Neil “Nail” Alexander is a world-renowned Pianist, Synthesist, Keyboardist & Composer. NAIL is a hi-energy trio playing a fusion of World Jazz, Jazz & Funk. With Brian Mooney (basses) and Nadav Snir-Zelniker (drums).
NEIL ALEXANDER is a world renowned Pianist, Synthesist, Keyboardist & Composer who works with music in all forms and styles (including jazz, rock, funk, blues, electronica, ambient and contemporary classical). In a career spanning more than 4 decades Neil has made his mark on the local and international music scenes, having toured the US, Europe, Mexico and Canada. I addition to his long running original music project Neil Alexander & NAIL he has toured with successful acts such as The Machine, The Mahavishnu Project, Marty Balin, Corey Glover (among others) and performed with a who’s who of local artists such as Tim Moore, local hip hop phenom Decora (for whom he was musical director for 4 years), Pee Wee Ellis, Ted Orr, Jesse Gress, Blue Food, Jeff Siege Segal, Tony “Thunder” Smith and many others.
In 2015 Neil was awarded Individual Artist Of The Year by the Orange County Arts Council and is currently endorsed by Moog Music.
Currently Neil is in several performing ensembles including “NAIL“, “Cloudburst“, the “X Ensemble”, “Mr. GONE“ and Supercluster, and performs experimental electronic music under the name “Nail Jung“. His most recent self produced CD releases include “Check Your Vibration” (Nail Jung), “Solos/Duos/Trios” (Neil Alexander) and a pair of live recordings – A Solo Piano performance of the “Rite Of Spring” from 2013, and a live performance by NAIL at the Blue Note in NYC. In October of 2016 Neil premiered the “X Ensemble“, an 11 piece acoustic/electric Chamber music group in a concert of contemporary and original chamber works at the Ritz Theater in Newburgh NY. In 2021 the X Ensemble premiered a new piece entitled “Convergence: Series A”, composed by Neil for an octet, and in 2018 they appeared at the Interactive art festival “Dusklit” in Sugar Loaf NY where they performed a site specific work played at the moment of Sunset. in 2019 Neil Alexander & NAIL celebrated their 20th anniversary with multiple shows around the region. Their most recent CD is titled “Live at the Blue Note“.
Neil has also been involved in Modern Dance and Ballet, as a composer and accompanist, working with such Choreographers as Kevin Wynn, Molly Poerstel, Larry Clark, Lane Gifford and Jonathan Riedel, as well as SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance students and faculty where he worked from 1992-2019. His compositions have featured many times as part of the Conservatory’s Nanang Academy of Fine Arts exchange program in Singapore.
From 2012-2013 Neil performed a solo piano concert series titled “100 Years Of Spring“, celebrating the centennial of Stravinsky’s “Rite Of Spring” with a stunning solo piano arrangement, and released his 1st solo piano CD “Darn That Dream: Solo Piano Vol. 1” to critical acclaim. Volume 2 was released in March of 2018 and featured a live recording of “Le Sacre”.
Neil’s other projects include Solo performances (both acoustic and/or electronic) and “Scene Re-seen”, live electronic scoring of silent films. In addition, Neil teaches Master Classes in Synthesizer Programming and Music Performance Technology and heads up the Ableton Hudson Valley Users Group.
Bassist/composer, Brian Mooney during his high school years studied harmony, physiology, and improvisation with Gerald Carboy (bassist for fusion pioneers Barry Miles and David Sancious & Tone).
On both Electric and Double Bass Brian’s experience spans Jazz, Fusion, Soul, Prog-Rock, R&B/Funk, Latin, Experimental, EDM, Avant-Garde Jazz, Classical, Pop, & Rock both live and in the studios.
Brian has performed live and/or in the studio and with many artists, including recent projects: Neil Alexandar & NAIL, Mahavishu Project, Ray LeVier Band, Burr Johnson Band, Shueh-li Ong, Monroe Quinn jazz trio, Gregg Bendian, Matt Sewell, Duane Eubanks, David Gilmore, Glenn Alexander, Premik Russell Tubbs, Res Abassi, Bele Beledo, Peter Furlan, Swaminathan Salvaganesh, Bernard Purdie, Ritchie “LaBamba” Rosenberg, Mark Pender (Conan O’Brien), Rob Paparozzi, Nadav Snir-Zelniker, Eric Person, Brad Hubbard, and countless others.
Born in Israel in 1974, Nadav Snir-Zelniker started playing drums at the age of 16. Soon he became involved with the local Israeli music scene, playing and recording with different Rock & Jazz artists. Throughout these years Nadav has absorbed elements and flavors of the local Mediterranean-music traditions. In 1999, after receiving several honorary scholarships, Nadav was able to move to the US and got his BFA degree in music-performance from the Conservatory of Music at SUNY-Purchase College. Soon after his arrival in New York, Nadav became highly involved with the local music scene. His versatility enabled him to perform & record with artists from different genres. Amongst the many artists Nadav has worked with are: Jon Faddis, Stella Mars, Arthur Lipner, Adam Rogers, Gene Perla, Ted Rosenthal, James Camack, Francois Moutin, Cameron Brown, Heather Cornell & Manhattan Tap, The Doug Ferony Show Band, Sal Scott & Gene Benson’s Big-Band, Dekel Bor Trio, MacTalla Mo’r, The Burr Johnson Band, Neil Alexander & NAIL, Herb Deutsch, Brian Dolzani, Debbie Friedman and Shirona. Nadav has also collaborated with a few modern dance companies, such as David Prasons Dance, Limon and Nelly van Bommel’s NoaDance. Discography: Dekel Bor Trio: “Stories & Tales” “Emuna” “Home” MacTalla Mo’r: “Pipin’ Hot” “Jacob’s Ladder” “No Man’s Land” Lance Koonah / Innerworkings: “Expressions 2” Neil Alexander & NAIL : “Tugging At The Infinite” Shirona: “Judaic Love Songs”