Neil Tesser

Born in New York, Tesser grew up on Long Island.[1] He attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in journalism. Tesser resides in Chicago.

Tesser's career has spanned over five decades, and has included work as a journalist, music critic, radio host and author.

Tesser was a long-time jazz critic at the Chicago Reader, beginning his work there in the 1970s. Earlier in his career he wrote Reader's Hot Type column, covering sports among other topics.[2] As a radio host, Tesser has hosted the nationally syndicated programs Miles Ahead and Listen Here!,[3] as well as Chicago-based jazz shows on WNIB, WBEZ, WSBC, WCFJ.[4][5]

As an author, Tesser wrote The Playboy Guide to Jazz, published in 1998 by Plume.[6] He has composed liner notes for over 400 albums, which have garnered him one Grammy Award and another nomination. Artists for whom Tesser has written liner notes include Blood, Sweat & Tears, John Coltrane, Freddie Hubbard, Gil Scott-Heron, Kurt Elling, Sonny Rollins, Thelonious Monk, Chick Corea, Bill Evans and Patricia Barber.[7]

Tesser is a member of The Recording Academy, formerly serving as vice chair of the board of trustees.[8]

Tesser received a Grammy Award for Best Album Notes at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards for his liner notes to Afro Blue Impressions (Remastered and Expanded) by John Coltrane.[9] He was nominated for a Grammy in 1986 for his liner notes to Stan Getz's The Girl from Ipanema: The Bossa Nova Years.[10]

On June 16, 2015, Tesser was awarded the Jazz Journalists Association's (JJA) Lifetime Achievement Award in Jazz Journalism.[11] In addition, Tesser received the first JJA award for Excellence in Broadcasting.[12]

He was also a recipient of an ASCAP Deems Taylor Award for his work with Rhino Records.[13]

• http://www.allmusic.com/artist/neil-tesser-mn0000105215/credits
• https://twitter.com/ntesser