Reed Gratz
Honorary Member
Reed Gratz is a Professor of Music and department chair at the University of La Verne. He has taught at Washington State University, University of Miami, University of Innsbruck, California Institute for Women, Utrecht Conservatory and Leiden University in the Netherlands, and as a visiting professor of music at Claremont McKenna College for ten years. He has been on the Advisory Board of the American Jazz Institute with Mort Sahl, Mark Masters, and Lee Konitz.
Reed has been awarded a jazz composition grant from the NEA; a research grant in African American music by the NEH; two Senior Fulbright Lectureships, one at the University of Innsbruck, the other, the Walt Whitman Distinguished Chair of American Culture Studies at Leiden University; and the Excellence in Teaching Award for undergraduate faculty at the University of La Verne.
Reed has played with George Russell, Herb Alpert, Bruce Hornsby, John Patitucci, Brandon Fields, Barbara Morrison, Alex Acuña, Bobby Shew, Buddy DeFranco, Scott Henderson, Bill Watrous, Konstantin Ruchadze, Max Bennett, Peter Noone, Jeff Healey and many others. He has composed music for more than a dozen plays. Eight of his CDs are Below Sealevel; Piano; View From the South; The Reed Gratz Band featuring Michael O’Neill; Quaadrille; Piano Two Too to 2; Long Way to You; and Travelogue.
Some of his students include Herb Alpert (private piano & improvisation), Bruce Hornsby (U of Miami Rock Ensemble), Andrew Ford (bass with Al Jarreau, Gladys Knight, David Crosby), Sandra Schwarzhaupt (soprano Salzburg-Mozart), Joe Bagg (jazz organist/pianist), Giloh Morgan (writer, producer), Gayle Serdan (PhD Jazz Studies, pianist/teacher), Roberto Catalano (PhD ethnomusicology), Ronald Muldrow (guitarist with Lou Rawls, Mulgrew Miller, Eddie Harris), J Michael O’Neal (keyboardist/composer), Mike Bennett (downbeat magazine awardee, touring drums/perc), Fan Zheming (Vice Pres./Prof. Shenyang Conservatory of Music, China), Al Hospers (bass with Blood, Sweat, & Tears), Pebber Brown (renown guitar teacher), Tom Moose (recording artist).
Reed plays piano, Fender Rhodes suitcase, Roland D-50, digital pianos, harmonium, and other keyboards. His music is on iHeartRadio, CdBaby, iTunes, YouTube, and other music streaming sites.