Bruce Tyler of Arts Advisory Committee

Local resident and musician, Bruce Tyler, will serve on the Montclair Arts Advisory Committee on music-related events for two years.

Bruce Tyler will advise the Montclair Arts Advisory Committee on music-related events in Montclair.

Bruce Tyler
Photo courtesy of Andrew Cohen.

Bruce Tyler, local resident and musician, has been appointed to the Montclair Arts Advisory Committee for two years. His education lies in his Associate’s degree from Essex County College and a Bachelor of Arts from Montclair State University. Tyler has had private instruction from Carl Wolff, Andre Strobert, Freddie Waits and Charlie Persip.

Tyler is a lifelong resident of Montclair and has been involved in and worked with many organizations. A professional musician for most of his life, he has performed quite extensively in the tri-state area. Some of the organizations he has worked with are The Montclair Arts and Cultural Alliance, The Montclair African American Heritage Parade and Festival, The Martin Luther King Jr., Festival, First Night Montclair, The Montclair Fourth of July Committee and others.

He has also performed at The Bitter End, Kenney’s Castaways, The Village Gate, Small World Jazz Café, The Great Notch Inn, The DLV Lounge, The Winery (Mohigan Lake, N.Y.), Hat City Kitchen, Just Jake’s, The Top Brass, Newark Symphony Hall, Trend Coffee & Tea Room, Trumpet’s Jazz Room & Restaurant, The Back Fence, The Robin Hood Inn, as well as many venues in all five boroughs in and around New York City.

Some of the many people Tyler has performed alongside include: Ike Brown, Earl Sauls, Mac Goldsbury, Flip Peters, Charlie Jones, Carrie Jackson, Jim DeAgelis, Chris White Sr., Rich Cohen, Zara Phillips, Buddy Caldwell, Tony Signa, Coy Shockley, Big John Patton, Jacque Johnson, Jimmy Ponder, Denise Hamilton and many others.

Bruce Tyler has also supported many festivals and events in Montclair, such as The Montclair Blues and Jazz Festival (Producer/Executive Director), The Montclair African American Heritage Parade and Festival (Entertainment Committee Chair/Production Coordinator), Montclair Arts and Cultural Alliance Children’s Festival, Montclair Jazz Festival (Volunteer/Backstage/Load-in and Load–Out), Martin Luther King Jr., Youth Summit and Tierney’s 80th Birthday Celebration.

He was the General Manager of Center Street Cabaret in Orange, N.J., Talent Buyer and Assistant Manager of Collage Coffee House, Producer of Jazz Night Series at Sesame Chinese Restaurant, Manager of Rocktec Music Drum Dept, Manager of National Music in Montclair, N.J. and Production Assistant at Orpheus Entertainment.

Tyler is the Co-Founder and Producer/Executive Director of the Montclair Blues and Jazz Festival and Co-Founder of the Montclair Jazz Project. He developed the Montclair Jazz Archives and Jazz Month In Montclair and Co-Developed the Montclair Arts Awards.

He has received several awards, including the Three Proclamations from the Township of Montclair for his work in the arts, The National Council of Negro Women (Montclair Chapter) and the Montclair Arts and Cultural Alliance.

Bruce Tyler is currently performing with his band Black Lace Blues, The Michael Reitman Blues Band and singer songwriter Michelle Emmett. He also volunteers for Jazz House Kids. He hosts the Tuesday Night Open Mic Night at The DLV Lounge and is the Open Mic house drummer at Trend Coffee House. Tyler is the second of seven members of the newly appointed arts advisory committee for the Township of Montclair, and his term will run until December 2017.

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