“Diehl has built his reputation on an elegant pianism outside the contemporary mainstream…upholds a traditional framework while crisply demolishing the usual notions of conservatism”
The New York Times
Pianist Aaron Diehl has quietly redefined the boundary between jazz and classical music, building an international career distinguished by stylistic fluency, intellectual rigor, and a deep sense of musical lineage. Praised for his “melodic precision, harmonic erudition, and elegant restraint” (The New York Times) and a “traditional jazz sound with a sophisticated contemporary spin” (The Guardian), Diehl is increasingly recognized as a singular voice whose work moves freely across genres while remaining grounded in historical awareness. He has worked extensively with figures such as Tyshawn Sorey, Timo Andres, Philip Glass, and Cécile McLorin Salvant, forging projects that span concerti, chamber music, orchestral works, and jazz performance. In 2023, Diehl was named as the Artistic Director of 92NY’s Jazz in July Festival, succeeding the legendary Bill Charlap.
A leader in contemporary jazz, the Philadelphia Inquirer exclaimed that "there’s an entire world of jazz in Aaron Diehl’s playing…he makes the case that jazz is not one style or genre but many, gliding gorgeously among decades of artistic influences." With an expansive, orchestral, lyrical approach to the piano that channels predecessors like Ahmad Jamal, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum and Jelly Roll Morton, Diehl has headlined the Monterey, Detroit, and Newport Jazz Festivals, and had residencies at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Village Vanguard, SF Jazz, and many more. He counts among his mentors towering figures such as John Lewis, Kenny Barron, Fred Hersch, Marcus Roberts, and Eric Reed.
Closer to the classical end of the spectrum, recent highlights include performances of Timo Andres’s piano concerto, collaborations with Tyshawn Sorey that foreground improvisation within classical forms, and appearances alongside soprano Mikaela Bennett in repertoire that blurs vocal, orchestral, and jazz traditions. Diehl also appeared as soloist in André Previn’s Honey and Rue with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Teddy Abrams, further underscoring his affinity for repertoire situated between idioms.
Equally compelling is Diehl’s work as a soloist and ensemble leader. His solo programs, such as his Alice Tully Hall debut at Lincoln Center featuring the music of James P. Johnson, trace a through-line from early jazz piano to contemporary classical composition, articulating a personal canon that resists easy categorization. His trio work, alongside bassist David Wong and drummer Aaron Kimmel, remains a vital part of his output, as do projects engaging with minimalist and post-minimalist repertoire, including performances of Philip Glass’s Études.
During the most recent season, Diehl appeared in a wide range of boundary-crossing projects, including a performance of Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians with the Bang on a Can All Stars, premiering and touring Darcy James Argue’s lliad-inspired piano concerto A Banquet for the Birds with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony and at 92NY, presenting various new works by Timo Andres, and collaborating with The Knights on an arrangement of Keith Jarrett’s Book of Ways by Michael P. Atkinson as part of the ensemble's Carnegie Hall series. As Artistic Director of 92NY’s Jazz in July Festival, Diehl also curated and performed in a tribute to Geri Allen, alongside Terri Lyne Carrington, Darcy James Argue, and Lew Tabackin, reflecting his commitment to honoring lineage while continuing to move the music forward.
Diehl has appeared as a soloist with major orchestras including the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, and Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, working with conductors such as Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Marin Alsop, Alan Gilbert, Teddy Abrams, and John Adams. He has performed at leading venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl, the Elbphilharmonie, and Tanglewood, and maintains ongoing collaborations with artists across the classical and jazz spectrums.
In September 2023, Diehl released his recording of Mary Lou Williams’s Zodiac Suite with The Knights, a Brooklyn-based orchestral collective led by conductor Eric Jacobsen. As the first-ever studio recording of Mary Lou Willams’s Zodiac Suite, it has been touted as "a joyous, enchanting creation… a triumph" (The Guardian) with Diehl lauded as "a contemporary champion" (The New York Times) and "a perfect choice to preside over this landmark recording" (The Wall Street Journal). The album features Diehl’s trio and guest artists saxophonist Nicole Glover, clarinetist Evan Christopher, trumpeter Brandon Lee, and soprano Mikaela Bennett. The critically-acclaimed album is Diehl’s fourth recording on Mack Avenue Records, following 2020’s The Vagabond, 2015’s Space Time Continuum, and his 2013 label debut, The Bespoke Man’s Narrative.
Diehl was born in Columbus, Ohio, where he grew up listening to his grandfather, pianist and trombonist Arthur Baskerville. His family nurtured Diehl’s undeniable musical talents from a young age and in 2002, a 16-year-old Diehl competed in Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Essentially Ellington competition, where he placed as a finalist. It was there that he attracted the attention of Wynton Marsalis, who invited Diehl to join his septet for a European tour. After studying at Julliard under the direction of Kenny Barron, Eric Reed and Oxana Yablonskaya, Diehl was awarded the 2011 American Pianists Association’s Cole Porter Fellowship. Diehl, who holds commercial single and multi-engine pilot certifications, inherited a lifelong love of flying from his father who was himself an avid pilot. Diehl has been a Steinway Artist since 2016.
