John Colianni (born 1966) is an American

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 ...

pianist.

Early life

The son of Patricia Colaianni and journalist James F. Colaianni, John Colianni was born in Paterson, New Jersey on January 7, 1966 and grew up in Maryland. Duke Ellington performed a concert in 1974 at Georgetown University. Colianni was mesmerized by Ellington's piano work, orchestrations, and stage presence. Weekly lessons began at the age of 14.

Career

Colianni played in jazz clubs in Washington D.C., and appeared as a teen with a traveling group of young musicians known as Jazz Stars of the Future. This group performed under the direction of

Keter Betts William Thomas "Keter" Betts (July 22, 1928 – August 6, 2005) was an American jazz double bassist. Early life and education Born in Port Chester, New York, he was nicknamed "Keter", a short form of the word mosquito. He graduated from Port ...

. During his last year of high school, Colianni moved to New Jersey with his family. He became a pianist in Lionel Hampton's big band for three years. His debut album was released by Concord Records. In 1987, he came in third in the 1987 Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz International Piano Competition in From 1987–1990 he played with film director and clarinetist

Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...

's Ragtime and Funeral Orchestra. He recorded with Mel Tormé and toured with him in the early 1990s. From 2003–2009 he was a trio led by guitarist Les Paul. From 2010–2013 he toured and recorded with the trio of Larry Coryell. In 2004 he worked with vocalist

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. He has recorded with

Joe Wilder Joseph Benjamin Wilder (February 22, 1922 – May 9, 2014) was an American jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer. Wilder was awarded the Temple University Jazz Master's Hall of Fame Award in 2006. The National Endowment for the Arts honored h ...

Connie Kay Conrad Henry Kirnon (April 27, 1927 – November 30, 1994) known professionally as Connie Kay, was an American jazz and R&B drummer, who was a member of the Modern Jazz Quartet. Self-taught on drums, he began performing in Los Angeles in the mid ...

Emily Remler Emily Remler (September 18, 1957 – May 4, 1990) was an American jazz guitarist, active from the late 1970s until her death in 1990. Early life and influences Born in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey,Staff"Emily Remler Dies On Australia Tour; Gui ...

Mel Lewis Melvin Sokoloff (May 10, 1929 – February 2, 1990), known professionally as Mel Lewis, was an American jazz drummer, session musician, professor, and author. He received fourteen Grammy Award nominations. Biography Early years Lewis was ...

, and

Lew Tabackin Lewis Barry Tabackin (born March 26, 1940) is an American jazz tenor saxophonist and flutist. He is married to pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi with whom he has co-led large ensembles since the 1970s. Biography Tabackin started learning flute at age ...

Discography

As leader

* ''John Colianni'' (Concord Jazz, 1986) * ''Blues-o-Matic'' (Concord Jazz, 1989) * ''At Maybeck'' (Concord Jazz, 1995) * ''Colianni & Company'' (1998) * ''Swings'' (Amosaya, 1999) * ''Johnny Chops'' (Patuxent, 2008) * ''On Target'' (Patuxent, 2011) * ''After Hours'' (Patuxent, 2015) * ''I Never Knew'' (Patuxent, 2018) * ''Ahead of the Crowd'' (Patuxent, 2021)

As sideman

With

Mel Torme Mel, Mels or MEL may refer to: Biology * Mouse erythroleukemia cell line (MEL) * National Herbarium of Victoria, a herbarium with the Index Herbariorum code MEL People * Mel (given name), the abbreviated version of several given names (including ...

* ''Christmas Songs'' (Telarc, 1992) * ''Nothing Without You'' (Concord Jazz, 1992) * ''Sing, Sing, Sing'' (Concord Jazz, 1993) * ''The Great American Songbook: Live at Michael's Pub'' (Telarc, 1993) * ''A Tribute to Bing Crosby'' (Concord Jazz, 1994) With others *

Muriel Anderson Muriel Anderson (born June 17, 1960) is an American fingerstyle guitarist and harp guitarist who plays in many genres. She is the first woman to win the National Fingerpicking Guitar Championship. Career Muriel Anderson was born in Downers Grove ...

, ''Wildcat'' (Heartstrings Attached, 2005) * Larry Coryell, ''Montgomery'' (Patuxent, 2011) * Lionel Hampton, ''Made in Japan'' (Timeless, 1983) * Lionel Hampton, ''Mostly Ballads'' (Musicmasters, 1990)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Colianni, John 1963 births 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century American pianists American jazz pianists American male pianists American male jazz musicians Living people Musicians from Paterson, New Jersey