Jeffrey H. Lorber (born November 4, 1952)[1] is an American keyboardist, composer, and record producer. After six previous nominations, Lorber won his first Grammy Award on January 28, 2018 for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album for Prototype by his band the Jeff Lorber Fusion.
Jeff Lorber | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Jeffrey H. Lorber |
| Born | November 4, 1952 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.[1] |
| Genres | Jazz, smooth jazz, jazz pop, jazz fusion |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, record producer |
| Instrument | Keyboards |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Labels | Inner City, Blue Note, Narada, Zebra, Verve, Warner Bros., Arista, Peak |
Many of his songs have appeared on the Weather Channel's Local on the 8s segments and on the channel's compilation albums, The Weather Channel Presents: The Best of Smooth Jazz and The Weather Channel Presents: Smooth Jazz II. He was nominated for a Grammy Award for his album He Had a Hat (Blue Note, 2007)
Early life
editLorber was born to a Jewish family[2] in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, the same suburb as Michael and Randy Brecker, with whom he would later play.[3] He started to play the piano when he was four years old. After playing in a number of R&B bands as a teen, he attended Berklee College of Music, where he developed his love for jazz.[4] At Berklee he met and played alongside guitarist John Scofield. He moved to Vancouver, Washington in 1972. For several years he studied chemistry at Boston University.[5]
Jeff Lorber Fusion
edit
His first group, the Jeff Lorber Fusion, released their self-titled debut album The Jeff Lorber Fusion in 1977[4] on Inner City Records. Supported by a revolving cast of musicians, including drummer Dennis Bradford, he recorded five studio albums under this moniker. These early albums showcased a funky sound influenced by other jazz fusion practitioners such as Herbie Hancock, Weather Report, and Return to Forever, the latter's Chick Corea appearing on several songs. Like his contemporaries, Lorber performed on multiple keyboard instruments, including piano, Rhodes piano, and analog synthesizers, often favoring the Minimoog and Sequential Circuits Prophet 5. The Jeff Lorber Fusion's 1980 album, Wizard Island, introduced saxophonist Kenneth Bruce Gorelick, better known as Kenny G.[6]
Solo career
editIn 1984 he released his second solo album In the Heat of the Night and Jeff Lorber Fusion compilation album Lift Off. Later that year, he and the production duo of David Frank and Mic Murphy, otherwise known as the System, produced Step by Step.[7] The title track, written with Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters, rose to number 31 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart.[1] The song "Facts of Love" (featuring Karyn White) from the 1986 album Private Passion was his biggest chart hit, reaching No. 27 on the Billboard Hot 100[8] and No. 17 on the R&B chart.[1] Several singles from this period also appeared on the Billboard Dance charts. However, Lorber was not satisfied that he was being overtaken by a more vocal and R&B feel on his own albums,[9] so he took a seven-year hiatus.[10] After Step by Step, he quoted Clive Davis as telling him, "We really want you to put more vocals on your records", which Lorber thought was a mistake.[11]
Lorber's keyboard work appeared in the video game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. His input can be heard during the game's closing theme song "I Am the Wind" (which also featured the saxophonist Gerald Albright).[12]
Two greatest hits compilation albums were released in 2000 and 2002. Flipside (2005) was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Pop Instrumental Album category.[13] At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, his 2013 album Hacienda was nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Album.[14] In 2018, he received a Grammy for his album Prototype in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category.
Lorber has done extensive production and session work for other musicians, including Dave Koz, Eric Benét, Herb Alpert, Carol Duboc and Laura Branigan. He hosts a show on Sirius Satellite Radio.[15][16]
Personal life
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In 2004, Lorber was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease and received a successful kidney transplant from his wife Mink Lorber.[5]
He has served as a spokesman for the PKD Foundation, an organization for fighting polycystic kidney disease.[17] He has mentioned that the disease is common in his family. His daughters have it and his mother and sister died from it.[18]
Discography
editJeff Lorber Fusion - albums
edit| Year | Title | Label | Chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 200 [19] |
US R&B [20] |
US Trad Jazz [21] |
US Cont Jazz [22] | ||||
| 1977 | The Jeff Lorber Fusion | Inner City | — | — | — | — | |
| 1978 | Soft Space | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979 | Water Sign | Arista | 119 | — | — | — | |
| 1980 | Wizard Island | 123 | — | — | — | ||
| 1981 | Galaxian | 77 | 45 | — | — | ||
| 2010 | Now Is the Time | Heads Up | — | — | 8 | 4 | |
| 2011 | Galaxy | — | — | 7 | 3 | ||
| 2013 | Hacienda | — | — | 5 | 3 | ||
| 2015 | Step It Up | — | — | 9 | 4 | ||
| 2017 | Prototype | Shanachie | — | — | 6 | 2 | |
| 2018 | Impact | — | — | 5 | 4 | ||
| 2019 | Eleven (with Mike Stern) | Concord Jazz | — | — | 4 | 2 | |
| 2021 | Space-Time | Shanachie | — | — | — | — | |
| 2023 | The Drop | Shanachie | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||||
|}
Jeff Lorber - solo albums
edit| Year | Title | Label | Chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US 200 [19] |
US R&B [20] |
US Trad Jazz [23][21] |
US Cont Jazz [22] |
UK [24] | |||
| 1982 | It's a Fact | Arista | 73 | 44 | — | — | — |
| 1984 | In the Heat of the Night | 106 | 44 | 7 | — | — | |
| 1985 | Step by Step | 90 | 33 | 11 | — | 97 | |
| 1986 | Private Passion | Warner Bros. | 68 | 29 | 17 | 16 | — |
| 1993 | Worth Waiting For | Verve Forecast | — | — | 33 | 1 | — |
| 1994 | West Side Stories | — | — | 6 | 5 | — | |
| 1996 | State of Grace | — | — | 14 | 10 | — | |
| 1998 | Midnight | Zebra 2004 reissue: Narada Jazz/EMI |
— | — | 19 | 14 | — |
| 2001 | Kickin' It | Gold Circle 2004 reissue: Narada Jazz/EMI |
— | — | 19 | 9 | — |
| 2003 | Philly Style | Narada Jazz/EMI | — | — | 10 | 5 | — |
| 2005 | Flipside | — | — | 9 | 4 | — | |
| 2007 | He Had a Hat | Blue Note | — | — | 9 | 5 | — |
| 2008 | Heard That | Peak | — | — | 9 | 6 | — |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||||
Jazz Funk Soul - albums
editJeff Lorber, Everette Harp, Chuck Loeb (2014—2017), and now Paul Jackson, Jr.
| Year | Title | Label | Chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Trad Jazz [21] |
US Cont Jazz [22] | |||
| 2014 | Jazz Funk Soul | Shanachie | 5 | 2 |
| 2016 | More Serious Business | 7 | 2 | |
| 2019 | Life and Times | 6 | 2 | |
| 2022 | Forecast | — | — | |
Singles
editSolo
| Year | Title | Chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US [8] |
US R&B [1][25] |
US Dance [26] |
US Jazz [27] |
UK [24] | |||
| 1985 | "Step by Step" | 105 | 31 | 4 | — | — | |
| "Best Part of the Night" | — | — | 15 | — | 80 | ||
| 1986 | "Facts of Love" | 27 | 17 | 9 | — | 95 | |
| 1987 | "True Confessions" | — | 88 | — | — | — | |
| 2006 | "Ooh La La" | — | — | — | 4 | — | |
| 2007 | "Anthem for a New America" | — | — | — | 21 | — | |
| 2008 | "Rehab" | — | — | — | 12 | — | |
| 2009 | "You Got Something" | — | — | — | 5 | — | |
| 2010 | "Pixel" | — | — | — | 22 | — | |
| 2011 | "Sumatra" | — | — | — | 39 | — | |
| 2013 | "Right There" | — | — | — | 45 | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | |||||||
Jeff Lorber Fusion
| Year | Title | Chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Jazz [27] | ||
| 2012 | "Big Brother" | 1 |
| "City" | 5 | |
| 2013 | "Hacienda" | 1 |
| 2014 | "Fab Gear" | 1 |
| 2015 | "The Steppe" | 1 |
| "Get Up" | 3 | |
| 2016 | "Soul Party" | 11 |
| 2017 | "Hyperdrive" | 2 |
| 2018 | "The Badness" | 5 |
| "Sport Coat Makes Good" | 8 | |
| 2019 | "Highline" | 24 |
Jazz Funk Soul
| Year | Title | Chart positions |
|---|---|---|
| US Jazz [27] | ||
| 2014 | "Serious Business" | 1 |
| 2015 | "Speed of Light" | 20 |
| 2016 | "You'll Know When You Know" | 21 |
| 2017 | "Tuesday Swings" | 7 |
| 2019 | "Windfall" | 3 |
| "Blacksmith" | 23 |
References
edit- ^ a b c d e Whitburn, Joel (2004). Joel Whitburn Presents Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles, 1942-2004 (5th, illustrated ed.). University of California: Record Research Incorporated. p. 360. ISBN 9780898201604.
- ^ Soergel, Brian (May 2001). "Jeff Lorber Kickin' Back". JazzTimes. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
- ^ "Interview with Jeff Lorber". jazzmonthly.com. May 2007. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- ^ a b Ankeny, Jason. "Jeff Lorber - Music Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
- ^ a b "C.J.: Jeff Lorber, pioneer of smooth jazz who'll do it as long as he can". Star Tribune. August 24, 2013. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- ^ Wynn, Ron. "The Jeff Lorber Fusion - Wizard Island (1980): Review". AllMusic. Retrieved May 7, 2022.
- ^ Wynn, Ron. "Jeff Lorber - Step by Step (1985): Review". AllMusic. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
- ^ a b "Jeff Lorber: Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ Campbell, Mary (August 25, 1985). "Jeff Lorber Switching Musical Style Away From Fusion". Associated Press. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- ^ "For The Record, This Dropout Is Back". The Philadelphia Inquirer. February 24, 1995. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- ^ Nowlin, Rick (March 20, 2011). "Jeff Lorber still fusing jazz elements after all these years". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- ^ "Castlevania: Symphony of the Night (1997) PlayStation credits". MobyGames. March 20, 1997. Retrieved April 9, 2012.
- ^ "The 48th Annual GRAMMY Awards Roundup: Pop/Dance Fields". grammy.org. January 27, 2006. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
- ^ "Exploring The Pop Field Nominees". grammy.com. December 16, 2013. Archived from the original on December 17, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
- ^ Goddard, Lisa (April 6, 2008). "Music fest in Riviera Beach to feature range of artists". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
- ^ "Jeff Lorber - Yamaha Artists". yamaha.com. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
- ^ Shelton, Eleanor (May 15, 2009). "Living Legends Concert Features Jazz Keyboardist Jeff Lorber". wccnet.edu. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved November 30, 2013.
- ^ Redley, Simon. "Life Really Is A Gift For Jazz Fusion Star Jeff Lorber". Blues & Soul. Retrieved November 27, 2013.
- ^ a b "Jeff Lorber: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ a b "Jeff Lorber: R&B". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Jeff Lorber: Jazz". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Jeff Lorber: Contemporary Jazz". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ "Jeff Lorber: Traditional Jazz". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ a b "Jeff Lorber: UK". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ "Jeff Lorber: R&B". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ "Jeff Lorber: Dance". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Jeff Lorber: Jazz". Billboard. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
External links
edit
- Official site
- Jeff Lorber Interview at allaboutjazz.com
- Interview at jazzmonthly.com
- Jeff Lorber & Jeff Lorber Fusion biography, discography and album reviews, credits & releases at AllMusic
- Jeff Lorber discography, album releases & credits at Discogs
- Jeff Lorber Fusion discography, album releases & credits at Discogs
- Jeff Lorber albums to be listened as stream on Spotify
- Jeff Lorber Fusion albums to be listened as stream on Spotify