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Bill Champitto

Bill Champitto is a fiery Boston-based singer/songwriter/pianist and Hammond B3 organist whose music was aptly defined by an ardent web fan as “Soul, Funkified Jazz.”

Originally from Troy, New York, Bill started playing keyboards by ear at age 15 when two of his closest friends received a drum set and a guitar for Christmas gifts.

“My friends started to woodshed in their pool house and when I went over to check it out, I was immediately hooked! I had to be part of this!”

“One of these guys suggested I play bass, so we found a ‘gently used’ bass for $5.00 and suddenly, we had a trio.” But after a couple of weeks the group found someone who ‘could actually PLAY bass’ so Bill had to give up his gig. That's when Bill found a tabletop organ (or perhaps it found him) and a quartet was formed.

Bill devoured everything by ear--taping tons of music and woodshedding until he got it right. He even convinced the pastor of the local St. Jude Catholic Church to allow him to practice on the church's big Hammond B3.

“The nuns would chase me away, but the pastor was cool with it. I’d learn Santana solos on this organ and rock out the otherwise tranquil church,” says Bill.

Bill had great ears, no doubt and he quickly earned an audition with a local club band.

“Music saved my life. At the time I was hanging out in an area surrounded by lots of drugs and gangs and such, but music took me in another direction.”

Being self-taught, Bill picked up everything he could from the wide variety of the players he worked with, including jazz standards, jazz fusion, reggae, Southern rock, blues, alternative rock and Latin styles.

“My first real gig was in a club on Troy's then undeveloped Hudson River waterfront, called Sutter’s Mining Company. I had just landed a gig with a seven piece band named Stage where the seven of us split the cover charges from the door! I was 15 years old performing in this packed club but what I remember most was being served drinks by waitresses that wore nothing under their unbuttoned black leather vests. It was very educational!”

Stage lasted in the greater Albany/Troy/Syracuse area for several years, and after a breakup in '78, transformed into a band called Click. Click was a high-energy band that toured extensively and at one time opened for Spyro Gyra as well as Santana. The well-rehearsed, tight cover band performed all the great late ‘70s material from Tower of Power, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chicago, Blood Sweat & Tears and the like. Bill was rocking the band out with his powerhouse vocals and keyboard skills from the late ‘70s to the early ‘80s.

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Singer/Pianist/Composer Bill Champitto Releases New CD; Has Show at Scullers May 12

Singer/Pianist/Composer Bill Champitto Releases New CD; Has Show at Scullers May 12

Source: Sue Auclair Promotions

In the fall of 2008, Bill Champitto entered and won The Dimock Center’s Steppin' Out with the Stars Talent Search, which put him on the main stage alongside the great Lalah Hathaway at Boston's most anticipated annual fundraising gala for the Dimock Center. This gave a powerful push to his career.

Champitto is now scheduled to perform at Scullers Jazz Club on Tuesday, May 12 at 8:00 p.m. In conjunction with his appearance, Bill will also release a funky new ...

"A Better Way" Wonderfully funky vibe, this has a great feel indeed. Thoughtful lyrics and arrangement. Excellent work. 16th Annual Billboard Magazine Song Contest (2009)

“Masterful.…. well crafted and excellent... Bill has a soulful voice filled with a great ebb and flow. His vocals are tight and thoughtful. Its a great R&B … may be the best I have heard.“ The J from GarageBand.com, Sept 2008

Chosen as Best Male Vocals in Jazz,, Best Keyboards overall, Best Beat in Jazz by GarageBand.com reviewers. Sept 2008

“passion and commitment �" this music is about picking one thing and doing it better than anyone else… Bill knows what he is doing, is soulful and jazzy….”

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Primary Instrument

Piano

Willing to teach

Advanced only

Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Bounce

Self Produced
2009

buy

Living Tree

From: Bounce
By Bill Champitto

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