Pianist Thomas Rückert (b.1970 Würzburg, Germany) was born into a musical family, and started piano lessons at the age of seven. Beginning in1990 Rückert studied with Rainer Brüninghaus and John Taylor at the Cologne University of Music. In 1999 Rückert moved to New York, and has since then worked with such top musicians as Lee Konitz, Mark Johnson, Mark Murphy, Tony Lakatos, Randy Brecker, Adam Nussbaum, Ack van Royen, and John Goldsby. His trios have included his well-known brother drummer Jochen Rueckert and bassists Matt Penman and Matthias Pichler.  Rückert teaches at several music conservatories including the Folkwang Musikhochschule in Essen, Germany.