Spike Wilner

Spike Wilner is a New York pianist, born and raised in Manhattan, who came to jazz through an early fascination with ragtime and the music of Scott Joplin. At fourteen he performed Joplin's Maple Leaf Rag at the St. Louis Ragtime Festival, and he went on to join the first class of the New School's jazz program under saxophonist Arnie Lawrence, alongside classmates such as Brad Mehldau, Peter Bernstein, Larry Goldings, and Roy Hargrove. He became a fixture at Smalls Jazz Club beginning in 1994 and later became its co-owner, opening the nearby Mezzrow in 2015 with his partners. A pianist rooted in the stride and post-bop traditions, he has recorded as a leader for Posi-Tone Records, with albums including La Tendresse (2012) and Koan (2016).