Caelan Cardello Trio

“Pianist Caelan Cardello has phenomenal technique allowing him great independence between both his hands. he’s investigated the whole history of jazz piano and is able to incorporate concepts from oscar peterson to brad mehldau and beyond.” –Dave Kikoski

Caelan Cardello began playing piano at the age of five and quickly developed along dual paths of classical and jazz training, studying with Allen Farnham and Steve Masi. His early talent led to mentorships with several major figures in the jazz piano lineage, including Fred Hersch, Frank Kimbrough, and Dave Kikoski.

A longtime member of the renowned Jazz House Kids program in Montclair, NJ, Caelan spent seven years immersed in performance and study with leading artists such as Jimmy Cobb, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Jack DeJohnette, Wallace Roney, Ravi Coltrane, Paquito D’Rivera, Bruce Hornsby, and Christian McBride. During this period, he gained extensive experience on prominent New York stages including Dizzy’s Club, Minton’s Playhouse, Smalls Jazz Club, and the Jazz Standard.

His development was further shaped by appearances at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Rose Hall, music-directing the Sarah Vaughan Centennial celebration, and performing in the “Newport at 70!” project curated by Christian McBride. Caelan has earned numerous distinctions, among them the New Jersey Governor’s Award, the James Moody Scholarship, the BMI Future Jazz Master Award, and recognition at the Herbie Hancock International Piano Competition. He was recently named one of five finalists for the American Pianists Awards, one of the most prestigious competitions in the field.

A graduate of William Paterson University, Caelan studied with Bill Charlap and Harold Mabern while performing frequently with university ensembles at venues such as WBGO and Dizzy’s. He is currently pursuing his master’s degree at The Juilliard School and performs actively across New York, the tri-state area, and throughout the United States, both solo and with his trio.