With a unique instrumental sound bringing together elements of funk, R&B, rock and electric jazz, legendary keyboardist Jeff Lorber helped pioneer the music genre now formatted under such names as NAC and smooth jazz. 

Since the advent of the New Adult Contemporary format in the late 80’s, Jeff Lorber has been filling a unique dual role. Having played a significant role in developing the late 70's, early 80’s R&B-jazz hybrid sound, the keyboardist has managed the difficult task of inspiring a new generation of instrumental artists, while remaining a vital and cutting edge creative force himself. Last years The Definitive Collection, gathered the best material from six recordings (from 1979 through '85) by his hugely influential band Jeff Lorber Fusion. Lorber has also been a huge factor behind the scenes, writing and producing projects for Michael Franks, Dave Koz, Eric Marienthal and the late Art Porter. Since revitalizing his solo career with 1993's Worth Waiting For, Lorber also been a cutting edge genre artist in his own right.

Philly raised and Berklee educated, Jeff Lorber had no specific design in mind when he recorded his first album in 1977. In those days artist experimentation was encouraged, and Lorber set no limits on his own freewheeling expressions. He simply drew elements from every artist or group he admired-- from Earth, Wind & Fire and Tower of Power to Miles Davis, and The Paul Butterfield Blues Band-- threw them all into a pot, simmered slowly and somehow discovered a sound that remains fresh even all these years later.

Lorber fondly refers to the wealth of music he created on his six albums from 1979-1985 (which led to his first Grammy nomination for Best R&B instrumental for Pacific Coast Highway in 1985) as "second generation fusion." He explains, "The early fusion of the 70’s, the sounds I was influenced by like Return to Forever and Weather Report, tended to feature awesome, hard rocking grooves behind the jazz improvisations. Guys like me, Grover Washington, Jr. and Spyro Gyra crafted more of a synthesis of jazz, R&B and instrumental pop where melody was as, if not more important than wailing solos and hardcore chops. The composing took on a shape closer to pop songwriting. I see it as the bridge between that hardcore movement and today's friendly but still grooving smooth jazz."

After the heyday of Jeff Lorber Fusion (a band which featured a then little-known sax player named Kenny G.  whose first album Lorber produced)  Jeff Lorber produced R&B artists like Karyn White (including her Top Ten hit Facts of Love) and entered his remixing phase. Getting back into the instrumental groove in the 90’s, he produced tracks on Dave Koz's first two albums (and later, 1999's The Dance) and other projects for Eric Marienthal, Art Porter, Michael Franks, and Herb Alpert.

After re-emerging as a solo artist with 1993's Worth Waiting For, Lorber went on to release West Side Stories (1994), State of Grace (1996) and Midnight (1998) - all of which were huge hits in the format. He continues to work with  smooth jazz artists (saxman Jeff Kashiwa's recent hit Another Door Opens, and the upcoming Chris Camozzi album.) and recently worked on pianist Cyrus Chestnut's A Charlie Brown Christmas, engineering  Pro Tools editing in his studio.