Daryl's Bio

    Daryl Kojak, pianist, arranger, producer, musical director, composer, songwriter and educator, is honored to have worked with a long list of talent, including Robin Williams, Billy Crystal, Phoebe Snow, Sheila Jordan, Jane Monheit, Marni Nixon, Cheryl Bentyne, Kristin Chenoweth, Vicki Sue Robinson, George Coleman, Randy Brecker, Kurt Elling, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Sheldon Harnick, Sandra Bernhard, André De Shields, Mary Testa, Rita Rudner, Richard Belzer, Tiny Tim, Tovah Feldshuh, Ben Vereen, Billy Stritch, Marilyn Maye, Larry Kerchner, Catherine Russell, Laurie Krauz, Heather Mac Rae, Annie Hughes, Lina Koutrakis, Stephanie Pope, Jackie Hoffman, Randa McNamara, Mark Nadler, Varla Jean Merman, Miss Coco Peru, Amy Beth Williams, Brian King, Spider Saloff, Marieann Meringolo, Nancy Lamott, Portia Nelson, Alison Fraser, Emily Skinner, Paige Price, Phillip Officer, and a whole bunch of others.  The musical genres and styles of his extensive recording experience include jazz, blues, gospel, rock, R&B, pop, classical, new age and musical theater.

    An accomplished and widely diverse composer, Daryl's music has been used for film, television, stage, artist’s recordings and video games.  Among feature films that include Daryl’s work are “True Love," “Nola,” “Warrior Class" and "Reunion, The Movie."  He composes regularly for the New York City Parks Department’s Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater.

AWARDS:
    Daryl is a recipient of Backstage's Bistro Award for Outstanding Musical Director, The Caribbean Gospel Music Award for Top Gospel Arranger, and The Daryl Kojak Trio received the MAC Award for Best Jazz Group (The Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs).  Laurie Krauz and Daryl share a Bistro Award for Outstanding Theme Show for "Tapestry Rewoven."  Daryl arranged Anthony Cochran’s “Lives," (Music Of Elvis Presley,) which also received a Bistro Award.  Daryl has been nominated numerous times for a MAC Award for Best Musical Director.

    In Daryl’s successful and popular “Notes From The Pilgrimage,” an album of original compositions in new age and classical genres, Daryl "stirs up a rich blend with performances and lush orchestrations evocative of George Winston, Fred Hersch and Paul Winter."