Jeff Gardner

Jeff Gardner (born 1953) is an American pianist and composer of modern jazz, as well as a university professor and author. He currently resides in Brazil and is recognized for mixing influences from all origins in his compositions and improvisations.

Gardner was born in 1953 in New York. He studied classical piano with Ruth Shöntal and Ivan Tcherepnin; jazz piano with Hall Overton, Jaki Byard, John Lewis, Don Friedman, and Charlie Banacos; and harmony with Nadia Boulanger.

Gardner has played as a leader at major venues in five continents, including solo and trio concerts for German, French, Czech Republic, Slovak, and Polish national radio, and performances during Nice Jazz Festival, Drum Jazz Festival, Groningen Jazz Days, and countless others. 

Over the years, he has collaborated with Steve Lacy (Futurities), Kenny Wheeler(California Daydream, 1991) and with Rick Margitza (Game of Chance, 1996), as well as with Norma Winstone, Eddie Harris, Freddie Hubbard, Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, Sheila Jordan, Ron McClure, Ndugu Chancler, and Charlie Mariano.

In 1991, Gardner recorded Alchemy with American jazz double-bassist Gary Peacock (recording engineer: Jim Anderson). The following year, he released the album Sky Dance with Brazilian recording artist Gilberto Gil (bass: Arthur Maia, drums: Carlos Bala, etc.).

In 1995, Gardner collaborated with American saxophonist Rick Margitza, Brazilian jazz guitarist Nelson Veras, Italian bassist Riccardo Del Fra, and French drummer Simon Goubert on the album Second Home for Musidisc label. This was followed by the album The Music of Chance (1999,) with saxophonist Rick Margitza and American bassist Drew Gress among others. 

In 2002, Gardner moved to Brazil and worked there with Brazilian musicians such as Victor Assis Brasil, Dori Caymmi, and Algerian drummer Karim Ziad.

As a music educator

Active in jazz education, Gardner has given workshops in many different countries and is the author of Jazz Piano: Creative concepts and techniques (1996), Sentimento Brasileiro (2004), Jeff Gardner's blues book (2004), Easy Jazz Preludes(2008), and Shapes - 10 intervallic studies for solo instrument (2010). He also co-authored Jazz Transcription (1992) with famed Danish musician Niels Lan Doky. His more recent books include Popular Music Harmony Vol. 1 - Cycles, Popular Music Harmony Vol. 2 - Cadences and Harmonic Sequences, Harmonic Concepts for Bass: Walking Bass Lines for All Instruments, and Blues Workshop (published in Brasil by Edições Irmãos Vitale). 

Breath (Jeff Gardner) Continuum (Jeff Gardner) Abraços (Jeff Gardner Trio) Second Home (Jeff Gardner & Rick Margitza) Grace (Jeff Gardner) Sky Dance (Jeff Gardner) Street Angels (Jeff Gardner) Spirit Call (Jeff Gardner) The Music of Chance (Jeff Gardner plays Paul Auster) Noches Habaneras (Jeff Gardner) Alchemy (Jeff Gardner & Gary Peacock)