Brandon “Taz” Niederauer + Friends of the Brothers

Brandon "Taz" Niederauer

Eighteen-year-old Brandon Niederauer, nicknamed “Taz” for his ferocious guitar playing, is living proof that dreams really do come true. Having performed in some of the most legendary venues in America with many of the most prominent musicians of our time, the young guitarist, singer, and songwriter has already earned himself quite the reputation.

It all started at eight years old, when Brandon watched the movie School of Rock. Already inspired by his father’s record collection, Brandon instantly realized he was destined to play guitar. From that moment on, his guitar rarely left his hands. Just four years later, Brandon was cast in the principal role of guitarist “Zack Mooneyham” in the Tony Award-nominated Andrew Lloyd Webber Broadway production, School of Rock the Musical.

Based in New York City, Brandon has had the opportunity to play with many of his musical idols. In recent years, he’s shared the stage with multiple members of the Allman Brothers Band, including Gregg Allman, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes, Butch Trucks, and Oteil Burbridge, as well as a variety of other notable musicians, including Buddy Guy, Stevie Nicks, Lady Gaga, Slash, Jon Batiste, Dweezil Zappa, Eric Gales, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, Dr. John, Gary Clark Jr., Col. Bruce Hampton, Eric Krasno, George Porter Jr., Robert Randolph, Karl Denson, Doug Wimbish, and John Popper. He has also performed with Tedeschi Trucks Band, The String Cheese Incident, Umphrey's McGee, The Revivalists, Dumpstaphunk, Blackberry Smoke, Galactic, and countless other bands.

Since making his national television debut on The Ellen DeGeneres Show at just ten years old, Brandon has appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Good Morning America, and The View. In 2018, Brandon reunited with Andrew Lloyd Webber, performing in January with Sarah Brightman at The Phantom of the Opera’s 30th Anniversary celebration, and in April alongside Sara Bareilles, Alice Cooper, and John Legend in NBC’s live broadcast production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Brandon is currently featured in Spike Lee’s Netflix series, She’s Gotta Have It, and performs concerts for audiences across the country and around the world.

Friends of the Brothers

The Friends of the Brothers is a celebration of the music of the Allman Brothers Band, with members closely associated with the original band and continuing the brotherhood with passion, committed to the ideals of every night being special and unique. Guitarist/singer Junior Mack has fronted Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band for 12 years and starred in the critically acclaimed Broadway show Lackawanna Blues. Guitarist Andy Aledort played with Dickey Betts for 12 years, has recorded with Double Trouble and Band of Gypsys and toured with Experience Hendrix. Singer/guitarist Alan Paul is the author of One Way Out, the definitive, best-selling Allman Brothers Band biography based on 25 years of reporting on and interviewing the band.

They are often joined by singer Lamar Williams Jr., who is the son of the late Allman Brothers bassist and was featured in Les Brers, featuring ABB members Butch Trucks, Jaimoe, Oteil Burbridge and Jack Pearson. Founding keyboardist Peter Levin toured the world with Gregg Allman for 3 years and appears on his final album, Southern Blood. Mack, Aledort, Levin and Williams all performed with the Allman Brothers Band.

"This band is based around our shared love of the Allman Brothers Band and our friendships with one another," says Paul. "It's not just a gig. The music is holy to us, but it's also alive. We honor our friends and mentors' legacies by investing this great music with life, heart and passion. It's not about copying solos, which would be completely against the spirit the Allman Brothers had from the day Duane Allman formed the band in 1969."

The group members’ first-hand experience with the Allman Brothers Band and their deep knowledge of the repertoire and the music’s roots and heritage allows them to play with an unrivaled depth. They perform songs from every stage of the Allman Brothers Band’s career, backed by a band of inspirational, veteran players, drummers Dave Diamond (Zen Tricksters, Bob Weir, Robert Randolph) and Lee Finkelstein (Tower of Power, Blues Brothers) and bassist Craig Privett (Half Step).

Other Friends have included guitarists Eric Krasno, Tash Neal (London Souls, Amy Helm) and Brandon “Taz” Niederauer, keyboardists Jason Crosby (Phil Lesh, Susan Tedeschi), Steve Molitz (Phil Lesh, Robby Krieger) and Ike Stubblefield (Col, Bruce Hampton, George Benson, B.B. King), drummers Jeff Sipe (Col. Bruce Hampton, Susan Tedeschi, Warren Haynes), Eric Kalb (Eric Krasno, John Scofield, Scott Sharrard) and Van Romaine (Steve Morse, the Dixie Dregs), saxophonist Ron Holloway (Gov’t Mule, Allman Brothers), and bassists Brett Bass (Gregg Allman) and Berry Duane Oakley (Allman Betts Band).