Xylophonist, Orchestrator, Arranger, Composer, Author, Playwright, Raconteur, and Entertainer Extraordinaire.

In 2020, Ian succumbed to the terrible effects of the COVID-19 virus. Please read the tribute to Ian from the New York Times (click here) telling of his artistic contributions, a tribute from the Musicians Union-802 (click here), and The Percussive Arts Society (click here).

Ian Finkel was regarded as the World’s Greatest Xylophone Virtuoso. He appeared with and wrote for such stars as Tony Bennett, Whitney Houston, Michael Feinstein, Sid Caesar, Ginger Rogers, Tito Puente, Frank Zappa, Larry Gatlin, Martin Mull, and Madeline Kahn to name just a few. He frequently appeared with his late father of Yiddish theater fame, Emmy winning actor Fyvush Finkel.

Highly regarded in the music world, Mr. Finkel had appeared on all the major media outlets, recorded for most record labels and had successful concert tours in Japan, Korea, Canada, Mexico, England, Norway, Puerto Rico, and throughout the U.S. Ian collaborated with Philip Glass and heard his works performed by numerous orchestras, such as the American Symphony Orchestra and the Little Orchestra Society.

Ian played, arranged, produced, directed, or wrote for numerous albums including but not limited to Songs from the Neighborhood (Arrangement, Grammy Award winner), The Boy Next Door (Metropolitan Opera Guild), Damn Yankees (1994 Original Broadway Cast Recording), Triplets—George Hamilton Green’s New Novelty Orchestra, Dames at Sea, Shirley MacLaine Live at the Palace, Johnny H & The Prisoners of Swing, Jonathan Haas – 18^th Century Concertos for Timpani and Orchestra, Evelyn Glennie, Dogs in the Hood—A Holiday Extravaganza, Herschel Fox Sings Yiddish, Hebrew & Cantorial, and produced and soloed on the following – Brother Can You Spare a Dime, This is My Lucky Day, and Fyvush Finkel’s It’s Never Too Late.

Ian performed in and wrote for countless television shows, films, and live performances including (but not limited to): the Jerry Lewis Telethon, Woody Allen’s Radio Days, Michael Feinstein on Broadway, Frank Zappa (The Black Page), The Sid Caesar Show at the Village Vanguard and Broadway, Second Avenue to Broadway, Fyvush Finkel Live, The Urn, Love Laffs with Teri Garr (Lifetime), Martin Mull (Showtime), Read-a-thon with The Sesame Street Players, Rainbow Wars (Academy Award nominee), It’s Up To All Of Us, Sophie Tucker In Person, Addicted to Show Business, Ian Talks—Louie Walks, Nick at Nite Music of Vic Mizzy (Addams Family, Green Acres), IBM Industrials, CNN, condo tours of Florida, and headlined on all the major cruise ship lines.

He has taught master classes and performed at hundreds of colleges across the US and Canada including Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, Peabody, NYU, and Mannes School of Music.

Ian was an accomplished author having written 4 novels, a memoir, a screenplay for television, stage plays, and numerous blogs and essays.

At the time of his passing, he had recently soloed with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, was working on a third solo album, had planned a podcast series, a tour with his Jazz Quartet, and concerts in New York City.

He is legendary and irreplaceable.