Isaac Sussman is a jazz pianist and composer originally from New York, now based in Chicago. He began playing classical piano at age seven and jazz piano at age thirteen. Performing with the Mamaroneck High School jazz band, Isaac won many awards, including the Berklee High School Jazz Festival Outstanding Soloist Award. He studied privately with Jacob Sacks and Craig Taborn and participated in many jazz and improvisational music programs, including the Queens College Jazz Preparatory program and the School for Improvisational Music, where he also took lessons with Jason Moran, Fred Hersch, and Vijay Iyer. As a high school senior, he was invited to play piano with the New York Youth Symphony Jazz Orchestra led by Ryan Keberle.
In 2006, Isaac was admitted with a merit-based grant to the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Dan Wall and played in ensembles led by Billy Hart and Peter Dominguez. At Oberlin, he was chosen to tour with the highly selective Oberlin Jazz Septet. Isaac has played with such musicians as Jimmy Cobb, Eddie Gomez, Frank Wess, Billy Hart, Henry Grimes, Dan Weiss, Ralph Alessi, Gerald Cleaver, Ben Street, Drew Gress, Jim Black, Mark Helias, Tony Malaby, and Tim Berne.
His main influences on piano include Keith Jarrett, Bill Evans, and Herbie Hancock.