Gary Kerkezou

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, Cafe Bohemia, the Django, Smalls, Bar Bayeux, Mezzrow, Cellar Dog, Minton’s Playhouse 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, Troy Roberts, Michael Dease, Bill Pierce, Javon Jackson, Eric Alexander, Geoff Keezer, Pasquale Grasso, Cyrus Chestnut, Lage Lund, Grant Stewart, David Wong, Jeb Patton, Adam Birnbaum and others) and has recorded multiple albums as a sideman.

In addition to a busy performing schedule, she is an instructor at Jazz House Kids, one of the most successful and respected jazz education programs in the country. She has also given masterclasses at some of the nation’s finest jazz programs (Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, and KC Area Youth Jazz) as well as at multiple public schools around the city.

Moving to USA 8 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, Christopher Brubeck, AJR, and Patrick Doyle.