Results for "Jazz piano"

Assel Jean-Pierre Jr

Born: December 20, 1989

Haitian-American pianist, composer, producer, and educator Assel Jean-Pierre Jr. creates music where jazz improvisation, classical virtuosity, gospel, Haitian and Caribbean traditions, and contemporary influences meet. A graduate of the University of Central Florida, he holds a bachelor’s degree in classical piano and a master’s degree in jazz and composition, a dual foundation that shapes an approach to the piano that is both technically demanding and deeply rooted in improvisation, rhythm, and audience connection.

Jean-Pierre’s musical influences range from Oscar Peterson and Art Tatum to Michel Camilo, Mario Canonge, Cory Henry, and the broader Caribbean piano tradition. Rather than treating those influences as separate musical worlds, his work increasingly explores what happens when they become part of one language.

Joe Newnam

Isak Austnes Brekken

Manon Mullener

Manon Mullener, born in 1997, is a pianist from Fribourg. Born into a musical family with a father and a drummer brother, she began playing the piano at the age of 4 at the Conservatoire de Fribourg. At the age of 17, her love of jazz, and more particularly Latin music, took her to Cuba, where she was able to deepen her knowledge in this field. On her return to Switzerland, she was awarded the Prix de la Spirale in Fribourg. After studying in Fribourg with Richard Pizzorno and Thomas Florin, Manon continued her studies at the Bern University of Music, where she studied with Colin Vallon and Django Bates.

David Ling

Born: June 22

David is a Malaysian composer, performer, and educator based in the US. A graduate of Berklee and the New England Conservatory, he is an in-demand presence in the Boston music scene. He has performed with Grammy-nominated vocalist Debo Ray and drummer Charles Haynes, award-winning saxophonists Grace Kelly and Seba Molnar, and is a fixture of the Charles River Jazz Festival, appearing annually since its inception in 2021. He recently co-produced the album Encontro by Brazilian-American duo Caio e Jess, featuring Michael Mayo on vocals and Laura Perrudin on harp. 

As a composer David led the 16-member Wally’s Jazz Orchestra at their monthly residency at Boston’s historic Wally’s Cafe, and was awarded the ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award in 2019.

Robert Kennedy

Born: February 27, 1966

Robert Kennedy is a Hammond organist, pianist, and accordionist born and raised in the American South who has lived and worked in the San Francisco bay area since 1988. He played piano in the Stanford University Jazz Band and studied jazz piano with the great jazz pianist, band director, and educator Bill Bell.

Robert was a founding member of Hip Pocket Jazz Quintet and Double Funk Crunch, performed as pianist with the SFJAZZ Monday Night Band, and held the accordion chair in Mission Hot Club. He has had the pleasure of playing venues such as Yoshi’s, the Broadway at Music Circus pit orchestra, the Boom Boom Room, Mr. Tipple’s, San Francisco International Arts Festival, Doc’s Lab, Keys Jazz Bistro, the Blue Note Napa, Sweetwater Music Hall, the Agenda Lounge (back in the day), and the SFJAZZ Miner Auditorium. He has shared stages and recorded with renowned players such as Nancy Wright, Calvin Keys, Howard Alden, Jules Broussard, Stella Heath, Howard Wiley, Will Weston, Terrence Brewer, Connie Champagne, Jinx Jones, Bing Nathan, and many more, playing jazz, blues, pop, R&B, country, western swing, and rock and roll.

Evan Anderson

Fred Stickley & KING BETA

Born: June 2, 1954

Both my parents loved jazz, so I grew up in a musical family where music was played  constantly. I had my records and my Mom ( played classical piano through her 20s) had her jazz and latin records, everyone from Astrud Gilberto to Count Basie. I fell in love with big band music and anything with horns. Through this I learned to love jazz and would buy records by Blood Sweat & Tears, Chicago and the R&b artist that were popular. My dream was to have a band with a horn section. I tried a few times and failed terribly, by over writing and not having a enough experience doing it.

German Lema

Born: October 21, 1975

Organist, pianist, composer and arranger, Germán has taught at the Newpark Music Centre (now Newpark Academy of Music) in Dublin, Ireland and founded the first Third Level Jazz Program of Paraguay.

Since, 2014, he lives in Southern Argentina, where he is active both as a performer and a in-demand composer and arranger for popular and orchestral works, as well as for music for film, theater and dance.

Digba Ogunbiyi

Born: September 26

Digba Ogunbiyi is a Nigerian jazz pianist and composer known for a unique playing and compositional style that blends the rhythmic nuances of Yoruba folk music with jazz and classical traditions.

A recipient of the Music society of Nigeria’s Steinway & Sons Piano Proficiency Award and a Doctorate from Eastman School of Music, Digba's music explores themes of identity and self-expression.

In 2024, while studying at the Eastman School of music, Digba received the Ray Wright prize, an award given to artists who embodies Ray Wright's spirit of artistry, dedication, versatility and entrepreneurship.