MJ Santos

Born into a musical family, MJ Santos, is a jazz piano player and composer. A recent graduate of Oakland School for the Arts (OSA), he will be attending The New School Jazz Studies Program in the fall of 2026. He has attended many years of jazz camps and institutes, has won awards and scholarships for music excellence, and was a jazz piano alternate for the National Youth Orchestra of Jazz at Carnegie Hall. He has studied with a great array of jazz musicians such as Taylor Eigsti, Randy Porter, Sullivan Fortner, Art Lande, John Santos, Elio Villafranca, George Cables, John Hatamiya, Omar Sosa, Jovino Santos Neto, Allison Miller, Ellen Rowe, Kev Choice, Dan Parenti, and Josh Jones, among many others. He is currently in the Artist Development Program with Follow the Music, a non-profit organization helping young Oakland-based musicians launch their careers. Pianist Arturo O'Farril said of MJ recently, "He plays masterfully and has a technical facility rare in young musicians. He has a sophisticated sense of harmony and a mature approach to his improvisation."