A professional musician from the age of sixteen, Kirsten Edkins is a performer, bandleader, teacher, studio musician and accomplished recording artist. A graduate of the Eastman School of Music, Edkins has been a glowing fixture of the Los Angeles music scene for the past decade and a half. She has been a member of several Grammy Award–winning bands including the Bill Holman Big Band, John Daversa Band, John Beasley’s MONK’estra and the late composer Johnny Mandel’s band. Her television appearances include American Idol, The Late, Late Show, The Tonight Show and The Voice. As a performer in her own right, she has toured the United States, Canada, South America and the Caribbean. Her first album, Art & Soul, featuring original compositions and collaboration with noted artists (Bob Sheppard, Larry Goldings), reached the top fifteen on Jazz Week’s radio play charts. Her current release, Shapes and Sound (CoHearent Records) continues her exploration of her original voice and exquisite craft. As an educator, Edkins has taught at institutions like the Pasadena Conservatory of Music, the Bill Green Mentorship Program of the Los Angeles Jazz Society, the Monterey Jazz Camp and traveled the country to do guest artist appearances at several colleges such as the Eastman School and Butler University. In all of this, Edkins draws on her musical heroes, Eddie Harris, Joe Henderson, Joe Lovano, among others, and combines that inspiration with a desire to use music to empower, enrich and encourage players and lovers of music.