Born and raised in New Jersey, studying and performing since the age of three, it was in junior high school, when studying with jazz pianist/educator, Keith MacDonald that Jody began his life long love affair with jazz.  Nardone attended William Paterson University of NJ, earning a Bachelor of Music degree in Jazz Studies and Performance. As a student in the school’s famed jazz department, Jody studied with Rufus Reid, Joe Lovano, Jim McNeely, Norman Simmons and Harold Mabern. Nardone also spent a summer studying with pianist/educator and jazz guru Kenny Werner, which he refers to as “a life changing experience”.  Jody has performed with countless jazz legends Clark Terry, Jon Faddis, Larry Carlton, Dave Valentin Rufus Reid, and Chester Thompson as well as saxophonists Jeff Coffin, Don Aliquo and Rahsaan Barber, trumpeter Rod McGaha and singer Annie Sellick.  Jody is a busy studio musician, and has recently recorded with guitar legend Brian Setzer of The Stray Cats on Setzer’s last solo record, Rockabilly Riot! as well as the Brian Setzer Orchestra’s 2015 Christmas release, Rockin’ Rudolph, where he arranged and sang background vocals.  Over the past 25 years, Jody has kept a busy studio of piano and voice students. He was Artist in Residence at Currey Ingram Academy, Brentwood TN from 1996-2007, Adjunct Instructor of Jazz Piano at Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University from 2009-2010 and over the last decade has been a guest instructor at the Nashville Jazz Workshop.  In 2019, Jody and his trio released their first Christmas LP, “A Charlie Brown Christmas-A Tribute To Vince Guaraldi Recorded Live In Nashville”.

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