Instructor Profile

When it comes to piano, Jim Kost has had quite the storied career as a performer and brings a unique and well-rounded perspective as a teacher. He started playing by ear at 10, begging his parents for lessons after about a year, and then studied piano through high school, playing in local rock bands from the age of 13 on. At 20, he arrived at Berklee College of Music, where his classmates and jam session partners included Wallace Roney, Greg Osby, Donald Harrison, Tim “Bone” Williams, Jeff Watts, Gene Jackson, Frank Lacy, Jean Toussaint, Branford Marsalis and many other future luminaries. He also Studied Privately with the great Jazz Pianist Jaki Byard. After 2 years at Berklee, he stayed in Boston performing for another year and a half, and then moved to New Jersey where he attained his Bachelor’s at Rutgers University. After graduating, he stayed on at Rutgers, working as a Principal Pianist for the Dance Department and performing locally until moving to NYC in 2000. In NYC, Jim worked as a pianist for esteemed dance companies Alvin Ailey and Mark Morris, in addition to performing as a freelance Session Musician in various genres and functions. His credits include longstanding collaborations with greats like The Steve Kimock Band, Master Drummer/Producer/Composer Rodney Holmes, and Afrobeat sensation Kaleta. With Kaleta, he appeared on the album “Country of Guns”. His first album as a producer and performer is called “Stone Church”. As a teacher, Jim’s many years playing and accompanying in such a wide range of genres has given him quite the diverse perspective. His approach to lessons is calm andengaging, and he always finds a way to keep lessons informative, interesting, AND enjoyable!