International Archives For The Jazz Organ (IAJO) - The Jazz Organ Scene USA

Neil Larsen

Neil (* 1948 in Cleveland, OH) grew up in Sarasota, FL. He learnt piano, drawing inspiration from jazz artists John Coltrane, Miles Davis and the Modern Jazz Quartet, and from contemporary rock acts. In 1969, he was drafted to serve in the Vietnam War. During his time in Vietnam, he worked as a band director, co-ordinating musical entertainment for US armed forces personnel. After his discharge, he moved to New York to work as a musician.

While in New York in the early 1970s, Neil wrote television jingles and played on sessions for various recording artists. He formed the band Full Moon with jazz guitarist Buzz Feiten, and their self-titled debut album was released in 1972. Larson was briefly a member of the Soul Survivors. He contributed as keyboardist, writer and arranger on their 1974 self-titled album on the TSOP label. He began touring as a member of Gregg Allman's band in 1975.

In 1977, Neil relocated to Los Angeles. Neil's first album, Jungle Fever, was released in September 1978. He toured the US in support of the release with a band that included Feiten.

Neil collaborated further with Feiten in the jazz-rock fusion groups the Larsen Facts Band and the Larsen-Feiten Band. The latter released The Larsen-Feiten Band in 1980 on Warner Bros. Records. He has also recorded and toured with guitarist Robben Ford, who contributed to Neil's 2007 album Orbit.

His compositions have also been recorded by George Benson and Gregg Allman, among others. Neil took part in Miles Davis' Rubberband sessions in 1985-86. His song "Carnival" was later adapted by Davis into the piece "Carnival Time".

Neil has worked as a session musician for many rock artists, including Rickie Lee Jones, George Harrison, Kenny Loggins and Don McLean. He was the pianist and musical arranger for the 20th Century Fox Television show Boston Legal, and musical director for jazz singer Al Jarreau.

From 2008, he toured and recorded as a member of Leonard Cohen's band. Neil performed on Cohen's Old Ideas album and on the singer's final world tour, in 2012-13. Cohen regularly introduced him on stage as "today's foremost exponent of the Hammond B-3 organ".

from Wikipedia

Jungle Fever Horizon Records SP-733 released 1979 recorded June 1978 in Hollywood, CA/USA	Neil Larsen, keyboards Larry Williams, alto sax, flute Michael Brecker, tenor sax Jerry Hey, trumpet, flugelhorn Howard "Buzz" Feiten, guitar Willie Weeks, bass Andy Newmark, drums Ralph MacDonald, percussion
High Gear Horizon Records SP-738 released 1979 recorded in Hollywood, CA/USA	Neil Larsen, organ, synthesizer Michael Brecker, tenor sax Joe Farrell, flute Howard "Buzz" Feiten, guitar Abraham Laboriel, bass Steve Gadd, drums Paulinho Da Costa, percussion
Larsen-Feiten Band Warner Bros. Records BSK 3468 released 1980 recorded in Santa Monica, CA and Hollywood, CA/USA	Neil Larsen, keyboards, vocals Buzz Feiten, guitar, vocals Larry Williams, tenor sax Kim Hutchcroft, alto sax Chuck Findley, trumpet Bill Reichenbach, trumpet, trombone Willie Weeks, bass Art Rodriguez, drums Lenny Castro, percussion
Smooth Talk MCA Records MCAD-42296 released 1989 recorded June 1989 in North Hollywood, CA/USA	Neil Larsen, organ, synthesizer, percussion, vocals George Howard, soprano sax Ernie Watts, soprano sax David Sanborn, alto sax Ernie Watts, tenor sax Buzz Feiten, guitar Rickey Minor, bass Steve Ferrone, drums Lenny Castro, percussion
I'm Your Baby Tonight Arista 261 039 released 1990	track 11: Whitney Houston, vocals Gary Bias, alto sax Steve Tavaglione, tenor sax Kirk Whalum, tenor sax Reggie Young, trombone Michael "Patches" Stewart, trumpet Raymond L. Brown, trumpet Paul Jackson jr., guitar Neil Larsen, Hammond B-3 organ Wayne Linsey, piano Rickey Minor, synthesizer Ricky Lawson, drums, percussion
There Is Always One More Time MCA AAMCAD10295 released 1991 recorded in Los Angeles, CA/USA	B.B. King, guitar, vocals Arthur Adams, guitar Michael Landau, guitar Neil Larsen, organ Joe Sample, piano "Ready" Freddie Washington, bass Jim Keltner, drums Lenny Castro, percussion
Tenderness Reprise Records 9 45422-2 released 1994 recorded live May 1993 at Sir Film Stage in Los Angeles, CA and live December 1993 in New York City/USA	Al Jarreau, vocals Kenny Garrett, alto sax David Sanborn, alto sax Michael Brecker, tenor sax Michael "Patches" Stewart, trumpet Eric Gale, guitar Paul Jackson jr., guitar Neil Larsen, Fender Rhodes, Hammond organ Jason Miles, synthesizer Marcus Miller, keyboards, bass Philippe Saisse, synthesizer Joe Sample, Fender Rhodes, piano Steve Gadd, drums Don Alias, percussion Paulinho Da Costa, percussion Bashiri Johnson, percussion Kathleen Battle, vocals
Uptown Groove Zebra Records ZD 44002 recorded in Hollywood, CA and New York, NY/USA	Zachary Breaux, guitar, keyboards, synthesizer, vocals Gary Herbig, horn Harry Kim, horn Hubert Laws, flute Ted Dunbar, guitar Steve Lukather, guitar Neil Larsen, organ Jeff Lorber, keyboards, synthesizer Rob Mullins, keyboards Mark Portmann, keyboards, synthesizer Rex Rideout, synthesizer Renee Rosnes, piano Lee Oskar, harmonica Brian Bromberg, bass Kenny Davis, bass Harvey Mason sr., drums Lewis Nash, drums Luis Enrique, percussion
Dream Come True Creatchy Productions CR-009	Steve Tavaglione, soprano sax, alto sax, flute Tom Scott, tenor sax Ernie Watts, tenor sax, piccolo, flute Steve Lukather, guitar Dean Parks, guitar Tim Pierce, guitar David Garfield, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer Neil Larsen, organ David Paich, piano, synthesizer Dean Cortez, bass Jeff Porcaro, drums Carlos Vega, drums Lenny Castro, percussion Rosemary Butler, vocals James Felix, vocals
High Life Universal Music UPCH-1023	Hirokazu Ogura, guitar, bouzouki Brandon Fields, tenor sax, baritone sax Nick Lane, trombone Greg Adams, trumpet Chuck Findley, trumpet Earle Dumler, oboe, English horn Yoshiyuki Sahashi, guitar Neil Larsen, Hammond B-3 organ string section Tony Levin, bass Steve Gadd, drums Luis Conte, percussion Marie Oishi, percussion
Lost And Found Creatchy Productions CR-014	Larry Kilmas, soprano sax, tenor sax Tom Scott, tenor sax Eric L. Watts, tenor sax Steve Tavaglione, sax David Dukes, guitar Kevin Dukes, guitar Dennis Herring, guitar Michael Landau, guitar Steve Lukather, guitar Dean Parks, guitar David Garfield, Fender Rhodes, synthesizer Neil Larsen, organ David Paich, piano, synthesizer Dean Cortez, bass Nathan East, bass John Pierce, bass Vinnie Colaiuta, drums Jeff Porcaro, drums Carlos Vega, drums Lenny Castro, percussion James Felix, vocals
The Girl In The Other Room Verve Records B0001826-12	Diana Krall, piano, vocals Anthony Wilson, guitar Neil Larsen, Hammond B-3 organ Christian McBride, bass John Clayton, bass Jeff Hamilton, drums Peter Erskine, drums Terri Lyne Carrington, drums
Temptation Verve Records B0001995-32	Diana Krall, piano, vocals Anthony Wilson, guitar Neil Larsen, Hammond B-3 organ Christian McBride, bass Terri Lyne Carrington, drums
Bring It On Home...The Soul Classics Burgundy Records 82876 85489 2 recorded in New Yoprk, NY; Hollywood, CA; Franklin, TN; New Orleans, LA/USA	Aaron Neville, vocals Dan Higgins, sax David Sanborn, sax David Woodford, sax Chris Botti, trumpet Lee Thornburg, trumpet Ray Parker jr., guitar Heitor Pereira, guitar Neil Larsen, organ, piano Art Neville, organ Joe Sample, piano "Ready" Freddie Washington, bass James Gadson, drums Jack Ashford, tambourine Lenny Castro, percussion Chaka Khan, vocals Mavis Staples, vocals
It's All A Groove Urban Zone 1022 recorded in Hollywood, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Northridge, CA/USA	Jerry Stucker, guitar Ernie Watts, sax Skip Mesquite, sax Doc Kupka, baritone sax Mic Gillette, trombone, trumpet Eddie Henderson, trumpet Neil Larsen, organ, piano Shota Osabe, piano Rodney Franklin, piano Mark Kaye, clavinet Freddie Washington, bass Paul Jackson, bass John Costalupes, bass Gary Brown, bass James Gadson, drums Paul van Wageningen, drums Mike Clark, drums Kenneth Nash, percussion, vocals Roberto Quintana, percussion Tony Adamo, vocals
Straight Up Deal Urban Zone 7911 recorded in Hollywood, CA; San Francisco, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Northridge, CA/USA	Tony Adamo, vocals Skip Mesquite, alto sax, tenor sax, baritone sax Stephen "Doc" Kupka, baritone sax Melecio Magdaluyo, sax Ernie Watts, sax Mic Gillette, trombone, trumpet Eddie Henderson, trumpet Jerry Stucker, guitar Neil Larsen, organ, piano Rodney Franklin, piano Shota Osabe, piano Mark Kaye, clavinet Gary Brown, bass Paul Jackson, bass "Ready" Freddie Washington, bass Mike Clark, drums James Gadson, drums Paul van Wageningen, drums Kenneth Nash, percussion Roberto Quintana, bongos, percussion
One Kind Favor Geffen Records B0011791-02 recorded in Los Angeles, CA/USA	B.B. King, guitar, vocals Jeffrey Clayton, alto sax Keith Fiddmont, alto sax Charles Owens, tenor sax Thomas R. Peterson, tenor sax Rickey Woodard, tenor sax Ernie Fields jr., baritone sax Ira Nepus, trombone Darrell Leonard, trumpet Snooky Young, trumpet Randall Aldcroft, euphonium Alex Iles, euphonium Johnny Lee Schell, guitar Dr. John, piano Neil Larsen, Hammond B-3 organ Nathan East, bass Mike Elizondo, bass Jay Bellerose, drums, percussion Jim Keltner, drums, percussion

contact:
homepage:	neillarsen.net
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