From a very young age, it was apparent that Jack Gruber was poised to become a Musician with a unique voice to bring to the table. Born to two accomplished musicians in the middle of the thriving Washington DC area Jazz Scene, Gruber took up the piano at age 8 and never looked back. He developed a passion for Jazz After attending Paul Carr’s acclaimed “Jazz Academy of Music” camp. “That’s what I love about playing Jazz,” Gruber says, “It lets me be an individual. In today’s society it is so difficult to be an individual. Jazz however, is a celebration of individuality.”

Gruber is known for his energetic, yet tasteful approach to piano playing. He is very well versed in the tradition of the music, but isn’t afraid to step outside the boundaries and take chances. Gruber is influenced by a wide array of artists including: Hank Mobley, Taylor Eigsti, John Coltrane, Robert Glasper, Charlie Parker, Bud Powell,  and Zedd among countless others.

Gruber was selected out of the whole state of Maryland to be the sole pianist in the 2013 and 2014 Maryland All State Jazz Band. He also performed at the Cleveland Tri-C Jazz Fest, and received a soloist award from acclaimed Jazz pianist Orrin Evans. He has performed alongside numerous notable musicians such as Delfeayo Marsalis, Zara Larrson, Jovan Jackson, Paul Carr, and Karen Summerville, Malik Washington, Qaasim Middleton, and Erena Terakubo. He has also performed at various venues and festivals such as the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival, Fat Cat, Minton’s, Twins Jazz, Afro Punk, Strathmore Concert Hall, the Silver Spring Jazz Festival and the Downbeat DC Jazz Festival. He was recently featured on a video on Vevo with Zara Larrson, the number one pop artist in Sweden Jack currently attended the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York City on scholarship and is currently pursuing his masters at the Manhattan School of Music. You can visit Jack’s website at http://www.jackgrubermusic.com/ and contact him through his email jackgrubermusic@gmail.com.