ABOUT

Originally from Greece, Gary Kerkezou has become one of the most in-demand young drummers in New York. Performing nightly at world-class jazz clubs like

Birdland, Dizzy’s Club, the Blue Note, Cafe

Bohemia, the Django, Smalls, Bar Bayeux,

Mezzrow, Cellar Dog, Arthur's Tavern and

Ornithology, she quickly built a reputation

for herself as an extraordinary musician.

She has collaborated with stellar names

in the jazz world (Christian McBride,

Regina Carter, Eric Alexander, Troy

Roberts, Michael Dease, Bill Pierce,

Javon Jackson, Geoff Keezer, Pasquale

Grasso, Cyrus Chestnut, Lage Lund, Grant

Stewart, David Wong, Jeb Patton, Adam Birnbaum

and others) and has recorded dozens of

albums as a sideman.

 

In addition to a busy performing schedule,

she is a committed and passionate

educator, serving as an instructor at

Jazz House Kids (one of the most

respected and successful jazz

education programs in the country

according to JazzTimes) and

performing with two of Jazz at

Lincoln Center’s educational initiatives,

WeBop and Jazz for Young People.

She has also led masterclasses at

some of the nation’s top jazz programs,

including the NYC All-City Jazz Band,

the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts,

and KC Area Youth Jazz, as well as

at multiple public schools across

the city. Most recently, she was

named a 2024–2025 Mentor Fellow 

at Stanford Jazz Workshop,

where she mentors young

musicians and collaborates

with faculty and visiting artists.

 

Moving to USA 10 years ago to

study, she got her undergraduate

degree from Berklee College of

Music where she was accepted

with multiple scholarships and

afterwards enrolled in Manhattan

School of Music with an almost

full ride to get her Masters in

Music degree.

 

Raised in a family of professional

musicians, she also has a Diploma

on classical violin from her home

country and has been performing

as a violinist since she was a child,

with orchestras, smaller ensembles,

and as a session musician, with

artists like Lalah Hathaway, Jacob

Collier, Vince Mendoza, Christopher

Brubeck, Ivy Queen, AJR, Yandel,

and Patrick Doyle. She has appeared

in renowned stages such as Carnegie Hall,

Jordan Hall, SummerStage in Central Park,

Lincoln Center, Bing Concert Hall, and

the Kennedy Center.

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