A highly regarded jazz pianist, David Kikoski emerged onto the New York jazz scene in the 1980s, quickly establishing himself as a go-to performer, collaborating with top musicians such as Roy Haynes, Bob Berg, Randy Brecker, and many others. Known for his adept post-bop style and spontaneous, swinging play, Kikoski has become a prominent figure in the jazz world.
As a leader, Kikoski has released 20 albums, including "Presage" with Eddie Gomez and Al Foster (1989) and "Consequences" featuring Jeff "Tain" Watts and Christian McBride (2015). His two most recent albums, "Phoenix Rising" (2019) and "Sure Thing" (2021), were both released under High Note Records. In his role as an invaluable sideman, Kikoski has recorded and toured with luminaries such as Roy Haynes, Michael Brecker, John Scofield, Ravi Coltrane, Chris Potter, Dave Holland, Roy Hargrove, Donny McCaslin, Mike Stern, Chick Corea, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Toots Thielemans, Tom Harrell, Marcus Miller, Pat Martino, Jack Dejohnette, Billy Hart, and many others. A longstanding member of the prestigious Charles Mingus Big Band, co-leader of BeatleJazz, and a member of Opus Five, Kikoski is also part of the newly formed all-star collective called Something Else!
Notably, as a member of the Charles Mingus Big Band, Kikoski achieved significant success by winning a 2011 Grammy Award with the ensemble for the Best Live Jazz Ensemble Album with "Live at the Jazz Standard." In 2001, he earned a Grammy nomination with Roy Haynes for the album "Birds of a Feather: A Tribute to Charlie Parker." It's worth highlighting that the Mingus Big Band, with Kikoski as a vital contributor, received a 2024 Grammy nomination for the Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album, recognizing their outstanding performance in “The Charles Mingus Centennial Session.” ***** UPDATE: David Kikoski's trio, featuring longtime collaborators Billy Hart (drums) and Joe Martin (bass), performed an online live show for South Florida Jazz in 2021 with guest artist Eric Alexander. Since then, the trio has performed at venues and festivals such as JZ Jazz Club in Shanghai, the New York Piano Jazz Festival, and the Jersey City Jazz Festival. In September 2024, the trio invited Randy Brecker as a special guest and performed two nights at Smalls, followed by a live recording session for SmallsLive label.