Jeff Babko

Southern California native Jeff Babko is most recognized for his 22+ year stint as keyboardist, musical arranger, and on air musical foil at ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, his long association as the “third musical amigo” on the Steve Martin/Martin Short live tour and Netflix special, and as a recording session musician on countless records, television and films.

Babko returned from the University of Miami Frost School of Music to begin a touring and recording career based in Los Angeles, beginning with a 3 year world tour with Julio Iglesias  right out out of school.  He then shifted to a touring and recording stint with drummer Simon Phillips’ band, culminating with a Babko/Phillips co-led “jazz” album in 2000, “Vantage Point.”  This connection would lead to a world tour with legendary L.A. band TOTO with Babko acting as founder/keyboardist David Paich’s first ever substitute.  After touring Asia with Phillips and Toto guitarist Steve Lukather with their collaborative “supergroup” Doves of Fire, Babko would collaborate with Lukather playing, arranging and co-writing on three albums including the underground Christmas classic Santamental, featuring the late Eddie Van Halen.

In 1999, Babko began his regular on-and-off camera television work, first on the syndicated “Martin Short Show” in the house band and as composer, then the “Wayne Brady Show,” and starting at its debut in 2003, Jimmy Kimmel Live.  Work with Mr. Short led to becoming his musical director and touring pianist for the ongoing Steve Martin/Martin Short tour, including appearing on their Netflix special “An Evening You Will Forget For The Rest Of Your Life”.

In 2003, Babko also began an intermittent 20+ year touring and recording with James Taylor, appearing on his Covers record, and performing for Barack Obama at the White House and the 2012 DNC, as well as headlining Red Rocks, Fenway Park, and Wrigley Field.

Throughout his television career, Babko has found time for tours, a live video concert and recording with Sheryl Crow, recording with The Doobie Brothers, Tim McGraw, Jason Mraz, Steve Perry (co-writing the song “We Fly”), Neil Young, Smokey Robinson, Frank Ocean, Joe Bonamassa, and Maná among others. In 2024, Babko stepped in for the last recorded shows (thus far!) With Steely Dan.

Babko is also a constant in the scoring session world, with his most iconic showing being Encanto, including the memorable piano on the #1 hit “We Don’t Talk About Bruno.”  You’ve also heard Jeff on scores for A Complete Unknown, The Color Purple, The 40 Year Old Virgin, Superbad, Frozen 2, Toy Story 4, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon for composer Robbie Robertson, Deadpool 2, Tenet, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, the “Madea” series, and Ford Vs. Ferrari.

In the television and streaming realm, you’ve heard Babko on scores for Arrested Development, Fargo, Better Things, and Cobra Kai.  He’s also appeared on camera as a pianist in Netflix’s Wine Country with Maya Rudolph and Tina Fey, Better Things with viral pioneer Randy Rainbow, The Drew Carey Show, and in an upcoming episode of the Emmy award winner, Hacks with Randy Newman.

Babko has released 4 of his own albums, as well as albums with his band “CLAM CITY” featuring drummer Mark Guiliana and bassist Tim Lefebvre, and collective crossover group Band Of Other Brothers with members of the Dave Matthews Band and Steely Dan, releasing their holiday album This Year At Christmas in 2024.  His live duo album with bassist David Piltch, “The Libretto Show”, was released in 2023.  In addition, session drum legend Steve Gadd invited Babko to be a member of the Steve Gadd Band, touring the US and Japan.  He is also a member of the top tier band for the all-star annual “Love Rocks” benefit shows at the Beacon Theater in New York City, having backed up Dave Grohl, Nile Rogers & CHIC, Hozier and others.

Every week, you can hear Babko banter with program director/DJ Brad Barker on Toronto’s JazzFM hosting their long running radio show, “The View From LA,” where Babko has interviewed many notables of Hollywood and jazz/pop/session music.