Biography

Jim Ridl, a New York City-based jazz pianist, composer and teacher, performs and records worldwide with a variety of jazz artists, including Joe Locke, Tim Armacost, Paul Jost, Carolyn Leonhart and JD Walter. He is well-known as a “musician’s musician”(The New Yorker). His 7-year residency at the renowned NYC jazz club, The 55 Bar, featured the Jim Ridl Quartet and Trio performing his original music. In 2021 and 2022, Jim performed monthly at TheSoapbox Gallery in Brooklyn which became a creative platform for musicians during the pandemic. Jim is on the faculty at New York Jazz Workshop and The City College of New York, and has maintained a private studio for over 40 years.

Jim has 9 recordings of his own: Ask for the Ancient Path, Standards Live, Door in a FieldVolume 2 “Songs of the Green River,” Blue Corn Enchilada Dreams, Your Cheatin’ Heart and Other Works, Door in a Field v.1, Jim Ridl Trio/Live, Blues Liberations (solo piano), and FiveMinutes to Madness and Joy.

Jim’s tenure with jazz guitar legend Pat Martino included performances around the world in quartet and duet, and produced 4 outstanding recordings: Nexus, Interchange, Night Wings andThe Maker.

Additionally, Jim has performed and/or recorded with Steve Wilson, Dave Liebman, Randy Brecker, the Mingus Big Band and Dynasty, Marc Johnson, Bill Stewart, Denis DiBlasio, JayAnderson, Kenny Davis, Cliff Almond, Wayne Krantz, Marc Mommaas, Joel Rosenblatt, DonaldEdwards, Chris Tarry, Scott Reeves, Gabriela Anders, Rudy Royston, Michael Pedicin, Ximo Tebar, Darryl Hall, Zach Brock, Tim Horner, Ralph Bowen, Dean Johnson, John Benitez, DianeMonroe, Donny McCaslin, Mark Walker, Terrell Stafford, Vic Juris, Francois Moutin, …Jim toured with the US State Department American Music Abroad program, performing and offering workshops in Russia, South Korea, China, the Philippines, Moldova, Azerbaijan,Slovenia and Malta.

Jim has conducted master classes at the Prince Claus Conservatoire in the Netherlands, CityCollege of New York, Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers, Temple University, and in the countries of Ireland and England. He was the Art Tatum Memorial Scholarship Artist at theUniversity of Toledo, and the Visiting Jazz Artist at Princeton University, directing several ensembles.

Jim was raised on a farm and ranch in North Dakota. He discovered his love for piano and jazz at an early age and began his mentorship with pianist and teacher Keith Traquair. Jim attended the University of Colorado at Denver and received his Bachelor’s degree in Scoring andArranging. He was awarded its Student Achievement Award for composing “Ocean Sojourn,” atone poem for piano and orchestra which he performed with the Denver Symphony Orchestra,James Setapen, conducting. He is listed in the Who’s Who of American Colleges andUniversities. In Denver, Jim began his professional career performing and touring with local and nationally-recognized musicians, including the Grammy-nominated vocal jazz group, Rare Silk.