ABOUT JEFF

Jeff Pifher is an award-winning instrumentalist, composer, and producer. Recently he has received wide recognition with the release of the short documentary In the Same Direction: Jeff Pifher & Socrates' Trial (2020) which chronicles Jeff and his band's latest projects garnering 24 “Best Documentary” and “Best Music” awards from film festivals worldwide. With his band, Socrates’ Trial, he has released three studio recordings and one live recording since 2018: Socrates’ Trial (2018), Alternate Futures/Past Realities (2019), Anthem (2019), and Live at Bluewhale (2020).

As a music and film producer, Jeff has recently finished production on Somewhere, a short film musical centering around immigration reform featuring cast members from Wicked, Glee, American Idol, The Voice, and America’s Got Talent. He is also composer and lyricist for the film. In 2020 he produced Writing for Strings Masterclass featuring arrangements of his original music by Harlan Hodges (Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, League of Legends).

Jeff has received degrees from Eastman School of Music (B.M., ’07) and University of Miami (M.M., ’11) as well as a certificate in arts entrepreneurship from the University of Southern California. He has been a teaching artist through the Herbie Hancock Institute and UCLA program Jazz in the Classroom. Jeff is available for lectures, masterclasses, and private instruction.

About Socrates' Trial
Pifher’s original compositions were inspired by the sounds of both classical and jazz legends as well as his desire to transform rhythms into melodies that tell a story. The influence of rock, pop, and even classical sounds on band members, combined with jazz roots as reflected in extended improvisations result in an expressive yet cohesive playing style that makes for a memorable and entertaining audience experience. Socrates' Trial members have shared the stage with renowned artists such as Jacob Collier, Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, Kamasi Washington, Charlie Puth, Chris Bullock (Snarky Puppy), Bob Mintzer, and Troy Roberts, among others. They have also performed at prestigious events like the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C., to mention just a few.

Jeff and his group have recently performed at the Jazz Education Network Conference 2023 in Orlando FL. They have also performed at notable Los Angeles venues including: Catalina Jazz Club, Bluewhale, Lighthouse Cafe, and Vibrato Grill.