Bob Sheppard, adjunct assistant professor, jazz studies, earned his master’s degree at the Eastman School of Music. He is an in-demand session player who works extensively in film and television.

He can be heard on the soundtracks of major motion pictures, such as Jerry Maguire, Leaving Las Vegas, Goodfellas, Forrest Gump, Nixon and First Wives Club, and on television soundtracks for Seinfeld, Chicago Hope, Late Night with David Letterman, Cheers and Northern Exposure.

As a side musician, he is featured on a variety of recordings from pop CDs by Steely Dan, The Manhattan Transfer, Sheena Easton and Rickie Lee Jones, to jazz CDs by Scott Henderson, Dianne Reeves, Billy Childs and Michael Franks. Currently a member of the Mike Stern Quartet, he was featured on the 1998 premiere tour of Chick Corea’s new sextet, Origin.

He has also been a member of the bands of such luminaries as Freddie Hubbard, Randy Brecker, Horace Silver, Lyle Mays, Peter Erskine, Billy Childs, Nat Adderley and Doc Severinson, among others. Mr. Sheppard is also a solo artist and composer.

71 years ago in Brooklyn, New York, Michael David Garson made his first of many grand entrances. Born to Bernand and Sally Garson and welcomed by his big sister Barbara, Mike took to the piano at an early age — drawn almost magnetically to music and the transformational power it promises.

Forever redefining limitations society places on age, Mike refuses to hang up his leather pants and put away his Gucci sunglasses. Always embarking on a new adventure or a creative challenge, Mike remains at the forefront of fortitude.

Mike continues working to make the world a more creative, compassionate and compelling place. Having raised two daughters — Heather and Jennifer — Mike now enjoys another role: grandfather to Jeremy, Jacob, Max and Maya. Just as fans around the world applaud Mike for his talent his two grandsons continually find ways to celebrate his energy and enthusiasm for life.

Ironically though he is publicly known for his skills as a pianist, composer and artist, it is his selfless love for family and friends that has made Mike the happiest. And so, as he celebrates his 61st year, Mike remains grateful for the enduring gift of friendship and family and looks forward to many more decades of meaningful music and creative contributions.

“If I am truly passionate about and love what I do, I believe that feeling can be transmuted to and inspire the people who receive my art,” says Mike.

Garfield has one of those who’s who, what’s what resumes that begs the question, what HASN’T he done? Over the span of his career, he’s scored and recorded for films (“Annie,” “Always” with J.D. Souther), Television (“Fame” and its five accompanying “Kids from Fame” recordings), and commercials (Coca Cola, McDonald’s, Seven Up).

He’s produced 25 albums and appeared on close to 80, with such artists as Cher, Boz Scaggs, Larry Carlton, Spinal Tap, The Manhattan Transfer, Keiko Matsui and The Rippingtons); toured with Earl Klugh, Michael McDonald, Nancy Wilson, Oleta Adams/Luther Vandross, and Brenda Russell, and was musical director for George Benson (from 1986-90) and Dianne Reeves; appeared on The Tonight Show, Arsenio Hall and Solid Gold; and has composed and recorded over 100 original compositions.

As if that array of challenges weren’t enough to satisfy his creative urges, Garfield has led several popular bands rock/jazz/funk/world beat fusion bands in Los Angeles since his arrival in the mid-70s. The first of these was Karizma, which he formed with top session players Carlos Vega, Lenny Castro, Mike Landau and Jimmy Johnson. Karizma played sold out club dates in L.A. for years and released four albums (“Dream Come True,” “Cuba,” “All The Way Live,” and “Arms of Love”) to great success in Japan, Australia and throughout Europe.

At one point, Karizma, which still regroups every so often, also toured extensively, including dates with Sadao Watanabe, Jeff Lorber and the Yellowjackets. Garfield and longtime friend/collaborator, guitarist Steve Lukather from Toto, formed Los Lobotomys in 1985, and this band has also met with great success in L.A. and abroad. In 1994, Garfield and Lukather produced the guitarist’s second solo album “The Candyman” on Sony International. The project featured Fee Waybill from the Tubes and Simon Phillips, drummer for The Who, and the band embarked on a sell out tour of Europe and Japan, sharing stages with Peter Gabriel, Aerosmith and others.

As is typical of his musical resume, Garfield has worked on a number of unique projects over the past few years, both at home, in Europe and Japan. The Los Lobotomys tour led to a long-term scoring assignment on a German TV show, and he has produced various Japanese artists in addition to working with top Italian singing star Eros Ramazzotti. Garfield has also performed at Keyboard Magazine’s 20th Anniversary Concert at the NAMM show alongside Bruce Hornsby and Joe Zawinal; played at the Modern Drummer magazine’s anniversary concert with Steve Ferrone; scored the syndicated TV show “Sentinel”; sat in with Isaac Hayes and The Blues Brothers at a House of Blues benefit concert; released two DCI instructional videos on how to play rock and roll keyboards; written music for the trailer for the Billy Crystal-Robin Williams comedy “Father’s Day” with James Newton-Howard, and background cues for Good Day L.A. In between these gigs, he was pouring over the logistics and finally the recording sessions for the Tribute to Jeff release.

Garfield also formed a production company, Creatchy Productions. With access to the top studio musicians and state of the art technological equipment, they have offered modern production values to both commercial and experimental projects. Creatchy Productions has released eight projects by various artists, and has accessed the Japanese youth market. By continuing to craft world music with Contemporary Jazz and to delve into new international technologies, Garfield has secured his niche as a visionary in contemporary music. At first glance, all of these diverse projects may seem to have little in common with his earliest gigs touring and recording with Willie Bobo, Freddie Hubbard and Tom Scott. But at age 40, the Chicago born, New York and St. Louis bred Garfield can summarize his entire, admittedly all encompassing career in three simple words: “I make music.” That’s his mission statement.