Jerry Cigler

Quite simply, Jerry Cigler is perhaps the finest jazz musician I have ever heard. In music, much comes down to taste, as technique can be found amongst all the top players. Jerry's abilities transcend those of anyone else alive. His ability to perform 5 part blocks using just his right hand on the piano accordion, coupled with his unparalleled use of the free bass in a jazz context, enable him to render sounds impossible by any other player alive today. His use of substitute chords, open harmony, counter-point, blistering fast single note runs, complex chordal structures on the left hand (including using his thumb), and sophisticated arrangements, make him stand out amongst the crowd.

Jerry was born in Cleveland, Ohio and studied with a few teachers before meeting the great Johnny Sulin. Sulin was quite famous in Cleveland and was an amazing talent. Johnny is remembered for his unrivalled technique and incredible arrangements, many improvised on the spot. Jerry's repertoire included classical as well as popular standards and by his late teen years, he was established as a professional musician performing at many local places. Jerry then began tutelage under  the amazing Leon Sash of Chicago, where Jerry eventually moved. Under Leon, Jerry began his deep study of jazz as it relates to the accordion. Some of his accomplishments included both 5-part blocks and open harmony inversions (major6, minor7, minor9, dominant7, dominant9, diminished, half-diminished) inversions in all 12 keys at a staggering 400 BPM. Jerry went on to record with Leon as well as releasing his own album in the 70's.

With Jerry, music takes on a different tone. His second-to-none technique enables him to stretch the boundaries of what many consider possible on the Piano Accordion, and he is one of the few players that is a jazz musician playing the accordion, as opposed to an accordion player playing jazz. I mean that not as an insult to anyone, rather as an indication that Jerry has gone beyond accordion jazz, swing, etc. to study and play with some of the jazz world's top names, and to "think outside the box" when it comes to improvisation. He's studied Schillenger, as well as composition, theory, and arranging. I am proud and honored to call him friend and teacher.