John Carlini is an American

jazz guitarist Jazz guitarists are guitarists who play jazz using an approach to chords, melodies, and improvised solo lines which is called jazz guitar playing. The guitar has fulfilled the roles of accompanist ( rhythm guitar) and soloist in small and large ...

and arranger who performs bluegrass and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

. He has performed with David Grisman, mandolin player Don Stiernberg, singer

Bill Robinson Bill Robinson, nicknamed Bojangles (born Luther Robinson; May 25, 1878 – November 25, 1949), was an American tap dancer, actor, and singer, the best known and the most highly paid African-American entertainer in the United States during the f ...

, Bucky Pizzarelli, Rio Clemente, flatpicking guitarist

Tony Rice David Anthony Rice (June 8, 1951 – December 25, 2020), known professionally as Tony Rice, was an American guitarist and bluegrass musician. He was an influential acoustic guitar player in bluegrass, progressive bluegrass, newgrass and a ...

, He is an orchestrator, conductor, and five-string banjo player. He formed the John Carlini Trio in 2000.

Career

Carlini's father was a violinist for the

New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...

and his mother was a

concert pianist A pianist ( , ) is an individual musician who plays the piano. Since most forms of Western music can make use of the piano, pianists have a wide repertoire and a wide variety of styles to choose from, among them traditional classical music, ja ...

. Carlini served in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

and enrolled in the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He formed a friendship with David Grisman and was the musical director for Grisman's quartet. He appeared in the movie ''King of the Gypsies'' as a guitarist with violinist

Stephane Grappelli Stephane may refer to: * Stéphane, a French given name * Stephane (Ancient Greece), a vestment in ancient Greece * Stephane (Paphlagonia) Stephane ( grc, Στεφάνη) was a small port town on the coast of ancient Paphlagonia, according to Arr ...

. He went on tour for eight seasons as musical director of the

Ice Capades The Ice Capades were traveling entertainment shows featuring theatrical ice skating performances. Shows often featured former Olympic and US National Champion figure skaters who had retired from formal competition. Started in 1940, the Ice Cap ...

. He orchestrated the off-Broadway musical ''Song of Singapore''. He has worked with mandolinist and guitarist Todd Collins to create a jazz-bluegrass hybrid in their group ''Over the Edge''. In addition, Carlini has played with the Nashville Mandolin Ensemble and was nominated in two categories for the 1997 Nashville Music Awards.Staff
"Music Best Bets"
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Courier News (New Jersey) The ''Courier News'' is a daily newspaper headquartered in Somerville, New Jersey, that serves Somerset County and other areas of Central Jersey. The paper has been owned by Gannett since 1927. Notable employees *John Curley, former presid ...

'', May 8, 2003. Accessed February 27, 2011. "Jazz and progressive bluegrass great John Carlini of Berkeley Heights will perform with his quartet Friday at Watchung Arts Center, 18 Stirling Road."

Music reviews

''All About Jazz'' music reviewer C. Michael Bailey wrote that he had "considerable guitar skills" and music critic Ronnie Lankford in ''All Music Guide'' wrote that his ''River Suite for Two Guitars'', in which Carlini performed with

, was "amazing how much lead work these two guitarists can fit into a two-minute song like ''Banister River''". Critic Roman St. James in JazzReview.com wrote that Carlini and his band combine "the best elements of both jazz and bluegrass music" and that the "unlikely pairing" works well.

Discography

* ''River Suite for Two Guitars'' with Tony Rice (Sugar Hill, 1995) * ''A Christmas Gift'' with Bill Robinson (Orchard, 2000) * ''The Game's Afoot'' (FGM, 2005) * ''By George'' with Don Stiernberg (Blue Night, 2005) * ''Further Adventures'' (Blue Night, 2007)

References

External links

John Carlini website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carlini, John Living people American bluegrass guitarists American male guitarists American jazz guitarists American music arrangers People from Berkeley Heights, New Jersey American jazz banjoists Country musicians from New Jersey American male jazz musicians Year of birth missing (living people) David Grisman Quintet members