Matt Lemmler w/Leah Chase & the New Orleans Revival Band

Biography

Matt Lemmler is a New Orleans-based pianist, vocalist, composer, arranger, educator, and producer who emerged from the birthplace of jazz with a deeply original musical voice. Raised in the Lower 9th Ward just blocks from the home of legendary pianist Fats Domino, Lemmler grew up in a profoundly musical household where jazz and classical piano were played constantly. His father, Richard Lemmler Sr., was a retired professional musician, and his brothers Richard Jr. and Michael (also a noted New Orleans pianist-bandleader) contributed to an environment where music was perpetual. After earning a Bachelor of Music from Loyola University and a Master's degree from Manhattan School of Music in NYC, Lemmler toured for four years with Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera" before returning to New Orleans to refine his craft alongside the city's finest jazz musicians.

Upon his return to the Big Easy, Lemmler worked with several legendary New Orleans bandleaders including Bob French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band (over 100 years old), Herb Tassin and the Blue Room Orchestra, and master clarinetist Pete Fountain. He also performed with the Dukes of Dixieland, solidifying his place in the traditional New Orleans jazz scene. In 2001, Lemmler launched his own projects with his debut CD "Portraits of Wonder," a New Orleans jazz tribute to Stevie Wonder's music that received national attention and was performed to sold-out audiences at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. The album featured renowned jazz artists including drummer Brian Blade, saxophonist John Ellis, Brice Winston, vocalist Leah Chase, George French, and trumpeter Nicholas Payton.

As musical director of the New Orleans Jazz Revival Band, Lemmler's mission is to share New Orleans' distinctly diverse culture with the world and ensure its legacy among future generations through collaborative mentorship and education. His musical style encompasses what he calls "New Orleans Stride"—a slower, loping rhythm akin to ragtime with an underlying triple-meter feel associated with James Booker and Erroll Garner. Currently serving as a Jazz Piano Professor at Loyola University and recognized as a Steinway Artist, Lemmler is notable as one of the few New Orleans pianists who performs as a solo pianist/vocalist interpreting the Great American Songbook. His work spans traditional jazz, gospel masses, classical arrangements, and contemporary pop interpretations, embodying the Ubuntu philosophy of interconnectedness in creativity that defines his approach to New Orleans' 300-year musical heritage.

Fun Facts

• Lemmler made his professional debut at Carnegie Hall while pursuing his graduate studies at Manhattan School of Music, showcasing his original arrangements, compositions, and piano skills.
• After Hurricane Katrina, Lemmler took up singing, becoming one of the only New Orleans pianists performing the Great American Songbook as a solo pianist/vocalist, with an expressive voice described as sometimes straight and often wise-guyish.
• His arrangement of 'If I Only Had a Brain' cleverly incorporates the chord changes from John Coltrane's 'Giant Steps,' creating a piece he titles 'If I Only Had a Trane.'
• Lemmler's brother Michael is also a prominent New Orleans pianist-bandleader, and their father Richard Sr. was a retired professional musician, making the Lemmler family a multi-generational musical dynasty in the Lower 9th Ward.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Bob French - Bandleader of the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band with whom Lemmler performed and honed his traditional New Orleans jazz skills (Original Tuxedo Jazz Band performances) [Post-2000s]
• Pete Fountain - Master clarinetist who mentored Lemmler in traditional New Orleans jazz (Performances with Pete Fountain) [2000s]
• Herb Tassin - Bandleader of the Blue Room Orchestra who helped shape Lemmler's understanding of New Orleans jazz traditions (Blue Room Orchestra performances) [Post-2000s]
• Dave Frishberg - Fellow pianist/vocalist who influenced Lemmler's approach to the Great American Songbook; described Lemmler as having 'rare originality' (Stylistic influence on solo piano/vocal performances) [2000s-present]
• James Booker - Legendary New Orleans pianist whose 'New Orleans Stride' style influenced Lemmler's piano approach (Stylistic influence, particularly 'Sunny Side of the Street') [Historical influence]

Key Collaborators

• Leah Chase - Vocalist who performed on Lemmler's debut album (Portraits of Wonder (2001))
• Brian Blade - Renowned drummer who has performed on multiple Lemmler projects (Portraits of Wonder (2001), Homecoming-New Orleans in Stride-Volume IV) [2001-2025]
• John Ellis - Saxophonist who performed on Lemmler's debut album (Portraits of Wonder (2001))
• Nicholas Payton - Trumpeter who performed on Lemmler's debut album (Portraits of Wonder (2001))
• Don Vappie - Collaborator on medleys and arrangements (New Orleans in Stride Volumes 1 and 2) [2020s]
• Joel Frahm - Saxophonist performing with the New Orleans Jazz Revival Band (Homecoming-New Orleans in Stride-Volume IV)
• Steve Masakowski - Guitarist performing with the New Orleans Jazz Revival Band (Homecoming-New Orleans in Stride-Volume IV)

Artists Influenced

• 265 middle school musicians - Students from choir, band, and string orchestra programs who performed alongside the New Orleans Jazz Revival Band through the UBUNTU Education program (UBUNTU Education collaborative performances) [2010s-2020s]
• Ridgeview Charter Middle School students - Atlanta-based students who participated in workshops and performances with Lemmler (Educational workshops and performances) [2010s-2020s]
• Loyola University students - Jazz piano students taught by Lemmler as professor at Loyola University College of Music (Jazz piano instruction and master classes) [2010s-present]
• University of New Orleans students - Students who attended master classes and educational shows presented by the New Orleans Jazz Revival Band (Master classes and educational performances) [2010s-2020s]

Discography

Albums

Top Tracks

1. Flowers On the Wall (Flowers On The Wall: The Essential Statler Brothers 1964-1969)
2. Flowers on the Wall (Flowers on the Wall)
3. Bed Of Rose's (Bed Of Rose's)
4. Hello Mary Lou (Pardners In Rhyme)
5. New York City (Bed Of Rose's)
6. I'll Go To My Grave Loving You (The Definitive Collection)
7. Too Much On My Heart (Pardners In Rhyme)
8. Do You Know You Are My Sunshine? (Entertainers On & Off The Record)
9. Elizabeth (Today)
10. The Class Of '57 (Country Music Then And Now)

External Links

• Spotify