Meet Jeremy Siskind | Pianist and Author

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeremy Siskind and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeremy, what is the most important factor behind your success?
As an author and publisher of instructional jazz books, I am constantly working directly with students at the Community College level to figure out what are the questions they are asking, what breakdowns information work the best, and how can we address and remove pain points for the students. Because I’m always working directly with live students, I can anticipate student questions, pace the learning appropriately for common levels, and provide the resources that students need to actually be successful.

On the other hand, as a performer, I have a deep respect for the jazz tradition. When I put out a book, I make sure that it honors the great history of jazz music and reflects the jazz tradition. Each unit of my books includes guided listening by great musicians like from Davis and Thelonious Monk to place the music within the music’s aural tradition.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I primarily identify as a professional jazz pianist. I’ve been playing piano since childhood, studied at a music conservatory, and moved to New York City to learn from and perform alongside my jazz heroes. Since then, I’ve led a jazz chamber trio, released highly acclaimed albums, performed multiple times at Carnegie Hall, and won an international jazz piano competition. Teaching has also been a deep passion of mine, and for the past twelve years, I’ve been a college professor—first at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and now at Fullerton College in Southern California.

When the pandemic hit, performing was no longer an option. I had been toying with the idea of writing a book about solo jazz piano, a subject that lacks a definitive text. It was a leap of faith, but having authored around 20 books for Hal Leonard, I had some familiarity with the music publishing industry.

In 2020, I wrote and published Playing Solo Jazz Piano, my first instructional book under my own Jeremy Siskind Music Publishing Company. To promote it, I started a YouTube channel. To my surprise, my highly niche, jazz-centric videos began attracting daily comments from strangers, and the book gained traction, selling steadily on Amazon and my website.

Encouraged by this success, I developed the Jazz Piano Fundamentals series, which has become the best-selling jazz instructional book series on the market. These books stand out because they go beyond simply presenting information—they guide students on how to apply it and practice effectively. Drawing on my extensive teaching experience, I design the content from the student’s perspective, anticipating their questions and challenges, pacing the material appropriately, and connecting them to valuable resources. Each year, these books help approximately 10,000 pianists get closer to achieving their musical goals.

For me, empathy has been the cornerstone of my business’s success. Every book I’ve written stems from a question or challenge raised by a student or teacher about what they want to learn and how they prefer to learn it. Rather than writing solely from my perspective, I strive to adopt the mindset of a beginner, crafting materials that provide clear, detailed guidance and plentiful examples to help students feel supported and fulfilled.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Long Beach and I’m a big booster of everything Long Beach! I start each morning with a jog on the beach path, I like to eat at our great restaurants like Chiang Rai and Ammatoli, I like to windowshop at the thrift stores on Retro Row on 4th street, and have a nightcap at Wine District or the Belmont Brewing Company. Every Sunday, there’s live jazz happening at Baby Gee, a cocktail bar with award-winning cocktails.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Aviva Diamond is one of the most fascinating, sweet, and talented people in our jazz community. She is a highly skilled “abstract” photographer who started her jazz career by bartering her photos for lessons with jazz greats. Only a couple of years later, she’s gigging with top musicians in the area. But what really makes her extraordinary is that she goes to more jazz events than anyone I know, takes great pictures, posts enthusiastically, and supports *everyone* in the community with no ego or pretense.

Website: https://www.jeremysiskind.com

Instagram: @jsiskind2

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-siskind-5058a9103/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/jeremysiskind/

Other: https://jeremysiskind.com/ways-to-study-with-jeremy/

Image Credits
Donna Edman, Barb Hauser New, Tom Pease, Steve Leiken, Steve Brickman