James Fernando

Biography

James Fernando is an American jazz pianist, composer, and educator who began his musical journey at age five with classical piano training. His passion for jazz ignited in middle school, leading to early accolades including awards from Downbeat Magazine and the National Young Arts Foundation, a nomination for the Jazz Fellowship Awards of the American Pianists Association, selection for the Jazz Band of America, and participation in the Berklee Summer Jazz Workshop. He attended Berklee College of Music on scholarship, graduating summa cum laude in three years with a B.M. in Professional Music. Post-graduation, he toured with saxophonist Chris Cheek and participated in the 2017 Banff International Workshop in Jazz & Creative Music, where he met vocalist Mingjia Chen.

Fernando's career gained momentum with his debut album Extended Layover (2018) alongside Mingjia Chen, followed by solo releases including The Lonely Sailor (2019), Blackbird/Fly (2021), The Grind (2022) with Matt Lagan, Piano Poetry (2023), and his sixth album Philly 3 (2026) with his working trio featuring Dan McCain on bass and Kyon Williams on drums. His style blends jazz with classical counterpoint, bebop, metric modulation, and influences from Erroll Garner, Oscar Peterson, Brad Mehldau, and Tigran Hamasyan, creating virtuosic, humorous, and narrative-driven compositions. He has performed internationally at leading venues, served as Strathmore Artist in Residence (2021/2022), and won first prize at the 2019 West Virginia International Piano Competition in the jazz category.

Currently based in Philadelphia, Fernando is a jazz piano faculty member at Levine Music in Washington, D.C., since 2019, with an active private studio leading masterclasses and workshops. He performs regularly on the DC jazz scene and tours the US and Canada as a solo artist and sideman, praised as a 'prodigiously gifted composer and virtuoso pianist' by critics.

Fun Facts

• Assembled his working trio on three days' notice for a Kennedy Center performance in 2023, leading to the rapid formation of one of the region's most dynamic groups.
• Started teaching piano lessons as a high school junior and has continued with private lessons, group classes, ensembles, and masterclasses for students of all ages.
• Graduated from Berklee College of Music summa cum laude in just three years on scholarship.
• Enjoys riding his bike, playing basketball, and drinking coffee in his personal time.

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Chris Cheek - Toured with as sideman after Berklee graduation, gaining professional experience (Touring (post-2017)) [2017-2018]

Key Collaborators

• Mingjia Chen - Vocalist met at Banff Workshop; co-leader on debut album (Extended Layover) [2017-2018]
• Matt Lagan - Teamed up for album release (The Grind) [2022]
• Dan McCain - Bassist in working trio (Philly 3 (most tracks)) [2023-2026]
• Kyon Williams - Drummer in working trio (Philly 3) [2023-2026]
• Sam Harris - Guest bassist (Philly 3 ('The Parisian', 'Like It Is')) [2026]
• Tom Paxton - Performed and recorded with GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement winner (Unspecified performances/recordings) [Undated]
• Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer - Performed and recorded with two-time GRAMMY winners (Unspecified performances/recordings) [Undated]
• Victor Provost - Performed and recorded with steelpan virtuoso (Unspecified performances/recordings) [Undated]

External Links

• Spotify