Keyboardist and bandleader Lao Tizer is a gifted performer known for his genre-bending mix of jazz, classical, new age, and jam-oriented music. A native of Boulder, Colorado, Tizer expressed interest in music from a young age, and first began taking piano lessons at age nine. Influenced by both classical and jazz, he progressed quickly, and by his teens was already performing regularly around Boulder. During this period, he also recorded several self-produced albums, including 1994's Arabian Dusk and 1996's Praeludium. In 1997 Tizer relocated to Los Angeles, where he caught the attention of guitarist Chieli Minucci, who invited him to collaborate on new material. Buoyed by Minucci's encouragement, he formed the Lao Tizer Band (aka TIZER) and in 2001 delivered the Minucci-produced Golden Soul. Well received, it reached the Top 50 of the Billboard contemporary jazz chart, and helped garner Tizer the 2002 National Smooth Jazz Award for Best New Artist. From there, he continued to broaden his audience, opening for such luminaries as Dave Koz and the Rippingtons. He returned in 2007 with the studio effort Diversify, which featured guest spots from Minucci, violinist Karen Briggs, saxophonist Andy Suzuki, and others. For 2009's Minucci and Jeff Kollman-produced Passages, Tizer took a break from his band to focus more on his adept piano skills. He then returned to his live work, appearing around the world at festivals in Johannesburg, Dubai, Barbados, and elsewhere. The concert album TIZER Live appeared in 2010. In 2018 he delivered Songs from the Swing House, which showcased his band live at Conway Studios in Hollywood. ~ Matt Collar