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Sonoluminescence (2026) by Rafael Chamone
Darts (2023) by Arnie Sainz
“Arnie has got the touch. He plays the piano with sensitivity and swing. What more can you ask?”
– Michael Wolff, renowned pianist
“Sainz provides a searching, intellectual piano performance that anchors the music in the vanguard of modern jazz…”
- James Broscheid, The Big Takeover
Arnie Sainz is a pianist, composer, and educator based in New York City. Drawing inspiration from his firm roots in the San Francisco Bay Area, Arnie’s voice spans ensembles and genres, finding his footing in both large-scale new music compositions and intimate improvised music settings.
He stays active as a leader and a sideman all around NYC, performing at notable venues including Dizzy's Club, Bar Bayeux, Jazz Club at the Aman, Arthur's Tavern, and many more. His debut trio album Darts was released by Adhyâropa Records in June 2023, featuring Marshal Herridge, Tony Moreno, and a fresh lineup of energetic original compositions.
His playing can be heard on numerous recordings alongside acclaimed artists including Michael Rodriguez, Ron McClure, Alan Ferber, and Drew Gress. As a composer/arranger, Arnie has written for a wide array of musical acts and award-winning films. Most notably, his arrangement of Matthew Fullen’s composition “Elegant” was nominated for Best Instrumental Composition for the 2024 Taiwan Golden Melody Awards. Recently, his film score for the award-winning documentary Even In Darkness was featured at the 2025 Brooklyn Film Festival.
Arnie’s upcoming septet album Driftwood Children is set to release on Pinch Records, featuring saxophonist Billy Drewes and trombonist Alan Ferber. Also set to debut live in 2025 is the Arnie Sainz-Michael Dudley Jazz Orchestra, awardee of the 2024 New Music USA Creator Fund.
Arnie is an adjunct faculty member at New York University’s Steinhardt School, and is a member of the BMI Jazz Composer’s Workshop.
Notable Performances
Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Manhattan
Bar Bayeux, Brooklyn
Room 623, Harlem
Cellar Dog, Manhattan
Arthur’s Tavern, Manhattan
Jazz Club at the Aman, Manhattan
Casa Cipriani, Manhattan
Rockwood Music Hall, Manhattan
The Midwest Clinic, Chicago
Centro Cultural Costarricense Norte Americano, San José, Costa Rica
Club Deluxe, San Francisco
Mr. Tipple’s Jazz Club, San Francisco
The Independent, San Francisco
Cafe Stritch, San Jose
The Pepper Mill, Reno
Awards & Distinctions
BMI Jazz Charlie Parker Composition Competition Finalist (2025)
NYU Outstanding Achievement in Jazz Studies (2024)
New Music USA Creator Fund Awardee (2024)
Presser Undergraduate Scholar
Walker Piano Scholar
Contact
arnie.sainz@gmail.com | (510) 374-0781
Files for Download
Discography & Credits
Rafael Chamone | Sonoluminescence (2026) Adhyâropa Records | piano
Marshal Herridge | Midsummer Lullaby (2025) | piano
Frank Vitolo | “Bumpin’ On Malroy” “Crispy” “I Can’t Help It” (2025) | piano, keyboards
Kitalé Wilson | Even in Darkness (2025) Boldly Productions | composer, keyboards
Pola Rapaport | Panoramic View (2025) Blinding Light Inc. | composer, keyboards
Fang Shu Li | Song For Alien (2024) Onyx Music | piano
Orlando Madrid | From This Moment Forward (2024) OM Records | piano
Jett Tessaro | The Longest Memory (2024) | composer, piano
TPO Big Band | Twisting Roots (2023) Fengchao Music | arranger
Arnie Sainz | Darts (2023) Adhyâropa Records | piano, composer, producer
Alan Ferber Nonet | Up High, Down Low (2023) Sunnyside Records | production assistant
Kitalé Wilson | Present Tense (2023) Boldly Productions | composer, keyboards
John Szymanski | My Friendly Neighborhood (2023) DreadXP | piano
Ken James Kubota | “Bed I Made” (2022) JHMJams | piano
Ian-Carl | “Grip” “Into You” “White Noise” (2022) Iceey Fresh Records | piano, producer, arranger