Pianist and composer Dan Tepfer was born in France to American parents. At six years old, he began studying classical music at the Conservatoire Paul Dukas, in Paris. Gifted in improvisation, he developed an interest in jazz. In 2005, after acquiring a master's degree from the New England Conservatory under the guidance of Danilo Perez, Tepfer moved to New York to start his career. In addition to performing, he started to record under his own name. His first album as leader was Before the Storm (2005). As of 2007, Tepfer teamed up, on stage and in studio, with saxophonist Lee Konitz. In 2009, he released the disc Duos with Lee. Five Pedals Deep came out in 2010, under the name The Dan Tepfer Trio.