Al Neil

AL NEIL was born in 1924 and died in 2017. He was a Vancouver musician, composer, pianist, writer, and visual artist whose activities spanned seven decades. He became a central figure in Vancouver's jazz scene in the 1950s. During the 1960s, he became known for solo and ensemble performances which combined new music with texts, art assemblages, costumes, slides, and prepared tape. His books are Changes (1989), West Coast Lokas (1972), and Slammer (1981). His exhibition catalogue Origins (1989) includes essays by notable Vancouver writers, Alex Vartey, Scott Watson, and Annette Hertig. Al's works can be viewed at www.vancouverartinthesixties.com.