Jeffrey D. Benatar

Florida Southern College
Lakeland, FL

Dr. Jeffrey Benatar is a Jazz Pianist with a passion for teaching. He is Associate Professor of Music, Director of Jazz Studies and Coordinator of Music Management, at Florida Southern College. Benatar conducts FSC’s big band and combos, leads the Jazz Piano Studio, and teaches Jazz Studies and Music Management courses. Dr. Benatar has performed with Clay Jenkins, Harold Danko, Adam Larson, the Dayton Jazz Orchestra, the Glenn Miller Orchestra and others. He is a versatile musician, conductor, composer, arranger, and improviser who has experience in Jazz, Commercial Music, Wind Ensemble, Studio Orchestra, and Choir. Benatar’s composition “Hank and Joe” for Septet was called “Superb” and “Intense” by JazzTimes Magazine. Benatar received an Institute of Jazz Studies Morroe Berger-Benny Carter Jazz Research Fund Award. His articles have been published in the journals Jazz Education in Research and Practice and Florida Music Director. Dr. Benatar has presented and/or performed at international, national, and regional professional conferences. He has given masterclasses, presentations, and/or recitals at universities across North America. He serves on the Jazz Education Network Mentorship Committee, the Jazz Education Network Research Webinar Committee, and on the Editorial Board for the Jazz Education in Research and Practice Journal. He received his DMA in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media from the Eastman School of Music, an MA in Jazz History and Research from Rutgers-Newark, and a BM in Jazz Studies (Piano) Performance from The Ohio State University.

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Presentation(s):

• Demystifying Left Hand Comping

  Wednesday, January 7, 2026
  12:30 PM - 12:55 PM CST