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Neil Slater (né Kenneth Neil Slater; born 1931 Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania) is an American music educator and former music school administrator at the university level, composer, Grammy-nominated arranger, and jazz pianist. In 2008 — after 52 years as a full-time music educator, 38 at the university level, his last 27 at the University of North Texas College of Music as Chair of Jazz Studies and Director of the One O'Clock Lab Band — Slater retired as Professor Emeritus. He has composed over 80 works for jazz ensemble and has also written for symphony, mixed chamber groups, a cappella choir, opera, and musical theatre.

University of North Texas College of Music: 1981–2008
From 1981 to 2008, Slater was Chair of Jazz Studies and director of the One O'Clock Lab Band at the University of North Texas College of Music. During his tenure there, Slater was nominated for a Grammy for Best Arrangement on an Instrumental for his arrangement of "Values," which he also composed. "Values" was on the album, Lab 91, performed by the One O'Clock – directed and co-produced by Slater.

Slater is also a two-time Grammy nominee participant. The first was in 1989 for a work by Mike Bogle, then a student, who was nominated for Best Arrangement on an Instrumental for his arrangement "Got a Match?," by Chick Corea – on Lab '89, performed by the One O'Clock – directed and co-produced by Slater. The second was in 2009, during Slater's first year as Professor Emeritus, for contributing two works, "Another Other" and "Time Sensitive" – both composed and arranged by Slater – on Lab 2009, which, as an album, received a Grammy nomination for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album.

When Slater began his appointment in 1981, he faced the challenge of elevating a jazz studies program that had, since the 1960s, enjoyed acclaim for quality and its role in pioneering jazz studies in higher education. Historically, North Texas, during its 1946–47 academic year, became the first institution of higher education, worldwide, to offer a degree in jazz studies. And, from 1947 to 1967, North Texas stood as the only institution of higher education to offer jazz oriented bachelor's degrees. Slater also undertook the challenges of expanding and diversifying a curriculum of a large Jazz Studies Department (roughly 300 jazz studies majors), which, among other things, included integrating it further with the College of Music, a comprehensive, PhD-granting music school that, for decades, has had among the highest enrollments of any music institution accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (roughly 1,600 music majors).

Over the -year history of jazz studies at North Texas (from 1947 to 2024), Slater is the third and last person to simultaneously hold both positions: (i) Chair of Jazz Studies and (ii) Director of the One O'Clock Lab Band. Following Slater's retirement, the College of Music allocated the two roles to separate people. The need to do so was the result of curricular expansion of the Jazz Studies Department. Slater's 27-year tenure as Chair of Jazz Studies at North Texas and Director of the One O'Clock is the longest held by anyone in either of those capacities. His two predecessors were Gene Hall and Leon Breeden.

Hall and Breeden were comprehensive musicians; and both were accomplished composers and arrangers. But Slater was the first to head the program whose role as a composer and arranger represented a significant part of his career. Slater's mentorship helped solidify the continuity of the student composition and arrangement program. The three directors of the One O'Clock that succeeded Slater are (i) Steve Wiest (2008 to 2014), (ii) Jay Saunders (interim director; 2014–2016), and (iii) Alan Baylock (2016 to present). Wiest and Baylock, who both studied under Slater, are acclaimed composers and arrangers. Slater has also been an influential exponent of innovative leadership in jazz studies. The Chair of Jazz Studies at North Texas who succeeded Slater, John Murphy, PhD, an ethnomusicologist, also studied under Slater.

While at North Texas, Slater is credited for having cultivated greater emphasis on small jazz combos. In 1982, Slater established the College of Music Jazz Lecture Series, which annually hosts ten internationally recognized jazz artists and related industry leaders. In 1983, Slater prevailed all the way up to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board in getting approval to offer a Master of Music with a Major in Jazz Studies. The program launched during the 1983–1984 school year. According to music journalist John Morthland, the new degree improved the overall quality of the lab bands. U.S. News and World Report, in its annual review of "America's Best Graduate Schools," ranked the North Texas jazz studies program as the best in the country every year from 1994, when it began ranking graduate jazz programs, to 1997, when it retired the category. In 1994, Slater, with funding from North Texas College of Business alumnus Glenn Gomez, established The Glenn E. Gomez International Artists Endowment for Jazz Studies artist-in-residence series. Slater also formally integrated jazz studies classes with the lab band experience.

Under Slater's direction, the One O'Clock produced 29 studio albums, six live recordings, and one compilation commemorating 50 years of jazz at North Texas. Of those 36 albums, 31 original compositions by Slater, all scored by Slater, are on 34 albums. Since retiring in 2008, the One O'Clock has produced six addition original works by Slater on its annual studio albums, Lab 2009 through Lab 2013.

Selected tours
Slater directed the One O'Clock on several tours, including:

University of Bridgeport: 1970–1981
In July 1970, the University of Bridgeport, Connecticut, appointed Slater as Assistant Professor of Music with the Jazz and Composition Faculty, Department of Music, College of Education. Slater's appointment was consistent with an objective expressed in 1968 by Harry Valante, EdD (né Harrison Robert Valante; born 1936) – after being appointed Chairman of the Music Department – to encourage music educators to immerse themselves as performers and to use their performances to educate students and enrich communities. Bridgeport's expansion in jazz was influenced in part by a new emphasis placed on jazz curriculum at the National Association for Music Education conference that was held March 1970 in Chicago. Also in 1970, Nick Rossi (né Nicholas Louis Rossi, Jr.; 1924–2000) – an influential composer, author, and music educator – was also appointed Assistant Professor in the UB's Music Department. Rossi and Slater collaborated in the scoring of musical works, including the composition "Again, D.J." (Rossi, libretto; Slater, music) a contemporary adaptation of the Don Juan legend.

Slater founded the jazz program in 1971 at the University of Bridgeport. For the ensuing 11 years, Slater directed the UB Jazz Ensemble. He also served as coordinator of UB's Jazz Studio Program. Slater capitalized on UB's proximity to New York City by recruiting notable jazz artists as adjunct professors and guest performers, which included both Bill Finegan, who began teaching composing and arranging, and Finegan's wife, Rosemary, who began teaching jazz singing. Slater also recruited, as adjuncts, Sal Salvador (guitar), Art Davis (bass), Gary Klein (saxophone), Danny Stiles (né Daniel Dale Stiles; 1933–1997) (trumpet), Ed Soph (drums); Randy Jones (drums); Moe Snyder (trombone). The UB Jazz Ensemble performed with notable artists including Frank Strozier (1973), Norman Dello Joio (1973), trombonist and faculty member Bill Watrous (1973), trumpeter and faculty member Danny Stiles (1973), Don Elliott (1974), Bobby Rosengarden (1974), Lew Anderson (1975), Bernie Privin (de) (1975), Sandy Stewart (1975), trombonist Dominick "Sonny" Costanzo (1976), Arnie Lawrence (1977), Gerry Mulligan (1980), and Chet Baker (1982).

Slater also Neil brought in both Bill Finegan (composition) and Bill’s wife Rosemary (voice) as adjunct instructors. He also brought in as adjuncts Sal Salvador (guitar); Art Davis (bass); Gary Klein (Sax); Danny Stiles (trumpet); Ed Soph (drums); Randy Jones (drums); Moe Snyder (trombone). UB benefited by its proximity to NYC in being able to recruit notable jazz musicians as adjuncts and guest artists.

Slater composed and arranged "Search" for Arnie Lawrence, at his request, for his 1977 performance with the UB Jazz Ensemble. The work showcased Lawrence's technical mastery on saxophone.

Slater became Director of Jazz Studies; and, in 1976, UB established a Bachelor's Degree in Jazz Studies. By 1981, his compositions had been performed by Stan Kenton, Slide Hampton, Clark Terry, Sal Salvador, Joe Morello, and Bobby Shew. And, by 1981, the press credited Slater as having performed with Frank Strozier, Louis Hayes, Don Elliott, Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, Danny Stiles, Art Davis, Bill Watrous, Joe Morello, and Sal Salvador. Slater had been under contract with MCA Records and Warner Bros. Music as a composer, arranger and consultant.

During Slater's tenure with UB, he frequently performed as a featured guest piano soloist with other college jazz ensembles. In one instance, Slater was a guest pianist at the Memphis State University Jazz Week '77, with the Trio of Tom Ferguson, PhD (né Thomas Clarence Ferguson, Jr.; 1932–2013), which included other guest artists — Bobby Shew, Jerry Coker (de), and Arnie Lawrence.

While a music educator at UB, Slater maintained an active performance schedule. In 1980, his trio — Slater (piano), Paul K. Adamy (born 1957) (bass), Dave Weckl (drums) ... Janice Gantt (née Janice C. Dempsey; born 1958) (vocals) — performed regionally.

In 1973, the UB Jazz Ensemble, directed by Slater, received top ratings at the Glassboro State College Jazz Festival. The judges included Manny Albam, Clark Terry, Earnie Wilkins (né Ernest Brooks Wilkins, Jr.; 1922-1999), and Clem DeRosa. In 1999, when Slater was at the University of North Texas College of Music, Clem DeRosa's son, Richard DeRosa (de), joined the faculty at the UNT College of Music and, as of 2024, is Director of Jazz Composition/Arranging Studies. Richard DeRosa received a Grammy nomination in 2015 for Best Instrumental Composition, performed by the One O'Clock Lab Band. The composition was titled, "Neil," a tribute to Slater.

In 2016, the University of Bridgeport named Neil Slater as honoree of its Jazz Reunion in conjunction with the UB Homecoming events of October 16, 2016. The honor was expressed on a plaque,

In honor of Professor Neil Slater for innovation in collegiate music education. Founder of UB’s Jazz Studies program in 1971, among the first in the nation.

Bridgeport Mayor Joseph P. Ganim presented an official Proclamation declaring October 16th, 2016, as "Neil Slater Day in the City of Bridgeport, Connecticut."

Notable colleagues during Slater's engagement at UB included composer Dave Barnett (1907–1985), a professor of music at UB from 1967 until his death in 1985.

Westchester Stage Band Clinics: 1965
Slater, in March 1965, co-founded – with Rocco Frank Polera (1935–2017) (chairman), Peter DeLuke, Royce H. Janszen, a jazz trumpeter originally from San Antonio, and Fred Snyder – the Westchester Stage Band Clinics.

Mamaroneck High School, Larchmont, New York: 1966–1970
Slater became a music teacher for the Mamaroneck Union Free School District, which includes Larchmont, in fall 1966. Jay Zorn (né Jack Daniel Zorn; 1931–2006) (no relation to John Zorn) was, at the time, Director of Bands at Mamaroneck High School. In 1968, Slater became Director of Bands at Mamaroneck High School when Zorn accepted a faculty position as Director of Bands at Muskingum University in Ohio. Zorn, in 1969, within a year of leaving Mamaroneck, completed his doctorate in Music Education at Indiana University. Slater served as Director of Bands until 1970, when he accepted a music faculty appointment from the University of Bridgeport. Carl Strommen (nl) (born 1939) eventually succeeded Slater at Mamaroneck High School. Strommen is a prolific composer and arranger – his works are widely performed, internationally, by symphonic bands, jazz ensembles, and choral groups in secondary education. Strommen went on to direct bands at Mamaroneck for more than 25 years before joining the music faculty at Long Island University.

In 1970, the Mamaroneck High School Jazz Ensemble under Slater's direction was awarded first prize at the New England High School Stage Band Competition by the National Association for Jazz Education conference. Also in April 1970, at the second annual Berklee High School Jazz Festival, the Mamaroneck High School Jazz Ensemble won First Prize. The Festival – founded in 1969 by Lee Eliot Berk in collaboration with the National Association of Jazz Educators as the All-New England High School Stage Band Festival – is, according to Berklee College, the largest and oldest competition of its kind in the United States. As of April 2024, the Festival is in its year.

Mount Vernon, New York, Public Schools: 1956–1960
Slater's first teaching job, from 1956 to about 1960, was with the Mount Vernon City Schools, where he traveled to a different school each day of the week, covering five schools. Slater's objective was to introduce elementary school students to their first instruments. At the end of each year, every band presented a concert, including marching band. Jazz drummer Alvin Queen, when he was in elementary school, started studying drums with Slater, who, at the time, taught all the band instruments.

Influences and collaborators

 * Robert L. Evans (1916–2004), saxophonist, clarinetist, and music educator, who taught music in the Mount Vernon school system from the 1940s to the 1960s
 * Joyce H. Goldsmith (née Joyce Nada Hann; 1920–2008), theater director and, in Mamaroneck, founder of the Dance, Drama, Music Workshop, where she trained young people in performance, in collaboration with Slater and dance teacher Barbara Bennion Friedlich (before 1983, Barbara Bennion Muenzinger; née Bennion; born 1928), former member of Martha Graham Dance Company, currently a playwright. Their students performed a variety of works for charity — from Shakespeare to Ionesco and Carl Sandburg to E.E. Cummings — in a range of community venues, including children's hospitals, psychiatric hospitals, and nursing homes.

New York
Slater, while in the New York City area, maintained an active role as a composer, arranger, jazz pianist, and educator. He was active in big bands, jazz combos, and studio work ranging from jazz to R&B to pop to jingles.

Cherry Lane Music Co., Inc., Greenwich, Connecticut
Milt Okun, founder of Cherry Lane Music, which moved to Greenwich in 1975, introduced the series, Joy of Living. In the 1970s, Slater arranged choral works by John Denver, Natalie Cole, and others. Okun sold Cherry Lane Music in 2010 to Sony BMG. Okun, a sixteen-time Grammy-nominated music producer, produced many hit songs for John Denver, Peter, Paul & Mary, and Placido Domingo. Okun produced the album, Great Voices Sing John Denver, for which, Okun finally won a Grammy.

MCA Music
In 1970, MCA Music, Inc., which at the time was the music publishing division of MCA Inc., launched a series to its catalog called the Music for Contemporary America Series. The aim was to produce contemporary rock music scored for choral and instrumental groups at scholastic levels. To that end, MCA Music contracted Slater to consult, compose, and arrange for the series. At the time, Slater, had recently joined the music faculty at the University of Bridgeport, and had just established the UB Jazz/Rock Ensemble, and was its new director. Slater's work included choral arrangements of Moody Blues hits. MCA Music is now part of Universal Music Group.

Warner Bros. Publications Inc.
As was the case with MCA Music, Warner Bros. Publications Inc., which held rights to large music catalogs in many genres, announced in 1971 an expansion of its scholastic catalog by introducing a series called The Total Sound. The aim was to score contemporary rock, pop, folk, and jazz for choral and instrumental groups at scholastic levels. In 1972, Warner Bros. contracted Slater as a consultant, to compose and arrange for the new series. In 2005, Warner Bros. Publications Inc. was acquired by Alfred Music. Choral arrangements by Slater include:

SATB & SSA Michel Legrand Jimmy Webb (w&m) (Original ©1969) Slater, choral arrangment (©1973)
 * 1) "Theme from Summer of '42" ("The Summer Knows")
 * 1) "Everybody Gets To Go To The Moon"

97$th$ Army Band, Fort Sill
From 1954 to 1956, Slater served in the U.S. Army, spending most of his time with the 97$th$ Army Band at Fort Sill as a pianist, but also as French hornist and valve trombonist. The 97$th$ Army Band, like all modern U.S. military bands, provided a broad range of music services supporting the morale and spirit of the Army, which included (i) military ceremonies – particularly parades, presentations, and receptions, (ii) reveille, (iii) taps, (iv) pop and classical wind ensemble concerts, (v) choral concerts, (vi) dance band, (vii) military funerals, and (viii) civilian community service events, which included radio and television broadcasts, regional concert tours, and recruiting.

Slater, with bassist Floyd Skillern (né Floyd Joseph Skillern; 1929–1991) and drummer Gilbert Gay (1931–2014), backed guest stars in shows produced by Daniel Melnick (1932–2009) of the Music and Entertainment Section of Special Services. One such show featured acclaimed vocalist Peggy King, who, in a nationally publicized appearance, entertained the troops at Fort Sill on January 21 and 22, 1956. Slater's trio backed King for two Saturday night shows (January 21) at Fort Sill's Theater 3. Melnick's wife, Linda (born 1925), who was in the audience and who Daniel Melnick had married in February 1955, is the daughter of Richard Rodgers. Melnick went on to become an acclaimed TV and film producer. As head of production at MGM and Columbia Studios, Melnick's films won more than two dozen Academy Awards and some 80 Oscar nominations.

Slater also directed a weekly television show from Fort Sill. During Slater's era in the 97$th$, Gary McFarland was among the musicians. The 97$th$ Army Band has many distinguished alumni, which include the late jazz composer Clare Fischer, who, in 1975, with Gary Foster, was a guest artist with the One O'Clock Lab Band. Clare was the brother of the late music educator Dirk Fischer. Slater, during his tenure with the 97$th$, was able to collaborate with musicians of another unit — the 77$th$ Army Band, an erstwhile de-activated unit that was re-activated February 24, 1955, at Fort Sill. After years, the 77$77th$ endures today. As for the 97$th$ Army Band, the Army — after 52 years of continuous service, dating back to 1918 — deactivated it on May 6, 1970, and reassigned its members to the 77$th$ Army Band.

Faculty Member, Stan Kenton Orchestra Program

 * 1975: Stan Kenton presented week-long clinics during the summer at Drury University, Springfield, Missouri, Towson University, Baltimore, and Cal State Sacramento. The clinics featured a big band in residence, joined by faculty that included Slater, Herb Patnoe, EdD (né Herbert Darrell Patnoe; 1928–1981), and Lou Marini.


 * 1979: During this era, and after having taught in numerous jazz clinics at high schools and universities, Slater was regarded as a leading educator in jazz.  He was a clinician and one of two directors of the two Delaware All-State Jazz Ensembles that performed February 3, 1979, at Concord High School in Wilmington, Delaware.

Music Education Centers of America, Inc.
In the 1990s, Slater had been a clinician with jazz workshops offered by Music Education Centers of America, Inc., an Illinois non-profit entity that serves as the off-campus, continuing education arm of the VanderCook College of Music.

Slater's era in higher education
Slater, when he began teaching music, was part of a second generation of jazz education pioneers who strengthened and widened jazz education in secondary schools, universities, liberal arts colleges, and conservatories. As music educators in higher education, Slater's generation held academic and professional diplomas in music, but not in jazz. Put another way, the second generation of jazz educators did not have the benefit of formal jazz education, but were nonetheless solidifying it in higher education as a fine arts and scholarly discipline.

Jazz grew-up as an art form and became an institution without much direct or formal help from higher education. The ubiquity of jazz studies in higher education is only a recent phenomenon – something that began to mushroom years ago. Credibility and acceptance of jazz in higher education during the third quarter of the 20th century was still met with skepticism, despite being well developed in many institutions.


 * (see timeline of jazz education)

During the first few formative years of the jazz in education movement in the united States, only a few programs were given credence. By 1972 — twenty-five years after North Texas launched the world's first formal degree in jazz — only 15 U.S. institutions offered a jazz studies degree. But, by 1982, 72 U.S. institutions were offering degrees in jazz studies. (see timeline of jazz education) And, as more institutions offered degrees in jazz studies, demand for university level instructors and professors with advanced degrees grew. Over the last quarter of the 20th century, young musicians aspiring to be proficient in jazz rely on higher education as a pathway. Today, in 2024, in North America, most if not all major music programs in higher education offer jazz studies.

National

 * 1985 – NAJE Award for Outstanding Service to Jazz Education
 * 2007 – Slater is featured in PBS series, The State of Tomorrow, "A Passion for Jazz" (video on YouTube), one of thirteen segments that attempts to identify and explore the most forward-thinking work being done in academic environments
 * 2008 – United States Congressional citation for Outstanding Career
 * Member, Board of Governors, The Recording Academy, Dallas Chapter
 * 1987–2013 – Standard Award, recipient 26 consecutive years, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP)

Regional

 * 1978 – Guest Conductor, New York All-State Festival Concert
 * 1996 – President's Award, University of North Texas
 * 2000 – Honorary Alumnus Award, University of North Texas
 * 2007 – Jazz Performer of the Year, Sammons Center for the Arts, Dallas
 * 2016 – Honoree of 2016 Homecoming, University of Bridgeport, with Bridgeport Mayoral Proclamation declaring October 16, 2016, "Neil Slater Day," for founding UB’s Jazz Studies program in 1971," a program was among the earlier jazz programs in the nation.
 * 2017 – Inductee, Denton Walk of Fame, Denton Main Street Association (Texas) (2017 music co-inductees included Leon Breeden, Lou Marini, and Tom Malone)


 * 1) "Values" was composed and arranged by Neil Slater to commemorate of the 1990 Centennial of the University of North Texas
 * 2) "Got a Match" was arranged by Mike Bogle (UNT MM/Jazz '87 MM/Mas '89).  Slater was director/conductor and co-producer. The original composition was by Chick Corea.
 * 3) "Another Other" and "Time Sensitive," both composed and arranged by Slater, were on Lab 2009, which was nominated for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album


 * 1) Slater was not involved in the production of "Neil, A Tribute to Slater."  Rather, the work was composed and recorded as a tribute to Slater.  Richard DeRosa (de), the composer, is a faculty member at the UNT College of Music and is the son of Clem DeRosa.

Selected works
Chamber music "Composition for Flute, Clarinet, Piano, and French Horn"

Selected for performance at the Columbia Symposium

Columbia University, 1960

Wind ensemble Oratory for Band (© 1973)

By Neil Slater

Warner Bros.

Premiered: April 15, 1966

Mount Greylock Symphonic Winds

Mount Greylock Regional High School

Williamstown, Massachusetts

Frederick Fennell, conductor

Brass ensemble "Lead On, O King Eternal" (Protestant hymn)

Henry Thomas Smart (music)

Premiered in 1887

Andover Theological Seminary

Arranged for brass by Neil Slater

Commissioned by the

Manhattan Brass Ensemble

Premiered: May 17, 1967

Danbury State College Brass Ensemble

Howard C. Williams (1928–2016), conductor

Berkshire Auditorium

In the same concert, Marceau Chevalier Myers, EdD (1929–1987), a Charles Ives scholar, among other things, directed the Danbury State College Symphony Orchestra; Myers, who had been a classmate with Slater at Mansfield University, became Dean of the University of North Texas College of Music in 1974, and was the presiding Dean when Slater won an appointment in 1981 as Jazz Chair at North Texas 

Orchestral works "Mineral Rites"

Slater (composer)

Premiered 1971

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

Kenneth Schermerhorn, conductor

Choral and opera Jesus Christ Superstar arrangements

Arranged around 1970 by Slater

Commissioned by the Music Corporation of America

Moody Blues arrangements</li> Again, D.J. (opera)

Premier, May 5, 1972

Performed by UB students

("D.J." is an acronym for "Don Juan")

Neil Slater (music)

Nick Rossi (libretto)

<li>Natalie Cole arrangements

"La Costa"

Natalie Cole (words)

Linda Williams (music)

Neil Slater (arrangement) (1977)

Cole-Arama Music

Cherry Lane Music

Joy of Singing Series</li></ol>

Jazz ensemble <li>"Tiamont"

Composed and arranged by Slater around 1970

For Warner Bros.</li>

<li>"Hourglass"

Commissioned by the

Mansfield University Jazz Ensemble</li></ol>

Early recordings
<li>Neil Slater Trio

Neil Slater (piano), Art Epstein (bass), Andy Lalino (born 1934) (drums)

Side A: "Way Out East" (© 1963)

By Neil Slater

Side B: "Tiamat" (© 1963)

By Neil Slater

Recorded 1963

York Records 208

A Division of D. & L. Sound Services, Inc., Mount Vernon, New York</li>

<li>Lew Anderson Big Band Live

Recorded live (radio broadcast)

March 8, 1974

Half Note Club, West 54th Street

New York City

Lew Anderson (leader); Mike Brunetti, Bob Millikan (nl), Dean Pratt, Chuck Winfield (es) (trumpets); Eddie Bert, Sonny Costanza, Wyn Walshe (trombones); Lew Anderson, Frank Strozier (alto saxes); Al Jeter (tenor sax); Neil Slater (piano), Joe Cocuzzo (de) (drums), others unknown

Radio broadcast on WLTW, under its former call letters, WRVR: "Jazz Adventures," two sets of the Lew Anderson Orchestra; Jack TaFoya (born 1932) was the announcer

Notable pianists who have succeeded Slater in Lew Anderson's Big Band (which became the Birdland Big Band) include Kenny Ascher</li></ol>

<li>Sal Salvador

Parallelogram (© 1978)

Neil Slater (keyboards), Sal Salvador (guitar), Rick Petrone (bass), Joe Corsello (drums)

Sal Salvador, co-producer

Ben Arrigo (né Benjamin Joseph Arrigo; 1927–1998), co-producer

Glenn Productions & Promotions

Label owned by Harry Glenn (1917–1989)

GP Records GPSS-5016

</li></ol>

Mamaroneck High School Stage Band
<li>Side Glances (1970)

Neil Slater (director)

Side A:

<li>"Tiamot"

Neil Slater (music)</ol> <li>"Flugel Fancy"

Neil Slater (music)

<li>"Yavuz" (Turkish folk song)

Steve Benjamin (arranger) †</ol> <li>"Peaches en Regalia"

Frank Zappa (music)

Joseph A. Boerst (born 1952) (arranger) †</li></ol>

Side B:

<li>"Side Glances"

Neil Slater (music)</ol> <li>"Hairy Medley"

Frank Zappa

Joseph A. Boerst (born 1952) (arranger) †</li></ol> Silver Crest MM-6970

Crest Records, New York </li></ol>

† Student and band member
 * Commercial availability of Side Glances, a custom recording, was limited. Nonetheless, the album exhibits a high school jazz recording when few existed – one where all the works were fully scored by either Slater or his students.

University of Bridgeport Jazz Ensemble
<li>MCA Recording

Recorded before 1973</li>

<li>Live

Recorded Spring 1974

Horseheads, New York

Neil Slater (director)

Mark MC 5937

</li>

<li>Man And His Music

(music anthology educational series)

"Rock" (1973)

Produced by Nick Rossi, Phd (né Nicholas Louis Rossi; 1924–2000)

(Rossi was UB faculty)

Keyboard Publications ‎K72E-3

CBS, Inc. ‎P 11642

</li>

<li>Tour '80

Neil Slater (director)

(8 tracks) <li>"Big Eyes," by Neil Slater

<li>"Places," by Neil Slater</ol> <li>"Inside," by Neil Slater

<li>"If You Could See Me Now," arranged by Neil Slater</li></ol> Credits include:

Dave Weckl (drums)

Phil Muzio (guitar)

Fred Vigdor (aka Freddy V) (saxophone)

Mark MC 20068

</li>

<li>New Kids On The Block

Recorded in New Haven, Connecticut, 1981

Neil Slater (director)

Mark MC 20155

</li></ol>

As director of the One O'Clock Lab Band
<li>Lab '82

</li>

<li>European Tour 82 – Live at Montreux

"Stuff," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '83

"Keystone," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '84

"Other Seasons," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '85

"Partly Cloudy," by Slater

</li>

<li>With Respect to Stan (1986)

(audio sample)</li>

<li>Lab '86

"Deuces," by Slater

</li>

<li>Live in Australia – The 1986 Tour

"Signs," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '87

"No Promises," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '88

"Update," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '89 (Grammy nomination)

"Common Ground," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '90

"Sky Window," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '91 (Grammy nomination)

"Values," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '92

"Slow Heat," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '93

"Threads," by Slater

</li>

<li>Live in Portugal (1993)

</li>

<li>Lab '94

"Hourglass," by Slater

</li>

<li>One O'Clock Standard Time: Remembering Gene Hall (CD)

"My Foolish Heart," arranged by Slater

"Lead On, Oh King Eternal," arranged by Slater

(sample)</li>

<li>Lab '95

"Insider," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '96

"Joker," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '97

"Shadyside," by Slater

</li>

<li>North Texas Jazz: Fifty Years (4 CDs) (1997)

(compilation)

"Values," by Slater

</li>

<li> International Trumpet Guild

</li>

<li>Lab '98

"Wink," by Neil Slater

</li>

<li>Lab '99

"NosePrints," by Slater

(sample)</li>

<li>Kenny Wheeler at North Texas (2 CDs)] (1999)

(audio sample)</li>

<li>Lab 2000

"Domain," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab 2001

"Response," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab 2002

"This," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab 2003

"That," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab 2004

"Places," by Slater

"Look," by Slater

</li>

<li>Live from Thailand (CD/DVD)

"Places," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab 2005

"Both," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab 2006

"Call Waiting," by Slater

</li>

<li>Live at Blues Alley (2 CDs)

"Keystone," by Slater

</li>

<li>Lab 2007 (CD/DVD)

"Side Effects," by Slater

video via YouTube</li>

<li>Lab 2008

Slater's last album as director of the One O'Clock

"Separately Together," by Slater

Lab 2008 Sampler via YouTube</li></ol>

As Professor Emeritus
<li>Lab 2009

"Time Sensitive," by Slater

Video Montage via YouTube

"video of Another Other" via YouTube</li>

<li>Lab 2010

"Not Yet", by Slater

(Montage)</li>

<li>Lab 2011 (CD & DVD)

"Special Interests," by Slater

(HD Video Montage)</li>

<li>Lab 2012 (CD)

"3rd & 55th," by Slater

(Montage)</li>

<li>Lab 2013 (CD)

An Homage to Denton, Texas: "Jazz Town, USA"

"Will or Would?" by Slater

(Montage)

</li></ol>

Compilation of Slater's works
<li>Legacy: Neil Slater at North Texas (2017)

One O'Clock Lab Band

(audio sample)</li></ol>

Other recordings
<li>Reminiscing with Phares Corder

Neil Slater (piano)

</li>

<li>Heather Paterson and the Straight Ahead Jazz Quintet

Some Other Time (© 2006)

Heather Paterson (vocals), Walter Pearson (alto sax), Neil Slater (piano), Bill Seitz (bass), Henry Okstel (drums)

</li></ol>

Family and growing up
Slater was born in July 1931 in Turtle Creek, Pennsylvania – a suburb of Pittsburgh – and is a native of that area. Both parents, Kenneth Wilson Slater (1903–1984) and Violet Skelton (1906–1979), were native Pennsylvanians. His paternal ancestral lines (Slater, Taylor) and maternal lines (Austraw, Wynn) go back several generations in Pennsylvania. Roy McKee (né Roy Stahl McKee; 1913–1970), a close friend of Neil's parents, taught Neil piano from age 6 through his high school years. McKee was an exponent of leaning by ear, similar to what has become known as the Suzuki method. Neil has been married to Andrea Irene Slater (née Monda) for years. Neil Slater had been married to the late Jane Una Scoval (maiden; 1934–2011), with whom he has three children: Kimberly Beth (68) (married to Michael Andrew Roy), Elizabeth (62), and Jonathan Neil (60).

Selected collaborators at North Texas

 * Phil Bulla (né Philip A. Bulla; born 1954), a musician, producer, and audio engineer has engineered all of the One O'Clock recordings since 1986. In that capacity, he was a close collaborator with Slater.  His discography, as engineer, dates back to 1978, when he engineered The Supa Duds (Buddy Williams) at Chelsea Sound Studios in New York.  Bulla, a native of New York City (John Adams High School), attended the Manhattan School of Music where he studied tuba with Toby Hanks (Thompson Willis Hanks, Jr.; born 1941) and bass trombone with David Taylor.  Bulla played bass trombone with several big bands, including the Mel Tormé Big Band and the Buddy Rich Orchestra.


 * Craig Marshall (né Craig McColl Marshall; born 1964), a native of Mount Clemens, Michigan, is the current Program Manager for Jazz Lab Bands, Producer of the North Texas Jazz record label, and Adjunct Professor of Jazz Studies. He has served as Manager of the North Texas Jazz Bands since 1995. He earned degrees in jazz studies from North Texas and, as a trombonist, is an alumnus of the One O'Clock Lab Band.


 * "Producing the One O’Clock Lab Band," Behind the scenes with Neil Slater’s co-producers Craig Marshall and Phil Bulla
 * "Preparing to Record the One O’Clock Lab Band," Behind the scenes One O’Clock Lab Band recording process with Phil Bulla

Disambiguation
Kenneth Neil Slater of this article is not to be confused with Kenneth Slater (né Kenneth Burton Slater; 1917–2005) from Cohoes, New York, who was the principal cornetist with the Marine Band from 1937 to 1947, cornetist with the Army Field Band from 1947 to 1957, and, beginning 1953, while in the Army, conductor of Almas Shrine Temple Band, Washington, D.C., and also, beginning around 1959, conductor of the Hagerstown Municipal Band. His father, George Holt Slater (1887–1964), had been a cornetist with the Arthur Pryor Band.

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