Biography

Sam Keedy is a jazz trombonist, composer, and educator whose artistry has been recognized on stages around the world. He began playing trombone at age 11 under the guidance of esteemed trombonist and arranger Paul McKee, launching a dynamic and multifaceted career.

Originally from Colorado, Sam attended the Denver School of the Arts, where he was exposed to a diverse range of musical influences and honed his skills under the guidance of legendary jazz musicians such as Wycliffe Gordon, John Clayton, Terell Stafford, Greg Gisbert, Shane Endsley, Dave Liebman, Brad Goode, and Walter Blanding. His formative years growing up in the Denver jazz scene set the stage for his future musical endeavors in both performance and composition.

Sam earned both a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance and a Master of Music in Studio Jazz Writing from the University of Miami’s Frost School of Music. During his time at Frost, he studied and performed with world-renowned artists including Maria Schneider, Brian Lynch, Dafnis Prieto, Etienne Charles, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Tal Cohen, and Nick Smart, while also learning from distinguished educators such as Gary Keller, Dante Luciani, and Stephen Guerra.

Balancing his career as a composer, arranger, educator, and performer, Sam has performed all around the world at prestigious venues such as Abbey Road Studios, Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, Tokyo TUC Jazz Club, The Baked Potato, Dazzle Denver, and at renowned festivals including the Monterey, Aspen, Telluride, and Vail Jazz Festivals. Alongside his own musical groups, he has served as lead trombonist for the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra and the Etienne Charles Creole Orchestra, contributing his voice to a wide range of innovative and dynamic musical projects.

He has written an array of original works and arrangements, including studio orchestra pieces for artists such as Anat Cohen and Tyreek McDole, as well as big band arrangements for Christian McBride, Regina Carter, Ashley Pezzotti, Lisa Fischer, and Brian Lynch.

Sam has shared the stage with musical luminaries the likes of Marcus Strickland, Anat Cohen, Chucho Valdés, Norma Winstone, Elliot Mason, Regina Carter, Vince Mendoza, Ari Hoenig, Shelly Berg, John Daversa, and Derrick Hodge, among others. He was recently featured prominently on the 2025 album Some Days Are Better: The Lost Scores by the Kenny Wheeler Legacy, which received critical acclaim.

Sam Keedy lives in New York City and is a sponsored artist with XO Brass. He currently plays the XO 1632 and 1634 jazz trombones and leads multiple groups including Bone Syndicate, the Sam Keedy Big Band, and his own quartet.