About Jared

Jared Tinkham is a captivating Guitarist, Composer, Arranger, and Educator originally from Rochester, NY. An active professional performer, Jared plays Jazz Guitar several times a week in Western New York (WNY) as a bandleader and as a sideman. Jared has performed with all the top Jazz musicians in the area, including Bobby Militello, George Caldwell, Mark Filsinger, Elliot Scozzaro, Brendan Lanighan, John Aaron Troy, Tim Clarke, Griffith Kazmierczak, Greg Millar, Paul LaDuca, and more. 

Jared became obsessed with guitar at the age of 14, which drove him to practice relentlessly, join several local bands, and ultimately, pursue music as his career. Jared’s diverse background in music ranges from Heavy Metal and Punk, to Classical, Jazz, Funk, and Hip-Hop. He is a member of several local music groups such as Jazz Caché, Buffalo Jazz Composers Workshop, John Bacon Quintet, Cammy Enaharo, and more. In addition, Jared leads his own Jazz Quartet Tetragon that performs some of his favorite Jazz standards and original compositions. You can find Jared playing at almost any venue in Buffalo.

 Jared has also performed in several Jazz festivals in WNY including the Northwest Jazz Festival (formerly known as the Lewiston Jazz Festival), Olcott Jazz Festival, Queen City Jazz Festival, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Masten Jazz Festival, Nietzsche’s Jazz Festival, Lilac Festival, and more. In 2023, Jared was featured on the John Bacon Quintet’s album Revolution Blues, where two of his original compositions, Shadows and Goodbye, were featured on the album. Jared is an ASCAP artist, meaning his original compositions are registered with the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.

Jared’s reputation earned him the Best Jazz Guitarist award from Jazz Buffalo in both 2015 and 2022. Before becoming the first call for Jazz Guitar in Buffalo, Jared had the privilege of studying with many incredible teachers such as Bob Sneider, Max Light, Steve Greene, Craig Snyder, and Mark Filsinger.

Since 2015, Jared has been teaching Guitar Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Jazz Theory, and group lessons to grades 5-12 at the Buffalo Academy for Visual and Performing Arts (BAVPA), where he has also been leading the music program as the Music Department Chair since 2023. Jared also composes and arranges pieces for all his ensembles at BAVPA. Jared received the Instrumental Music Educator of the Year Award from SUNY Buffalo State University in 2023, and was named a finalist for the Excellence in Education Awards in 2024, representing Buffalo Public Schools.

Jared earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education from SUNY Buffalo State University in 2015 and 2017 respectively, graduating Summa Cum Laude for each. Jared currently resides in Buffalo, NY, where he is also still active as a private teacher as well, running his own guitar studio out of North Buffalo. Jared has led masterclasses for prominent events such as the 2024 International Buffalo Guitar Festival, and most recently (July 2024), Jared toured the east coast, traveling across nine states for two weeks with singer-songwriter Cammy Enaharo, playing in several exclusive clubs and venues, including a live taping at RadioLive (WUWF) in Pensacola, FL.