“Arnie has got the touch. He plays the piano with sensitivity and swing. What more can you ask?”

– Michael Wolff

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 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 in 2025, 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.

Recent and Upcoming Gigs

Dec 17, 2025

8-11pm @ Tattoo Bar, Flatbush | Michael Vitali, Paul Pandit, Anthony Bolden

Nov 29, 2025

6-8:30pm @ Mr. Tipple’s, San Francisco | with ZHENIIA

Nov 20, 2025

9pm-12am @ Funny Bar, Lower East Side | Willis Edmundson Trio, with Benjamin Young

Nov 14, 2025

8-10pm @ Pinky Swear, Lower East Side | Anna’s Boyz, Warren Louie, Gabriel Lee

Nov 13, 2025

10-11:30pm @ Secret Pour, Bed Stuy | Trebled Water Comedy 

Nov 11, 2025

9-11:30 @ Fiction, Bushwick | Zach McRary Quintet

Nov 8, 2025

12-2am @ Funny Bar, Lower East Side | Duo with Leighton Harrell

Oct 29, 2025

6:30-8:30pm @ Funny Bar, Lower East Side | Solo set

Oct 9, 2025

10pm-12am @ Funny Bar, Lower East Side | Duo with Robert Papacica

Oct 1, 2025

5-8pm @ Jazz at the Hamptons | With Robert Papacica and Benjamin Young

Sep 28, 2025

6:30-8:30pm @ Funny Bar, Lower East Side | Solo set

Sep 26, 2025

8-9pm @ Yezo, Midtown East |Duo with Hina Oikawa

Sep 21, 2025

5-8:30pm @ Belize Festival 2025, Crown Heights | With Yannie, Robert Papacica, Immanuel Williams, Leo Yucht 

Sep 19, 2025

9-11pm @ Knickerbocker, Greenwich Village |Duo with Warren Louie

Sep 18, 2025

10pm-1am @ Funny Bar, Lower East Side | With Benjamin Young and Willis Edmundson

Aug 31, 2025

9pm-12am @ Fiction, Bushwick | Alex Ramirez Quartet

Aug 29, 2025

8:30-9:30pm @ Pinky Swear, Lower East Side | Anna’s Boyz, Warren Louie, Gabriel Lee

Aug 29, 2025

5:30-7:30pm @ Bar Bayeux, Prospect Lefferts Gardens | Arnie Sainz Trio, with Leighton Harrell and Kabelo Mokhatla

Aug 16, 2025

11pm-2am @ Funny Bar, Lower East Side | Arnie Sainz Trio, with Leighton Harrell and Jonas Esser

Jul 24, 2025

7-8pm @ ShapeShifter, Park Slope | Arnie Sainz Trio, with Marshal Herridge and Tony Moreno

Jul 19, 2025

8-10:30pm @ Funny Bar, Lower East Side | Solo Set

Jul 17, 2025

6:30-7:30pm @ Redeemer Brooklyn Concert Series | Ripple Æffect, Lola Miller, Aidan Siemann, Knox Barber, Chase Elodia

Jun 20, 2025

7:30pm @ Symphony Space, Upper West Side | BMI Jazz Composer’s Workshop 36th Annual Showcase

Jun 6, 2025

8-9pm @ Yezo, Midtown East | Duo with Naoya Ogura

May 27, 2025

7-9:30pm @ Funny Bar, Lower East Side | Solo Set

May 16, 2025

8-9pm @ Yezo, Midtown East | Duo with Hina Oikawa

Apr 18, 2025

8-9pm @ Yezo, Midtown East | Duo with Hina Oikawa

Apr 12, 2025

7:30-2am @ Funny Bar, Lower East Side | Solo set, Robert Papacica Trio

Apr 3, 2025

7pm @ WIP Studio, Gowanus | Frank Vitolo Release Show

Mar 30, 2025

7-9pm @ ShapeShifter, Park Slope | Arnie Sainz-Michael Dudley Jazz Orchestra

Mar 28, 2025

9-11pm @ Knickerbocker, Greenwich Village | Duo with Warren Louie

Feb 28, 2025

7-9pm @ Williamsburg Music Center | A.R.A.G.A.

Feb 14, 2025

5:30-7:30pm @ Bar Bayeux, Prospect Lefferts Gardens | Alistair Johnston Quartet with August Bish, Jonas Esser

Jan 31, 2025

9-11pm @ Knickerbocker, Greenwich Village | Duo with Warren Louie

Jan 29, 2025

9pm-12am @ Laissez Faire, Financial District | Owen Chen Quintet

Jan 27, 2025

9-11pm @ Fiction, Bushwick | Matthias Meyer Quartet

Jan 7, 2025

7-10pm @ Anything, Prospect Lefferts Gardens | With Robert Papacica, Simon Willson, Jonas Esser

Jan 1, 2025

9:30-1am @ Scarpetta, Midtown | With Yannie, Robert Papacica, Josh Uguccioni, Leo Yucht

Dec 27, 2024

7-10pm @ Osteria Divino, Sausalito CA | With Joe Kelner, Colin McCuen

Dec 20, 2024

1:30-2:30pm @ McCormick Place West, Chicago  | Midwest Clinic with ECHS Jazz Ensemble, Alan Ferber, Aaron Lington

Dec 13, 2024

10-1am @ Eris, Bushwick | With The Formula, Bilaal Avaz, Anton Kot, Steph Chow

Dec 11, 2024

8:30-11:30pm @ Laissez Faire, Financial District | Owen Chen Quintet

Dec 8, 2024

12-4pm @ Pier 57, Chelsea | With Frank Vitolo and Alex Dyring

Dec 6, 2024

9pm @ Five Mile Stone, Upper East Side | With Emilie Samson, George Kramarski, Clem Pytel

Nov 16, 2024

12-2pm @ Anything, Propsect Lefferts Gardens | Duo with Robert Papacica

Nov 15, 2024

9-11pm @ Five Mile Stone, Upper East Side | With Emilie Samson, George Kramarski, Andy Stone

Nov 4, 2024

6-9pm @ AU Bar, Midtown | Solo set

Nov 2, 2024

12-2pm @ Anything, Prospect Lefferts Gardens | Duo with Robert Papacica

Oct 26, 2024

12-2pm @ Anything, Prospect Lefferts Gardens | Duo with Robert Papacica

Oct 24, 2024

7-10pm @ The Seville, Midtown | Yannie

Oct 11, 2024

8-11pm @ Room 623, Harlem | With Faith Quashie, Jared Beckstead, Kabelo Mokhatla

Oct 10, 2024

7-10pm @ The Seville, Midtown | Yannie

Oct 8, 2024

1-3pm @ Target, Harlem | With Grady Tesch, Alfredo Colon

Oct 4, 2024

9-11pm @ Knickerbocker, Greenwich Village | Duo with Jared Beckstead

Oct 3, 2024

7-10pm @ Casa Cipriani, Financial District | Duo with Alexa Dark

Sep 28, 2024

12-2pm @ Anything, Prospect Lefferts Gardens | Duo with Robert Papacica

Sep 27, 2024

7-10pm @ Casa Cipriani, Financial District | Duo with Alexa Dark

Sep 22, 2024

2:30-3:30pm @ Montco Jazz Festival, Philadelphia | Olivia Hughart Quintet

Sep 21, 2024

12-2pm @ Anything, Prospect Lefferts Gardens | Duo with Robert Vega

Sep 20, 2024

5:30-7:30pm @ Bar Bayeux, Prospect Lefferts Gardens | Alistair Johnston Quintet with Caleb Pitman, Paul Pandit, Eliza Salem

Sep 17, 2024

7-10pm @ Casa Cipriani, Financial District | Duo with Alexa Dark

Sep 14, 2024

6:30pm @ Mercury Lounge, Lower East Side | With Jayani 

Sep 8, 2024

8-10pm @ Five Mile Stone, Upper East Side | With Andy Stone

Sep 7, 2024

6-9pm @ Standard Wormwood Distillery, Sunset Park | Frank Vitolo, Robert Papacica, Marshal Herridge, Jonas Esser

Aug 31, 2024

7-9pm @ Artists Showcase, Union Square | With Anthony Bolden, Jared Beckstead

Aug 14, 2024

7-10pm @ Sushi Tokyo, Midwood | With Frank Vitolo, Jasper Grigsby-Schulte

Aug 9, 2024

8:30-11:30pm @ Le Rivage, Midtown | With Flo Ankah 

Aug 2, 2024

6-9pm @ 1 Vanderbilt, Midtown | With Frank Vitolo, Warren Louie

Jul 24, 2024

6:30-8:30pm @ Bonafini, Flatbush | With Robert Papacica

Jul 22, 2024

10pm-12am @ Silvana, Harlem | A.R.A.G.A.

Jul 14, 2024

1-3pm @ Prohibition, Upper West Side | With Nick Panoutsos

Jul 6, 2024

1pm @ Mission Activation Community Center, Guanacaste Costa Rica | A.R.A.G.A.

Jul 5, 2024

4pm @ Museo de Liberia, Liberia Costa Rica | A.R.A.G.A.

Jul 5, 2024

10am @ Escuela de Música de Esparza, Esparza Costa Rica | Concert and Masterclass, A.R.A.G.A.

Jul 4, 2024

7pm @ Eugene O’Neill Theater, San Jose Costa Rica | A.R.A.G.A.

Jul 3, 2024

5:30pm @ American Embassy, Escazu Costa Rica | A.R.A.G.A.

Jul 2, 2024

9pm @ Jazz Club El Sótano, San José Costa Rica | A.R.A.G.A.

Jun 28, 2024

9:30-11:30pm @ Willamsburg Music Center, Williamsburg | A.R.A.G.A.

Jun 27, 2024

6-9pm @ Il Cortile, Little Italy | With Flo Ankah

Jun 14, 2024

5:30-7:30pm @ Bar Bayeux, Prospect Lefferts Gardens | Alistair Johnston Quintet with Robert Papacica, Paul Pandit, Eliza Salem

Jun 11, 2024

7-10pm @ Anything, Prospect Lefferts Gardens | Arnie Sainz Trio with Leighton Harrell and Chase Elodia 

Jun 6, 2024

8:30-10:30pm @ Fiction, Bushwick | A.R.A.G.A.

May 4, 2024

6:30-8:30pm @ The Jazz Club at the Aman, Midtown | Richie Nuzz, Robert Papacica, Warren Louie, Leo Yucht

Apr 27, 2024

7-9pm @ BeefBar, Tribeca | Richie Nuzz, Warren Louie

Apr 26, 2024

9-11pm @ Knickerbocker, Greenwich Village | Duo with John Lind

Apr 25, 2024

7pm @ The Delancey, Lower East Side | With Ari Amun 

Apr 22, 2024

9-11pm @ Berlin Under A, East Village | With Roccsturdy, Josh Farrell, Warren Louie

Apr 20, 2024

6-9pm @ Standard Wormwood Distillery, Sunset Park | Frank Vitolo

Apr 16, 2024

7-11pm @ Anything, Prospect Lefferts Gardens | Arnie Sainz Quartet with Robert Papacica, Jared Beckstead, Kobi Abcede 

Apr 11, 2024

6:30-8:30pm @ The Jazz Club at the Aman, Midtown | Richie Nuzz, Robert Papacica, Warren Louie, Leo Yucht

Apr 3, 2024

6:30-8:30pm @ Bonafini, Flatbush | Duo with John Lind

Mar 27, 2024

11am @ WBGO, Newark New Jersey | NYU Wayne Shorter Ensemble

Mar 24, 2024

1-3:30pm @ Prohibition, Upper West Side | With Nick Panoutsos

Mar 23, 2024

11pm-12am @ Dizzy’s, Lincoln Center | Courtney Wright Big Band

Mar 23, 2024

6:30-8:30pm @ The Jazz Club at the Aman, Midtown | Richie Nuzz, Robert Papacica, Warren Louie, Leo Yucht

Mar 22, 2024

11pm-12am @ Dizzy’s, Lincoln Center | Courtney Wright Big Band

Mar 21, 2024

11pm-12am @ Dizzy’s, Lincoln Center | Courtney Wright Big Band

Mar 5, 2024

7:30-11pm @ Arthur’s Tavern, Greenwich Village | Olivia Hughart, Jared Beckstead, Gary Kerkezou