The great music legend Herbie Hancock once called pianist Carmen Staaf "a consummate jazz pianist with equal talent in composition, orchestration and arranging." Carmen’s musical resume is truly impressive: She was the pianist and Musical Director for NEA Jazz Master Dee Dee Bridgewater for over eight years, and has performed everywhere from the Village Vanguard (with the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra as well as with John Zorn), to Lincoln Center as a guest soloist with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, to recordings with Natalie Merchant (Keep Your Courage) and Lila Downs (Pecados Y Milagros).

She was honored as a Fellow at the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute, where she studied with Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock. Later, she was tapped, with Herbie’s approval, to transcribe his performances and consult on his course for masterclass.com.

As a recording studio musician, Carmen is featured on albums by Samuel Torres, Jenny Scheinman, Noah Garabedian, Dan Blake, Ayn Inserto, Jeff Williams, Ryan Keberle, Michael Winograd, Allegra Levy, and countless others.