Three Keys, Heads Up and his own New Warrior Music label).

Beyond that, he has been a music director, publisher and educator. He began playing professionally at age 16 in Minneapolis, Minn., and after two years of advanced piano studies at Macalester College in St. Paul, he became a full-time musician.

After moving to Los Angeles, he met Jazz Crusader co-founder Wayne Henderson, who became his mentor and helped him get a record deal with Capitol Jazz. He has released 17 albums, most recently “Ivory Flow” (2021), and has served as music director for Al Jarreau, Anita Baker, Bette Midler (with whom he scored a Grammy nomination for her HBO special, “Diva Las Vegas”), and Phyllis Hyman.

In 2014, Lyle and smooth jazz radio personality Guy Michaels launched Houston’s TV jazz show, “The J-Spot,” a showcase for the wealth of musical talent in the Houston area, where Lyle lives, including national recording artists. Lyle hosts and occasionally performs on the show.

Philadelphia-based Andrew Neu is a multi-genre saxophonist, woodwind player, arranger, composer, educator and recording artist. Neu has toured internationally with Bobby Caldwell, Diane Schuur, Smokey Robinson, and Norman Brown, and has shared stages with Elton John, Joey DeFrancesco, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and The Temptations, among others. Neu has recorded with the Manhattan Transfer, David Sanborn, Brian Bromberg, Peter White and many more.

The Bright & Tight Horns are a septet originally formed for Neu’s 2000 album, “Inspire.” Neu has released four solo albums, and in 2018 debuted his Big Band on “Catwalk.”

Neu, a graduate of Temple University, conducts the jazz ensemble at Swarthmore College and the jazz program at Lower Merion High School (including four tours of Italy), and has led clinics in high schools, colleges and jazz camps, and has been involved in BJF’s GetJazzed program and scholastic festival.

Find the artists online: Bobby Lyle (opens in a new tab)Andrew Neu(opens in a new tab)

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