Jeff Pittson

Jeff Pittson represents a dynamic force in the world of jazz having performed with such important figures as Joe Henderson, Ruth Brown, Eddie Henderson, John Handy, Jack Walrath, Mike Clark, Maynard Ferguson, Larry Coryell, Kenny Garrett, and many more. A virtuoso performer on piano and Moog synthesizer, he is also fluent on a wide spectrum of keyboards including Hammond B-3. As a composer, Mr. Pittson wrote and performed on the soundtrack for the documentary film Ann Calvello: Demon of the Derby, making it’s debut at the San Francisco Film Festival in 2000. His classical piano work, The Dietrich Variations, made its debut under the auspices of the Redding Ballet in 2003. Such gifted artists as Billy Childs, Chris Potter, Harvie S and Paul Jackson have performed and recorded his jazz compositions and he has appeared on CD along side of such distinguished artists as Herbie Hancock, Alphonse Mouzon, and Bennie Maupin.

Mr. Pittson has appeared at the Newport Jazz Festivals in New York and Newport, Atlantic City Jazz Festival, Wolftrap, Meadow Brook Music Festival, Ravinia, Winnipeg Folk Festival, Cotati Jazz Festival, Vallejo Jazz Festival, For The Love of Jazz. Concerts in Reno Nevada, The Mike Douglas Show and many others. He has toured extensively throughout the United States, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. Recordings with Maynard Ferguson on Columbia Records, “The Funk Stops Here!” with Mike Clark and Paul Jackson on Enja/Tiptoe (4/12 stars in Downbeat, Sept’92), Jim Payne’s New York Funk, Volume 1 on Grammavision. Recent recordings include Paul Jackson’s “Black Octopus” Wally Schnalle’s “The Suit,” Jeff Massanari’s “Groovework,” “Carnival of Soul” by Mike Clark, and “Out of the Hub: The Music of Freddie Hubbard” by Suzanne Pittson.

Active as an educator and adjudicator for festivals, Mr. Pittson was Lecturer in Jazz Piano at Sonoma State University, Instructor in Piano at the Jazzschool (Berkeley, CA.), and also U.C. Berkeley as well as recent teaching at Rutgers University. He is the leader on his own critically acclaimed CD’s Go Where It’s Dangerous, featuring Wally Schnalle and Invisible Love with drummer Brian Melvin and bassist Robb Fischer. Mr. Pittson lives in Dobbs Ferry, NY with his wife Suzanne and son Evan.

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