Born and raised in Manhattan, Neal Miner was introduced to the world of jazz by his first and foremost teacher, his father. A preeminent jazz record collector and discographer, Bill Miner elicited a passion in his young son for jazz by exposing him to his vast record collection as well as taking him to clubs and concerts, activities they continue to share today.        
   Another person who played a meaningful role in Neal's discovery of jazz is drummer Eddie Locke, who performed for years with the great Coleman Hawkins, among many others. Locke taught music at the Day School, where Neal attended grade school and junior high. Each year, he would give a concert for the kids at the school featuring the likes of Roy Eldridge, Tommy Flanagan, and Major Holly. Neal received his high school diploma from the Interlochen Arts Academy, and he then briefly attended the Manhattan School of Music. Bassist Orin O'Brien of the New York Philharmonic and jazz bassist John Webber stand out among Neal's private teachers.
   He started working in the New York City jazz scene with contemporaries such as Larry Goldings, Peter Bernstein, Ryan Kisor, Brad Mehldau, and Eric Alexander, all of whom have gone on to garner critical acclaim. As well as playing the bass, Neal has also applied his energies to composition and has also led his own groups since he was in his teens. This perhaps best came together when he appeared at NYC's Small's, where he performed a more than two year long weekly engagement leading various groups playing his compositions. He has also performed and recorded with Annie Ross, Doug White, Ann Hampton Callaway, James Moody, Bob Dorough, Andy Bey, Chris Bergson, Mark Elf, and Loston Harris.
   Revealing his versatility, Neal has also held down the bass chair in large groups such as the Village Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Toshiko Akiyoshi Big Band, and the Carnegie Hall Jazz Orchestra. Currently, Neal appears at major clubs and festivals around the world as the bassist in the Jon Hendricks group.
   Neal loves to play melodies on the bass, which as a rule, bass players don't get too many opportunities to do. On this recording, made when he was thirty, he gets an ample opportunity to display this aspect of his artistry. A charter member of the Doug White Trio and Quartet, he is a major creative component of Juniper Records as an artist and producer. The Real Neal (JUN 106) marks his recorded debut as a leader.