About Mack Grout

I grew up in the Pacific Northwest and have spent most of my life studying, performing, and teaching music. I began playing piano at a young age and was immersed in classical music before discovering jazz as a teenager. The freedom, creativity, and sense of community I found in jazz would go on to shape both my artistic work and my career.
 

After graduating from South Kitsap High School in 2004, I received the Louis Armstrong Jazz Award and scholarships to several music schools, ultimately choosing to attend Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. There, I studied jazz piano performance and composition under mentors including Dave Peck, Denney Goodhew, Chuck Deardorf, Jim Knapp, and Randy Halberstadt, graduating magna cum laude in 2008.
 

Over the years, my work has taken me through a wide range of musical experiences. I've performed throughout the United States and internationally as a pianist, composer, accompanist, bandleader, and musical director. I've worked in concert halls, jazz clubs, recording studios, theaters, and educational settings, collaborating with musicians from many different backgrounds and traditions. Each experience has reinforced my belief that music is not only an artistic pursuit but also a powerful way of bringing people together.
 

Teaching has remained a central part of my work throughout my career. I've taught students of all ages and experience levels, from beginners discovering music for the first time to aspiring professionals preparing for conservatory study and careers in the arts. Many former students have continued their education at leading music schools and universities around the world, while others have simply found a lifelong source of creativity and fulfillment through music.
 

In 2015, after several years living and working abroad as a musical director and performer in Asia, I returned to the Pacific Northwest with a growing vision for jazz education and community building. That vision eventually became Seattle Jazz Academy, a community-centered jazz conservatory dedicated to helping musicians develop their craft, find their artistic voice, and build meaningful connections through music.
 

Today, Seattle Jazz Academy serves hundreds of students and supports a vibrant faculty of professional musicians and educators. In addition to leading the organization, I continue to perform, compose, teach, and develop new educational initiatives, including the expansion of Tacoma Jazz Academy and The Jazz Academy Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on increasing access to jazz education and supporting the broader musical community.
 

Whether I'm performing on stage, working with students, developing educational programs, or supporting community projects, my goal remains the same: to help create spaces where people can learn, grow, and experience the lifelong rewards of making music.

Outside of my professional work, I enjoy spending time with my family and remain an active student of music myself, continually exploring new ideas as a performer, educator, and lifelong learner.