Jim Ridl is in high demand as a New York City jazz pianist, composer, teacher and band leader. His ongoing residency at the internationally known jazz club The 55 Bar is in its fifth year, where he and his quartet perform his original compositions monthly. Jim performs worldwide with a variety of jazz artists, including The Joe Locke Quartet, The Dave Liebman Big Band, The Paul Jost Quartet and the Mingus Big Band. He has toured with the US State Department American Music Abroad program (’12 and ’15), performing in Russia, South Korea, China, the Philippines, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Slovenia and Malta. As a composer and leader, Jim has released 7 recordings, the latest titled Door in a Field,Volume 2. Jim was a Princeton University Visiting Artist for three separate semesters (’12, ’14, ’16), coaching jazz ensembles in repertoire and performance. Jim continues as adjunct educator in Jazz Piano Studies at The City College of New York and the New York Jazz Workshop in Manhattan. From 1994 – 2004, Jim performed with jazz guitar legend Pat Martino, receiving critically acclaimed reviews of performances around the world, and producing four outstanding recordings: Interchange, Night Wings, The Maker and Nexus. Jim was raised on a farm and ranch in North Dakota, and discovered his love for piano and jazz at an early age. He attended the University of Colorado at Denver, where he earned his Bachelor Degree in Scoring and Arranging, and was awarded its Student Achievement Award for composing “Ocean Sojourn,” an orchestral tone poem, performed with the Denver Symphony Orchestra, James Setapen conducting.

Scott Reeves is a trombonist, alto flugelhornist, composer and educator. He has performed at many New York City venues including Birdland, the Village Vanguard, Smoke, the Iridium, Small’s, Dizzy’s, Sweet Rhythm, the 55 Bar, Cornelia St. Café and the Knitting Factory with groups such as the Dave Liebman Big Band, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Bill Mobley’s Smoke Big Band, the Oliver Lake Big Band, the Chico O’Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, Manhattan Bones and his own quintet and big band. He has also performed at leading jazz clubs in Rome, Lisbon, Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto.

Scott performs on four CD’s by the Dave Liebman Big Band and has also recorded with the Anthony Braxton Orchestra and the Bill Mobley Big Band. His compositions and arrangements have been recorded by Dave Liebman, Bill Mobley’s big band, and the Osaka Global Jazz Orchestra. Scott also has four small group CD’s under his own leadership, “Congressional Roll Call” - with pianists Kenny Werner and James Williams, “Shape Shifter” - with tenor saxophonist Rich Perry, Manhattan Bones “Tribute, and his recently released quintet recording, “The Alchemist.” The 17-piece Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra has released two CDs on Origin Records featuring artists such as saxophonist Steve Wilson and vocalist Carolyn Leonhart: “Portraits and Places” (2016) and “Without A Trace” (2018). 

Scott’s textbook on jazz improvisation, “Creative Jazz Improvisation” is widely used in leading college jazz curriculums. His compositions and arrangements have been performed by the BMI Jazz Composers Orchestra, the Smoke Big Band, the Dave Liebman Big Band, the Kyoto Jazz Orchestra (Japan), the Westchester Jazz Orchestra, Cecil’s Big Band, Santa Cecilia Conservatory in Rome, Manhattan School of Music and other collegiate and professional ensembles. 

In addition to his performing and writing activities, Scott is Professor Emeritus at the City College of New York (CUNY). Previously he also taught at the Juilliard School of Music, the University of Southern Maine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Memphis State University and Western Washington University. He has presented workshops and clinics throughout the United States, Italy and Japan. Scott may be reached through his website: www.creativejazz.com or by email: scottreevesmusic@gmail.com