John Rangel is a dynamic Composer and Jazz Pianist. He has been a professional musician for almost twenty years. John grew up in a very musical family in New York City. His mother and brother are opera singers and everyone in his family played an instrument. John's grandmother played jazz and taught piano. He attended Hunter High School (a gifted program) and studied at the Eastman School of Music. John also studied Composition with John Corigliano and Jazz Piano with Joanne Brackeen, Kenny Werner, Stanley Cowell, Richie Beirach, and Phil Markowitz. John moved to Los Angeles in the early 90's. He immersed himself in the rich vibrant culture of Leimert Park known as the “African Greenwich Village.” Leimert Park is the center of African-American Arts in LA, brimming with poets, artists, and musicians. This community has been a major influence on John's spiritual intention and musical direction. John Rangel is unique because of his tremendous range of musical experience; Jazz, Classical, Film Music, Pop, Hi-Life, Salsa, Reggae, and Calypso. John Rangel's versatility as a jazz pianist is most evident in his work with the following artists; Nat Adderly, Marcus Printup, Ira Sullivan, Sam Rivers, Ravi Coltrane, Pharaoh Saunders, Sonny Fortune, Zane Musa, Eric Person, Ernie Watts, Sam Most, Azar Lawrence, Phil Ranelin, Scott Whitfield, George Bohannon, Al McKibbon, James Leary, Dr. Art Davis, Nedra Wheeler, Tony Dumas, Dwight Trible, Carmen Bradford, James Torme (son of Mel), Blay Amboley and His Afrikan Jazz Band, Tierney Sutton, Rosemary Clooney, Willie Jones III, Ndugu Chancellor, Sunship Theus, Sherman Ferguson, Ralph Penland, Smitty Smith, Joe La Barbera, Derf Reklaw, and Billy Higgins. Performance highlights include; Carnegie Hall in NY, Royce Hall in LA, Gene Harris Jazz Festival in Idaho, the Playboy Jazz Festival, LA County Museum of Art, MOCA, Central Avenue Jazz Festival, Clearwater Jazz Festival in Florida, Ronnie Scott's in London, Jazz Café in London, North Sea Jazz Festival in the Netherlands, and various venues in Osaka and Tokyo.
