Currently, pianist John Colianni is featured with the Les Paul Trio, appearing Monday nights at The Iridium, carrying on Les Paul‘s long-time gig. John also appears with his own group, The John Colianni Quintet, around New York (at clubs like Smalls and the Knickerbocker, and regularly at The Garage Restaurant’s Sunday Jazz Brunch), and on the road. Solo piano gigs and guest appearances are also on the schedule. Past gigs include a four and ½ year engagement (1991-1995) as Mel Torme’s pianist, touring internationally. John recorded six albums with Mel. A few years earlier, John was in Lionel Hampton’s Orchestra, touring and recording for three years (1980s). Between these two stints, John was a cash-prizewinner in the 1st International Thelonius Monk Piano Competition.

John's new CD, "Quintet Sounds," produced and distributed by Patuxent Records (Rockville, Md.), is JC's second release for this label, to be released in February 2011. Also coming out in 2011: “Triology”, (also on Patuxent Records), featuring John with Larry Coryell’s Trio. There are also three releases on Concord Jazz - “John Colianni”, “Blues-O-Matic”; and “Live At Maybeck, Vol. 37”. John Colianni is a Baldwin Piano

johncolianni.com/

"Tremendous piano jazz … a phenomenal show stopper … technical skill, warmth, application and understanding." – Jazz Journal International (London)

"Intriguing, eclectic" – Billboard

"e 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

"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

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. Who could ask for anything more?" – Jimmy Woode, bassist with Duke Ellington

"Just dig it" – Lionel Hampton