Bio

Justin Kauflin is an award-winning “jazz pianist who favors a clarity of touch and ideas...his writing is balanced tempering post-bop intricacies with the assurances of the gospel church” -New York Times.   After losing his sight at the age of 11, Kauflin gravitated towards playing jazz piano, despite having a background in classical violin & piano.  He received top honors at jazz festivals across the U.S. and began performing jazz professionally by age 14, most notably with the Jae Sinnett Trio.  In 2008, he graduated summa cum laude from William Paterson University, NJ where he studied with his heroes, Mulgrew Miller and Harold Mabern; and was mentored by and performed with the legendary trumpet/flugelhorn player, Clark Terry (2010 Grammy winner for Lifetime Achievement in Jazz).  He continued to garner numerous awards such as the VSA International Young Soloist Award, selected as a semifinalist in the 2012 Thelonious Monk International Piano Competition, and voted “Jazz Artist of the Year” in VEER Magazine. 

Kauflin is featured in, as well as composed the film score for, the Oscar short-listed documentary, "Keep On Keepin' On.” Justin shares Clark Terry's passion for jazz education through the Keep On Keepin' On Jazz Outreach and as a U.S. Department of State Jazz Ambassador.  He has been an adjunct faculty member/adjudicator for the Monterey Jazz Festival, Centrum Port Townsend Jazz, Vail Jazz Workshop, Lionel Hampton Jazz and Notre Dame Jazz with John Clayton and Jazz Maui with Katie Thiroux.  Currently, Justin is on faculty and initiating "Jazz Nights" at the Governor's School for the Arts in Norfolk, VA.

As leader, player, composer and producer, Justin Kauflin has released 10 recordings to date and collaborated on 30+ albums. In 2015, Justin had the incredible honor of performing on Oscar Peterson's personal Bosendorfer for "Oscar, with Love," along with 16 world-class pianists and in March 2023 Justin released his first vinyl live recording, "Justin Kauflin Trio Live at Sam First."

During the pandemic shutdown, Justin focused on film scoring and sound design, completing projects for full-length documentaries, commercials and trailers.  

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Justin Kauflin is dedicated to creating and sharing music that excites, energizes and nourishes the soul.  He is signed for management by impresario and music icon, Quincy Jones and is a Yamaha Artist.