Home » Jazz Musicians » John Colianni

John Colianni

PIANIST JOHN COLIANNI - BIOGRAPHY
John Colianni is a pianist-arranger-composer, based in Philadelphia and NYC. Raised in suburban Maryland, John was a pupil of Lester Karr, who imparted Classical technique with studies of the Matthay method. John duly came to the attention of Ella Fitzgerald's bassist Keter Betts, who guided the young pianist  - still a teen - to his first professonal gigs (1970s-80s).  There followed a three-year stint, touring internationally and recording, with Jazz great Lionel Hampton's orchestra.  Shortly thereafter, John was finalist and cash prize winner in the 1st Thelonus Monk Piano Competition. In quick succession, Colianni was then signed with Concord Records (for whom he released three albums), then did a stint with film icon Woody Allen's traditional Jazz band (1980s). In 1991, John was then hired by Jazz vocal great Mel Torme,  touring and recording with Mel for a period of five years (1990s). In the 2000s, John was featured in the trio of  guitar great Les Paul, from 2003 til Les's death in 2009. During this period John also recorded and performed with Jazz vocalist Anita O'Day. John then toured for over a year each with Steve Miller ("Fly Like An Eagle") and guitarist Larry Coryell (2010s). Presently, John tours and records with his own Trio and Big Band, with cd releases on various US and European labels (2021 release: "Ahead Of The Crowd", Patuxent Records). John was also house pianist on the MSNBC program "Late Night W Dan Abrams", and can be heard on the score of the feature film "Revolutionary Road."

Awards

Thelonius Monk Piano Competition - Cash Prize Winner 


Tags

147

Performance / Tour

"Johnny Chops" Colianni at Knickerbocker in NYC on January 16-17

"Johnny Chops" Colianni at Knickerbocker in NYC on January 16-17

Source: JM Creative


193

Performance / Tour

Les Paul's Pianist, John "Johnny Chops" Colianni, Returns from Swiss Piano Festival with High Praise

Les Paul's Pianist, John "Johnny Chops" Colianni, Returns from Swiss Piano Festival with High Praise

Source: JM Creative

John “Johnny Chops" Colianni, Swings Heavy at the Lucerne Piano Off-Stage Festival 2008 and gains critical acclaim for his performance: ENGLISH ARTICLE TRANSLATION FROM GERMAN Neue Luzerner Zeitung November 11, 2008 By David Koch Eleven pianists brilliantly open the “Piano Off-Stage.” They all played good, stylish jazz, but one swung above the others. “Piano Off-Stage”—the piano festival in a festival. Eleven pianists... took part this year, and as an opener, each artist ...

148

Performance / Tour

Les Paul's Pianist, John "Johnny Chops" Colianni CD Release Party at the Iridium on November 11th

Les Paul's Pianist, John "Johnny Chops" Colianni CD Release Party at the Iridium on November 11th

Source: JM Creative

Fresh off a recent appearance last month on “The Jazz Life" Radio Show, John “Johnny Chops" Colianni, pianist for Guitar Legend Les Paul, is hosting his own CD release Party at the Iridium Jazz on Tuesday, November 11th to support his new international release: Johnny Chops on Patuxent Music. “John is one of the hottest, yet unheard jazz pianists on the scene today. We definitely need to be hearing more from Johnny Chops! That's exactly why I invited him out ...

Read what the jazz world has to say about John… “Tremendous piano jazz … a phenomenal show stopper … technical skill, warmth, application and understanding.” Jazz Journal International (London) “He has a smooth, light-touch style. He flies easily through intricate right-hand melodic lines, and improvises on them, and roams the bass clef with his left hand, combining basic and offbeat rhythms with rich, melodic chord patterns. His left hand harmonic structures are most impressive.” San Francisco Examiner “Consummate piano virtuoso … truly individual voice … unerring sense of sophisticated swing.” Jazz Times “Colianni's sound and conception is American to the bone; from New Orleans boogie through to jump blues, stride and Basie swing, he not only knew them all but frequently sounded like he was playing all of them at once.” The Guardian (England) “He is the essence of a swinging pianist … a sudden flurry of complex runs can be finished before the listener is fully aware of what is happening.” The New York Times “Impeccably disciplined, a limitless cauldron full of ideas … eye-opening intensity … effortless swing - Tatumesque.” Toronto Star “The best you'll ever hear.” Mel Torme "The essence of a swinging pianist … a sudden flurry of complex runs can be finished before the listener is fully aware of what is happening." The New York Times "Acoustic modernist absorbing the pianism of Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson." Jazziz “A brilliant pianist, composer, arranger with exquisite taste, great technique, charming, witty, he has much to bring to the table” and he's got rhythm

Read more

Photos

Music

Videos

Similar

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.