Born in San Jose, California, Ted grew up in the Bay Area and began playing piano in the second grade. His passion for jazz was sparked in the seventh grade when his music teacher introduced him to a recording of Oscar Peterson.

From 1979 to 1982, Ted studied jazz performance at San Jose State College. In his twenties, he traveled extensively—performing as a pianist aboard cruise ships throughout the Far East, South Pacific, Africa, Mediterranean, Caribbean, and South America.

In 1987, Ted relocated to New York City, where he has since built a dynamic career as a freelance musician. His work includes jazz performances, Broadway shows, national and international tours, and music education.

Ted has collaborated with legendary artists such as Aretha Franklin, Chuck Berry, Edgar Winter, Marvin Hamlisch, Sarah Brightman, Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Il Divo. His Broadway credits include Mamma Mia, The Lion King, Aida, Come Fly Away, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Spamalot. He has also performed at major jazz festivals including the Detroit Jazz Festival, Syracuse Jazz Festival, Sun Valley Jazz Festival, and the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, as well as international festivals in Germany, Estonia, Lithuania, and Latvia.

In 2007, Ted completed the Bachelor of Arts in Music degree he began years earlier in San Jose. In addition to leading his own ensembles and projects, he is an active member of several New York-based bands and has been a core member of the Ed Palermo Big Band since 1994.

From 2012 to 2025, Ted held a longstanding solo piano residency at Center Bar, located just one floor below Jazz at Lincoln Center in the Time Warner Center, performing five nights a week.