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Neil Kelly

Multi-instrumentalist, writer, radio programmer, coffee enthusiast, lover of all things creative.

About Me

Originally from Louisiana, I was born into a musical family steeped in bluegrass, country and rock. Music of all varieties found its way to my ears, but as I learned to appreciate these forms, I found all forms represented in jazz. As a younger man, I cut my teeth performing with Little Rock area musicians in many different genres. I currently program Jazz on the A-1 Audio Network. http://a-1audionetwork.com/jazz/

My Jazz Story

The first jazz record I bought was Mahavishnu John McLaughlin's "My Goals Beyond". I stumbled upon a record store in the deep south that was going out of business, and they had rows of promos, cutouts and returns they were blowing out for pocket change. In the midst of all of the frisbees and future rolling trays in that bin, there was this Ryko vinyl reissue on clear wax. I admit the clear vinyl was the selling point, as I had no real formal jazz knowledge other than George Benson pop crossover cuts and what I had learned in marching band a few years earlier. In other words, nothing could have prepared me for the ear-opening moment that happened when the stylus fell into the lead-in groove before "Peace One". That's where it all started for me, and I've been following the musical genealogy of jazz before and after that record ever since.