Bio: “Our music will persevere. There are more great young players than there have ever been. Our music is about telling your own story in your own way. And that involves a certain kind of individualism and iconoclasm - and you need to develop your own voice.” -Todd Barkan ____________________________________________________________ Born in a home full of jazz, the voices of the masters captivated Todd’s imagination as a small child, and encouraged him to pursue music. Todd was deeply immersed as a child, learning piano and starting jazz lessons at age 6. A self-described “jazz fanatic” by the time he was 8, listening to the jazz masters shaped the course of Todd’s life. From 1972-1983, Todd owned and ran the Keystone Korner, one of the “the finest jazz clubs in the Bay area.” Barkan is known for his catchphrase, “Take care of the music and the music will take care of you.” After owning the Keystone Korner for 10 years, Barkan moved to NYC where he produced hundreds of records, became the director of programming for Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center, and continued to stay involved with live jazz. In 2018, the National Endowment for the Arts honored Barkan for his lifelong contributions to jazz. The NEA Jazz Master fellowship is the nation’s highest honor for jazz musicians.