Jeff Lorber

Early life Lorber was born to a Jewish family in Cheltenham, Pennsylvania, the same suburb as Michael and Randy Brecker, with whom he would later play. He started to play the piano when he was four years old. After playing in a number of R&B bands as a teen, he attended Berklee College of Music, where he developed his love for jazz. At Berklee, he met and played alongside guitarist John Scofield. Lorber moved to Vancouver, Washington, in 1972. For several years, he studied chemistry at Boston University.

Jeff Lorber Fusion

His first group, the Jeff Lorber Fusion, released their self-titled debut album The Jeff Lorber Fusion in 1977

Solo career In 1984, Lorber released his second solo album, In the Heat of the Night, and Jeff Lorber Fusion compilation album Lift Off. Later that year, he and the production duo of David Frank and Mic Murphy, otherwise known as the System, produced Step by Step. The title track, written with Anita Pointer of the Pointer Sisters, rose to number 31 on the U.S. Billboard R&B chart. so he took a seven-year hiatus. After Step by Step, he quoted Clive Davis as telling him, "We really want you to put more vocals on your records", which Lorber thought was a mistake.

Lorber's keyboard work appeared in the video game Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. His input can be heard during the game's closing theme song "I Am the Wind" (which also featured the saxophonist Gerald Albright).

Two greatest hits compilation albums were released in 2000 and 2002. Flipside (2005) was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Pop Instrumental Album category. At the 56th Annual Grammy Awards, his 2013 album Hacienda was nominated for Best Pop Instrumental Album. In 2018, he received a Grammy for his album Prototype in the Best Contemporary Instrumental Album category.

Lorber has done extensive production and session work for other musicians, including Dave Koz, Eric Benét, Herb Alpert, Carol Duboc and Laura Branigan. He hosts a show on Sirius Satellite Radio.

Personal life

In 2004, Lorber was diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease and received a successful kidney transplant from his wife Mink Lorber. He has mentioned that the disease is common in his family. His daughters have it and his mother and sister died from it.

Discography Albums Solo YearTitleLabelChart positionsUS200 1982 It's a FactArista 73 44 — — — 1984 In the Heat of the Night 106 44 7 — — 1985 Step by Step 90 33 11 — 97 1986 Private Passion Warner Bros. 68 29 17 16 — 1993 Worth Waiting ForVerve Forecast — — 33 1 — 1994 West Side Stories — — 6 5 — 1996 State of Grace — — 14 10 — 1998 Midnight Zebra 2004 reissue: Narada Jazz/EMI — — 19 14 — 2001 Kickin' It Gold Circle 2004 reissue: Narada Jazz/EMI — — 19 9 — 2003 Philly StyleNarada Jazz/EMI — — 10 5 — 2005 Flipside — — 9 4 — 2007 He Had a Hat Blue Note — — 9 5 — 2008 Heard That Peak — — 9 6 — "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Jeff Lorber Fusion YearTitleLabelChart positionsUS200 USR&B USTradJazz USContJazz 1977 The Jeff Lorber FusionInner City — — — — 1978 Soft Space — — — — 1979 Water SignArista 119 — — — 1980 Wizard Island 123 — — — 1981 Galaxian 77 45 — — 2010 Now Is the TimeHeads Up — — 8 4 2011 Galaxy — — 7 3 2013 Hacienda — — 5 3 2015 Step It Up — — 9 4 2017 PrototypeShanachie — — 6 2 2018 Impact — — 5 4 2019 Eleven (with Mike Stern) Concord Jazz — — 4 2 2021 Space-Time Shanachie — — — — 2023 The Drop — — — — 2024 Elevate SoNo — — — — "—" denotes releases that did not chart.

Jazz Funk Soul (Jeff Lorber, Everette Harp, Chuck Loeb (2014—2017), and [Loeb's replacement] Paul Jackson, Jr.) YearTitleLabelChart positionsUSTradJazz USR&B USDance USJazz UK 2014 "Serious Business" 1 Jazz Funk Soul 2015 "Speed of Light" 20 2016 "You'll Know When You Know" 21 More Serious Business 2017 "Tuesday Swings" 7 2019 "Windfall" 3 Life and Times "Blacksmith" 23 2022 "Hustle" 4 Forecast 2023 "Forecast" 7 2025 "Over Easy" 4 Simpatico 2026 "Simpatico" 6