JEFF BABKO

keyboardist/ pianist/ studio manager/ producer/ composer/ arranger/ apologetic trombonist

Jeff Babko is:

Keyboardist/composer/arranger JIMMY KIMMEL LIVE for 21+ years

Session keyboardist on records (Frank Ocean, James Taylor, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Smokey Robinson, Larry Carlton etc)

Session keyboardist on movies (Encanto- “We Don’t Talk About Bruno”, Superbad, 40 Year Old Virgin, Toy Story 4, Frozen 2, Killers of the Flower Moon, Tenet, etc)

Touring keyboardist (Sheryl Crow, James Taylor, Toto, Steely Dan, Steve Gadd Band, etc)

Music director/touring pianist STEVE MARTIN & MARTIN SHORT (& Netflix special)

Guy with a studio full of synths and organs TUDORTONES STUDIO in LA, CA

we're well into 2024...

Amazing to have just participated in LOVE ROCKS NYC at the Beacon Theatre with music director guru WILL LEE and an all star band (Shawn Pelton, Steve Gadd, Eric Krasnow, Larry Campbell, Michael Bearden, Pedrito Martinez, horns & singers) backing up Dave Grohl, Larkin Poe, Nile Rodgers & CHIC, Lucius, Allison Russell, Marcus King, Don Felder, Black Keys, Joss Stone, Bettye Lavette and more. Videos and pictures will be posted onto the vids and pix links on this website— woohoo!

Also been in and out stepping in for the incredible and incomparable Jim Beard with Steely Dan, a momentous experience for me. Thank you to my old friend Mike Leonhart and Jon Herington for helping me through. And to Keith Carlock for the call. But mostly, our hearts go out to Jim Beard who we lost during my recent tenure with the band. No words can express the stamp he had on modern jazz music and also in the Steely Dan organization, and his loss is felt far and wide.

happy holidays!! and into 2024...

Hi friends,

What an incredible joy and honor to make music (for a living!) in 2023.

Wrapped up another year at Jimmy Kimmel Live and a great week at Catalina’s Bar and Grill in LA w the Steve Gadd Band.

We’re headed back to Japan in January 2024, see details here!

CLAM CITY Live at Sam First w/ Mark Guiliana and Tim Lefebvre is released on beautiful 180g vinyl! It turned out GREAT.

Headed to the Grammy Premiere ceremony in Feb 2024 as part of my old pal Cheche Alara’s house band. Look for us on the Premiere ceremony! Always fun.

As always, hosting with my pal Brad Barker JazzFM’s VIEW FROM L.A. every Monday, also archived on the JazzFM website. We’ve had really fun profiles with John Beasley, the amazing young Margherita Fava, Rick Beato, Josh Nelson, Peter Erskine, and Alan Broadbent in recent months.

Finally, to those on the West Coast (or not), come join us for an all star band with legendary bassist Mike Valerio, drummer/multi-instrumentalist Beth Goodfellow, and Songa Lee at Libretto Paso Robles on New Years Eve!

thanks one and all for supporting music, always.