Matt Lemmler Bio
Raised just blocks away from the home of legendary New Orleans pianist/vocalist Fats Domino, Matt’s childhood in the Lower 9th Ward was constantly filled with music.."Matt Lemmler’s one of those great New Orleans jazz pianists who seems to deeply live and breathe that city’s soul every minute of the day.” TheVinylanachronist.com
After earning a Bachelor of Music from Loyola University and a Masters degree from Manhattan School of Music in NYC, Matt toured four years with Andrew Lloyd Weber’s “The Phantom of the Opera”. Once he finished touring, he came back to the Big Easy and sharpened his skills with some of New Orleans’ finest bandleaders, including Bob French and the Original Tuxedo Jazz Band, Herb Tassin and the Blue Room Orchestra, and master clarinetist Pete Fountain. Lemmler has recently toured nationally and internationally, from Hawaii and Portland, Oregon, to Paris and Israel, where he performed at Jazz Festivals, Jazz Masses, as well as conducted clinics and workshops. When in New Orleans, Matt and the New Orleans Jazz Revival (an Ubuntu of talented musicians, producers, and educators) can be found creating masterful recordings, original show productions, and unique learning opportunities throughout the communities.
In addition to his band productions of various sizes, Matt regularly performs more intimate solo shows “New Orleans in Stride” and “The Book of Psalms” where he both sings and demonstrates his mastery of jazz piano.. Drawing from his diverse background, he takes in a broad range of styles and filters them through his own unique sensibility. With both his larger ensemble work and his solo performances, his mission is to share the distinctly complex New Orleans culture with the world, and to ensure its legacy among future generations through collaborative mentorship and education grounded in world class musicianship.
“A celebration of what is best about jazz, the spiritual mixed in with secular, but with no separation of church and state.” 5 Finger Review
On most Monday evenings, you can find him performing with the John Mahoney Little Band aboard the Steamboat Natchez Jazz Cruise.
Matt Lemmler is currently the Jazz Piano/Improvisation instructor at Loyola University, College of Music in New Orleans. Lemmler is an Official Yamaha Artist. He is also a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS, the Recording Academy) and a union member of American Federation of Musicians (AFM).
“Matt Lemmler is true New Orleans Jazz.” JazzArts.org.
Recent 2024/2025 albums, “The Book of Psalms-Volume One & Two” "Homecoming" & "Powerhouse" featuring Brian Blade, Joel Frahm and the New Orleans Jazz Revival Band.
“Psalm Sundays-Live from New Orleans” with Matt Lemmler where he premieres a brand new psalm composition every week on his YouTube Channel, Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as on his webpage. https://mattlemmler.com/the-book-of-psalms-and-psalm-sundays-video-archives
“An incredible jazz pianist who once feared singing, it took the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina for Matt Lemmler to share his soulful voice with the world.” JazzArts.org
You can contact Matt Lemmler at www.mattlemmler.com
Email mattlemmler@icloud.com
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Saturday, January 10, 2026
12:00 PM - 12:50 PM CST
