Sam Barsh

Born on May 18, 1981, in Chicago, IL, pianist and keyboardist Sam Barsh grew up with non-musician parents who nevertheless filled family car trips with the Beatles, James Taylor, Jewish music, and oldies. He began piano lessons at age four and completed his schooling at Romona Elementary School and Junior High in Wilmette before attending New Trier Township High School in Winnetka. Early listening favorites included Billy Joel, Duke Ellington, De La Soul, Count Basie, and Oscar Peterson. Under the guidance of mentors Alan Swain, Frank Portolese, Mike Kocour, and Eric Baumgartner, he broadened his instrumental range to encompass the organ, synthesizers, vintage keyboards, and melodica. In 1999 he relocated to metro New York City to enroll in William Paterson University’s jazz studies program on a full-tuition presidential scholarship and graduated magna cum laude in 2003.

Based in New York City since 2001, he has performed with Zach Brock, Cassandra Wilson, Jeff Parker, Boyz II Men, Bobby McFerrin, the Brand New Heavies, Robin Eubanks, Debbie Friedman, Branford Marsalis, Lonnie Plaxico, Christophe Schweizer, Dave Samuels, Frank Lacy, the Mighty Blue Kings, Omar Edwards, Mino Cinelu, Rez Abbasi, Kenny Wollesen, Curtis Watts, Nguyên Lê, Ben Monder, Hans Glawischnig, and Todd Carey. His most significant sideman tenure came between 2003 and 2006 as a member of bassist Avishai Cohen’s trio, during which he recorded three CDs, a live DVD, and appeared at concerts worldwide. Leading his own ensemble, Barsh has released two additional CDs that lean toward contemporary jazz-funk. He maintains an ongoing partnership with violinist Zach Brock & the Coffee Achievers, having toured extensively and contributed to two studio CDs plus a live CD/DVD; he has also worked with Detroit-area jazz vocalist Jesse Palter. As a clinician he has led workshops at Yale University, the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, the University of Capetown–South Africa, Knox College in Galesburg, IL, LaGuardia Community College in Queens, NY, the University Preparatory Academy in Detroit, MI, the Drum Collective in New York City, and the Theodore Roosevelt Academy in the Bronx, as well as at public and private high schools across the United States.