Neil Tatar - Learning to Fly (2015)

"Learning To Fly" is a collection of nine original compositions written by Neil Tatar, and recorded under the guidance of Will Ackerman, Grammy Award winning guitarist and producer, and founder of Windham Hill Records. The tracks include contributions from several world class instrumentalists, including: Neil Tatar, Guitar and Piano * Eugene Friesen, Cello * Premik Russell Tubbs, Soprano and alto sax, alto flute * Tony Levin, Bass * Jeff Haynes Percussion * Will Ackerman, Guitar * Noah Wilding, Vocals * Charlie Bisharat, Violin * Jill Haley, English Horn * and Michael Manring, Bass

The album was produced by Will Ackerman, Tom Eaton, and Neil Tatar and recorded at Will Ackerman's state of the art Imaginary Road Studios and exemplifies the world class quality of recording and sound engineering that has made Imaginary Road Studios legendary.

Neil Tatar is an experienced guitarist, pianist, and composer. A playful and expressive musician, he has a unique sound that is contemporary in style, primarily rooted in blues, rhythm and blues, light jazz, and World music. Neil has been exploring music improvisation for most of his life. He finds passion in life’s most profound moments, giving inspiration to musical sketches and stories that ultimately become the source for his compositions. These writings are based on life stories, reflections that come from memories that are told expressively through music. Neil’s wonderfully melodic phrasing and chording on piano and his expressive interpretations on guitar serve as his personal reflections of these life experiences.

Recently, Neil collaborated with Grammy Award winning cellist David Darling to write and record their highly acclaimed album “Where Did The Time Go”, a collection of original compositions that received stellar reviews and reached the #1 ranking worldwide on the ZMR Top 100 Radio Airplay chart. His current release, “Learning To Fly”, recorded at Imaginary Road Studios under the guidance of legendary producer and guitarist Will Ackerman, highlights Neil’s ability to communicate directly to the listener through his music.

In addition to writing and recording music, Neil has been a performer and teacher for more than 35 years. He also focuses creative energy on leading improvisational music workshops for a variety of groups, including adult mental health programs, camps for children with serious illnesses, assorted college groups, and regional arts councils As a facilitator, he creates a safe and supportive environment for participants, reflecting his humanistic approach to music improvisation along with his enthusiasm and creative energy. True to his dedication to improvisation, Neil’s workshops are playful and never the same. Participants have reported expanding their musical repertoire or happily becoming reacquainted with their musical selves.
A musician through and through, Neil is regularly humming a tune, drumming, playing funky guitar, composing on the piano or pulling something musical from his laptop.