Justin Kauflin

Award-winning jazz pianist Justin Kauflin, middle of 5 children, was never lost in the crowd. His talent, obvious at age 2, was nurtured with classical violin and piano. From age 6, he began performing in concerts, home visits and weddings, eventually becoming concertmaster for several orchestras. However, it was during this time that he also endured numerous trials, particularly when he lost total vision due to a rare degenerative eye disease. After losing his sight, music became the driving force of Justin's growth as a child, and his passion for piano became everything. "Learning a new song was like acquiring a new thing; like getting a new toy almost. That's really how I started loving what I was doing." Justin switched to jazz piano in high school and began performing jazz professionally by age 15, most notably with the Jae Sinnett Trio. Justin graduated alongside his sighted peers in the top 1% of both Salem High's and Governor's School for the Arts' Class of 2004 receiving several academic scholarships to attend William Paterson University in New Jersey. It would be here where he'd be taken under the wings of the great Clark Terry, winner of 2010's Grammy Award for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz and influenced by jazz giants Mulgrew Miller, Harold Mabern, Wynton Marsalis, Ornette Coleman, Randy Brecker and the late James Williams and Billy Taylor. "He hears something once and it's somehow impressed on his mind. He has extraordinary ability of aural recall...an exact touch and a singular style...." - David Demsey on Justin Kauflin, saxophonist, author, WPU Jazz Professor. Justin graduated from William Patterson University summa cum laude with a degree in Music/Jazz Performance and, at age 23, produced his first CD, Introducing Justin Kauflin. In 2011, Justin was one of twelve pianists selected worldwide to compete in the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition. Justin finished as an applauded semi-finalist (4th). During this time, and for the past 3 years, Justin's relationship with his mentor and jazz legend, Clark Terry, was chronicled by Academy Award winning producer, Paula Dupre Pesman for a documentary, "Keep on Keepin' On", that premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival 2014. The documentary features his preparation for the competition as well as his lessons with Clark, and Justin's meeting Quincy Jones. Legendary music icon Quincy Jones met Justin at Clark Terry's house as he was visiting his friend for his birthday in 2013. When Jones heard Kauflin play, he was astounded and later took Justin on the Quincy Jones Birthday Celebration World Tour that summer. Justin had the opportunity to play at huge sold out venues in Switzerland at the Montreux Jazz Festival, Seoul, Korea, Blue Note Tokyo, Tokyo International Forum, and the Green Arena in Hiroshima, Japan. Justin is now signed with management deal at Quincy Jones Productions and is working on recording a new album for release at the end of the year.