John Colianni - Jazz Brunch December 16, 2007

Currently
John Colianni is featured with guitarist Les Paul and his Quintet, appearing weekly (Monday nights) at The Iridium Jazz Club in New York City. These steady engagements are interspersed with Tours of the United Kingdom, and other regions.

Please go to the Itinerary page for a complete listing of John Colianni's scheduled performances.

There are 3 albums by John Colianni on the Concord label, as well as releases on other labels.
Please go to the Recordings page for more information.

Professionally based in New York, John resides in Northern New Jersey, with his son, Torre.

Background and Past Performances

John Colianni grew up in the Washington, D.C. metro area, and first heard Jazz on swing-era LP re-issues (Ellington, Goodman, Jimmie Lunceford, Count Basie, etc.) in his parent's home. A performance by Teddy Wilson in Washington attended by John when he was about 12 years old also left a strong impression, as did a Duke Ellington performance (more later).

Piano Instruction

Showing keyboard aptitude, a suitable teacher for John was sought out by his parents. Local musicians recommended Les Karr, who, in addition to teaching , was well known as an outstanding pianist. Weekly lessons with Les Karr began in the 8th Grade, when John was 14. Les Karr himself studied under Teddy Wilson at Juilliard in NYC. Les was also the first cousin of pianist Dick Hyman.

For John's lessons, Les emphasized technique, and introduced studies of the Mathe' System, a method that advances digital dexterity and maximizes the capacity for speedy, high-velocity piano playing. John Colianni, noted for fleet "chops", cites the important role these exercises play.

Around Washington

Still in High School, Colianni began playing piano professionally on the Washington, D.C. Jazz scene, which, during that period included a number of colorful Jazz clubs like The Pigfoot, Mr. Y's Gold Room, One Step Down, Blues Alley, The Bayou, The Famous Balloom (Baltimore), Frankie Condon's (Rockville), and other establishments.

These were Colianni's first performance venues, and he played among veteran DC musicians like Ella Fitzgerald's bassist Keter Betts (who recruited 16 year-old John for the revue "Jazz Stars Of The Future"), pianist John Malachi (Billy Eckstine/Dizzy Gillespie), tenor saxist Antoine Roney, bassist Steve Novosel, arranger Bill Potts, and others. Jazz Studies Director George Ross invited JC, still in 10th Grade, to play regularly with the University of Maryland Jazz Ensemble.

There was an event that took place years earlier, which perhaps helped set the stage for John's interest and involvement in the music world: Duke Ellington, the most celebrated musician to ever come from Washington DC, passed through town with his Orchestra on a tour during his latter period. Colianni, very young at the time, was mesmerized and electrified by the concert, and afterwards presented Duke a copy of the Ellington autobiography "Music Is My Mistress", which Duke signed with a personalized message

Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of clmgarage.