Digba Ogunbiyi’s music emerges from the cross-current of West African rhythmic nuances and American jazz improvisation — a language developed during his formative years in Lagos and sharpened through over a decade of performance, study, and collaboration.
Formally trained in both Nigeria and the U.S., he holds a Doctorate from the Eastman School of Music and is a recipient of the Steinway & Sons Piano Proficiency Award and Eastman’s Ray Wright Prize for artistry that bridges tradition and innovation. His debut Ade’digba established him as a defining voice for West African musicians in the global jazz scene. Stay Still, released May 2026, extends that work into deeper questions of displacement, memory, and return.
He has performed alongside John Benitez, Anthony Tidd, Clay Jenkins, and opened for Abdullah Ibrahim at Jazz at Lincoln Center in 2025. As a bandleader and solo artist, he has appeared at the Rochester International Jazz Festival and headlined at premier jazz venues including Dizzy’s Club and Chris’ Jazz Café.
Now based in Philadelphia, Ogunbiyi serves on the faculty at Syracuse University, where he mentors the next generation of improvisers through private jazz piano instruction, directs small and large ensembles, and designs curriculum at the intersection of global rhythm and American jazz pedagogy.