Neil McLean is an American saxophonist now residing in Tyler, Texas. As a member of the Henry Kimbrell Group, Ray Reach and Friends, the SuperJazz Big Band and the

Magic City Jazz Orchestra The Magic City Jazz Orchestra (MCJO) is an American jazz ensemble which was founded in 1999 as a spin-off of the SuperJazz Big Band (formerly UAB SuperJazz) by Birmingham, Alabama jazz pianist and vocalist Ray Reach. The mission of the group is t ...

, he worked with numerous notable performers, including

Dionne Warwick Marie Dionne Warwick ( ; born Marie Dionne Warrick; December 12, 1940) is an American singer, actress, and television host. During her career, Warwick has won many awards, including six Grammy Awards. She has been inducted into the Hollywood Wa ...

Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...

Ernie Watts Ernest James Watts (born October 23, 1945) is an American jazz and R&B saxophonist who plays soprano, alto, and tenor saxophone. He has worked with Charlie Haden's Quartet West and toured with the Rolling Stones. On Frank Zappa's album '' ...

Lou Marini Louis Eugene Marini Jr. (born May 13, 1945), known as "Blue Lou" Marini, is an American saxophonist, arranger, and composer. He is best known for his work in jazz, rock, blues, and soul music, as well as his association with The Blues Brother ...

, Ellis Marsalis and many others. For many years, while residing in Birmingham, Alabama, Neil established himself as one of the premier saxophonists in the Southeast. His arrangements for the

SuperJazz Big Band The Magic City Jazz Orchestra (MCJO) is an American jazz ensemble which was founded in 1999 as a spin-off of the SuperJazz Big Band (formerly UAB SuperJazz) by Birmingham, Alabama jazz pianist and vocalist Ray Reach. The mission of the group is t ...

are among the finest performed by that venerable ensemble. McLean was inducted into the

Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame (AJHF) is an organization and museum in Birmingham, Alabama, United States. It was founded in 1978, and opened as museum on September 18, 1993, with a mission "to foster, encourage, educate, and cultivate a general ...

in 1983.

Selected discography

* Ray Reach and Friends. ''"Especially For You"'' (1994). Jazz quartet. Available at CDBaby.com. * Ellis Marsalis and the SuperJazz Big Band. ''"UAB SuperJazz, featuring Ellis Marsalis"'' (2001) (Co-produced by

Ray Reach Raymond Everett Reach, Jr. (born August 3, 1948) is an Americans, American pianist, vocalist, guitarist, composer, arranger, music producer, and educator, who was convicted in the State of Alabama on child pornography charges. Reach has performe ...

and

Henry Panion Henry Panion, III is an American composer, arranger, conductor, educator, and Professor in the Department of Music at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Panion has produced, arranged and conducted for a number of noted artists, such as ...

), recorded at the Alys Stephens Center. *

and the

. ''"Lou's Blues"'' (2003) (Co-produced by

and

)

External links

Magic City Jazz Orchestra
at All About Jazz
Lou Marini
at All About Jazz
Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame Official Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:McLean, Neil American male saxophonists Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Musicians from Tyler, Texas Place of birth missing (living people) Musicians from Birmingham, Alabama 21st-century American saxophonists 21st-century American male musicians Magic City Jazz Orchestra members