Pianist Mel Goot was born in San Diego, but spent his early years in Mexico City. Self-taught, he later attended San Diego State University where for four years he was the top pianist with the award-winning SDSU Jazz Ensemble. Following college, Mr. Goot gave jazz history presentations and jazz improvisation clinics at both San Diego and Los Angeles area schools under the auspices of the National Endowment for the Arts.
Mr. Goot has appeared at various national and international festivals, including Monterey, San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside, Reno, San Felipe and Tijuana. He has performed numerous West Coast club dates or recording sessions with jazz artists such as Luis Gasca, John Heard, Carol Kaye, Abe Laboriel, Charles McPherson, Bobby Shew and Dave Valentin. Mr. Goot has also performed with big bands behind Solomon Burke, Jerry Lewis, Sammy Davis, Jr. and Steve Allen.
Aside from his work with the NAJ, which he joined in 1995, Mr. Goot remains active performing and recording both as a solo artist and as a pianist with various other area groups and performers.
Mr. Goot has served as adjunct music faculty, most recently at John A. Logan College, and is a frequent clinician and adjudicator at various area jazz competitions, camps and festivals. In 1997, he was voted best keyboardist in the Southern Illinois Music Awards listeners/critics poll.
