A.J. Khaw is a Philadelphia-based musician whose artistry transcends borders. From the jazz clubs of Mexico to South African churches to performances across the United States, he has brought his music to audiences around the world. A pianist, organist, composer, accompanist, and educator, A.J. thrives on collaboration—working with musicians, dancers, visual artists, and storytellers to inspire social change and amplify voices too often unheard.
He is the co-creator and music director of Honor and Heal, an innovative project that intertwines music, dance, and poetry through choreopoems to foster community and trust among justice-impacted groups and law enforcement. His performances include the Immersive Elocution of Literature exhibition at Princeton University and Embodied Cognition in the Audre Lorde Archive collaboration at Spelman College. He took the stage in Times Square for Battle Champs at the 50th Anniversary of Hip Hop showcase.
A.J.’s work in theater is equally compelling. He served as Music Director for Diedre Murray’s score in Soil Beneath: An Empirical Decay (2020), an off-Broadway production by Chesney Snow at Primary Stages. He co-composed the score for Snow’s choreopoem, The Unwritten Law, and has performed in the show since its debut in 2017, later directing its music development workshop at Two River Theater. His collaborative spirit has led him to work with Playback Memphis and Playback for Change, playwright Dennis Moritz, soprano Gian-Carla Tisera (Luminosa Project), singer-songwriter Lucas Kane Hall, and alt-Americana artist Dylan Charles. He has also played with Brooklyn-based bands We are Warriors and Hollow Engine.
A.J.’s musical journey is rich with diverse influences. In Miami, he played with several Latin pop groups and founded two jazz ensembles—Sonido Batido and Rana Prieta Latin Jazz Project, fusing Latin and Caribbean elements into their sound. He also produced Sonido Batido’s album, Journey of the Refugee, a project deeply rooted in themes of social justice. In Atlanta, he established the jazz/funk quartet Jazznomad, performed in classical chamber ensembles, and was the house pianist at the renowned Churchill Grounds Jazz Club.
A.J.’s passion for music started early—he began studying piano at five, took up the organ at eleven, and by twelve, he was already serving as a church organist. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music, summa cum laude, from Emory University, and later, a Medical Doctorate, cum laude, from Morehouse School of Medicine.
For more about his work, visit ajkhaw.com
