View source for James Chirillo

{{Short description|American jazz musician}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = James Chirillo
| image           = James Chirillo.jpg
| image_size      = 250
| landscape       = yes
| caption         = Chirillo with the [[Kenny Davern]] All Stars at the 2004 [[Brecon Jazz Festival|Breçon Jazz Festival]] (photo: Barry Quick)
| birth_name      = James Louis Chirillo
| birth_date      = {{birth date and age|1953|5|2|mf=y}}
| birth_place     = [[Waltham, Massachusetts|Waltham]], Massachusetts, U.S.
| genre           = [[Jazz]], [[big band]], [[Swing music|swing]], [[classical music|classical]]
| occupation      = Musician
| instrument      = Guitar
| years_active    = 1974 &ndash; present
| label           =
| associated_acts =
| website         = {{URL|james.chirillo.com}}
{{Infobox military person
   |embed        = yes
   |embed_title  = Military service
   |allegiance   = {{flag|United States|1912}}
   |branch       = {{Army|United States|size=23px}}
   |serviceyears = 1979–1982
   |rank         = 
   |unit         = [[West Point Band|USMA Band]]
   |battles      = 
   |awards       = 
}}
}}

'''James Louis Chirillo''' (born May 2, 1953) is an American jazz guitarist, banjoist, composer, arranger, and band leader.<ref name="Grove 2002" />

== Career ==
From 1977 to 1979, Chirillo performed regularly with singers [[Marilyn Maye]], [[Vic Damone]], [[Joey Heatherton]], [[Lorna Luft]], and pianist [[Roger Williams (pianist)|Roger Williams]].  From 1979 to 1982, he was a member of [[The Jazz Knights]] at [[West Point]], the jazz ensemble of the [[United States Military Academy Band]], a premier band of the United States armed forces. In 1982, he moved to [[New York City]]. He studied and performed with [[Tiny Grimes]]. From 1985 to 1986, he was a member of [[Benny Goodman]]'s last band. From 1987 to 1991, he was a member of the [[Buck Clayton]] Orchestra and toured Europe in July 1991. He performed with [[Claude Williams (musician)|Claude Williams]] in President [[Bill Clinton]]'s inaugural festivities, with [[Bob Wilber]] and the [[Carnegie Hall Jazz Band]], [[Benny Carter]], and the [[Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra]] directed by [[Wynton Marsalis]]. From 1992 to 1999 he was a charter member of the [[Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra]], directed by [[Gunther Schuller]] and [[David Baker (composer)|David Baker]].

== Education ==
In 1976, with the [[One O'Clock Lab Band]], Chirillo toured the Soviet Union (Moscow, Volgograd, and Yerevan), Portugal, and England — 5 cities, 25 concerts, 77 encores, 82,800 attendees. The tour was sponsored by the US Department of State as part of a US Bicentennial goodwill arts outreach. NBC broadcast the July 4 concert live from Moscow as part of its US Bicentennial commemorative. While on tour, members of the band held jam sessions with musicians from Moscow, Volgograd, and Yerevan.<ref name="DRC 1976 Jul 11" /><ref name="DRC 1976 Oct 10" />

After college, Chirillo studied composition and arranging with [[John Carisi]] and [[Bill Finegan]]. He also studied guitar with [[Remo Palmier]].<ref name="Helen Hobbs Jordan" group=lower-alpha /><ref name="NYTs 2006, Apr 28" /><ref name="NYTs 2005 Jan 19" />

== Discography ==
===As leader===
* ''Sultry Serenade'' (Nagel Heyer, 2000)

===As sideman===
'''With [[Kenny Davern]]'''
* ''[[At the Mill Hill Playhouse]]'' (Arbors, 2003)
* ''[[In Concert at the Outpost Performance Space, Albuquerque 2004]]'' (Arbors, 2005)
* ''[[Dialogues (Kenny Davern album)|Dialogues]]'' (Arbors, 2007)

'''With [[One O'Clock Lab Band]]'''
* ''Lab '76'' (NTSU Jazz, 1976)<ref name="Grammy 75 & 76" group=lower-alpha />
* ''Lab '77'' (NTSU Jazz, 1977)<ref name="DRC 1977 Dec 8" /><ref name="Grammy 75 & 76" group=lower-alpha />
* ''Jazz at Spoleto '77 Left Bank'' (Jazz Society 1978)
* ''Lab '78'' (NTSU Jazz, 1978)

'''With [[Houston Person]]'''
* ''[[Thinking of You (Houston Person album)|Thinking of You]]'' (HighNote, 2007)
* ''[[Mellow (Houston Person album)|Mellow]]'' (HighNote, 2009)
* ''[[Something Personal (Houston Person album)|Something Personal]]'' (HighNote, 2015)

'''With others'''
* [[Eddie Bert]], ''Walk on the Roots'' (Mothlight Music, 1993)
* [[Dan Block]], ''Plays the Music of Duke Ellington'' (Miles High, 2010)
* [[Carter Burwell]], ''The Man Who Wasn't There'' (Decca, 2001)
* [[Evan Christopher]], ''The Remembering Song'' (Arbors, 2010)
* [[Buck Clayton]], ''Swings the Village'' (Nagel Heyer, 2002)
* [[John Cocuzzi]], ''Groove Merchant'' (Arbors, 2011)
* [[Benny Goodman]], ''Let's Dance: A Musical Tribute'' ([[MusicMasters Records|MusicMasters]], 1985)<ref name="Philadelphia-Daily-News 1986 Mar 14" /><ref name="jazzdiscography-chirillo" />
* Benny Goodman, ''Live, State University of New York'' (Jazz Heritage Society/MusicMasters, 1986)
* [[Keith Ingham]], ''Jazz It Up with Bayer'' (Bayer 1994)
* Keith Ingham, ''A Star Dust Melody'' (Sackville, 1998)
* [[Doug Lawrence (jazz)|Doug Lawrence]], ''Doug Lawrence Trio with Dave Leone and James Chirillo'' (Do La Di Jazz, 1981)
* [[Barbara Lea]] & Keith Ingham, ''Celebrate Vincent Youmans'' (A Records, 2004)
* [[Joe Lovano]], ''Rush Hour'' (Blue Note, 1995)
* [[Cécile McLorin Salvant]], ''WomanChild'' (Justin Time, 2013)
* [[Bob Mintzer]], ''Homage to Count Basie'' (DMP, 2000)
* [[Joe Muranyi]], ''Moon Over Marstons Mills'' (JLX Kiado, 2008)
* [[Scott Robinson (jazz musician)|Scott Robinson]], ''Melody from the Sky'' (Arbors, 2000)
* [[Cynthia Sayer]], ''String Swing'' (Jazzology, 2000)
* [[Randy Sandke]], ''The Re-discovered Louis and Bix'' (Nagel Heyer, 2000)
* [[Loren Schoenberg]], ''Just A-Settin' and A-Rockin'' (Musicmasters, 1990)
* Loren Schoenberg, ''Out of This World'' (TCB, 1998)
* [[Dick Sudhalter]], ''Get Out and Get Under the Moon'' (Stomp Off, 1990)
* Dick Sudhalter, ''Melodies Heard...Melodies Sweet'' (Challenge, 1999)
* [[Pablo Villegas]], ''Americano'' (Harmonia Mundi, 2015)
* [[Bob Wilber]] & [[Dick Hyman]], ''A Perfect Match'' (Arbors, 1998)
* Bob Wilber & Kenny Davern, ''Summit Reunion in Atlanta'' (Jazzology, 2001)
* [[Claude Williams (musician)|Claude Williams]], ''Live at J's Part 1'' (Arhoolie, 1993)
* Claude Williams, ''Live at J's Part 2'' (Arhoolie, 1993)
* [[Jack Wilson (jazz pianist)|Jack Wilson]], ''In New York'' (DIW, 1993)

== Performances and broadcasts ==
{{div col|colwidth=50em}}
* ''[[Buck Clayton]] Live:'' [[Village Vanguard]], February 16, 17, 18, 1990 ([[Nagel-Heyer Records|Nagel-Heyer]], 1990)
* [[Jimmy McPartland]] Funeral
: [[Church of the Heavenly Rest]], [[Upper East Side]], Manhattan
: March 1991
: [[Ruby Braff]], cornet; [[Marian McPartland]], piano; James Chirillo, guitar
: Jimmy died March 13 and Braff played at Marian's request<ref name="Hustad 2012" />
* ''Around New York,'' [[CD]] of radio program broadcast on [[WNYC]]; Steve Sullivan (born 1954), host
:: Stephen Gosling, Zuying Song, piano ; [[Eddie Bert]], trombone; Stephen Roane, bass; James Chirillo, guitar
:: New York City, August 18, 1994; {{OCLC|174517506}}
* The Electric Guitar Ensemble, The Super 400, [[University of North Texas College of Music]]
:: "[[Bye Bye Blackbird]]," arranged by Chirillo<ref name="UNT Program 1998 Oct 12" />
* Sammy Sherman, ''Live at Chan's'' ([[Arbors Records|Arbors]], 1997)
:: (recorded November 7, 1997 at Chan's, [[Woonsocket, Rhode Island]])
* [[New York Philharmonic]] at the [[Cathedral of St. John the Divine]]), [[Alan Gilbert (conductor)|Alan Gilbert]], conductor
:: Memorial Day Concert, ''Tribute to [[Kurt Masur]]''
:: Live at the [[Cathedral of St. John the Divine]], [[Manhattan]], May 30, 2016
:: Soloists: [[Wynton Marsalis]] (trumpet); [[Thomas Hampson]] (baritone voice)
<ol type="i" start="2">
<li> [[John Rosamond Johnson]], [[James Weldon Johnson]], [[Bob Cole (composer)|Bob Cole]], "Oh, Didn't He Ramble" (1902)</li></ol>
:: Other musicians: [[Marcus Printup]] (trumpet), Vincent Gardener (trombone), [[Dan Block]] (clarinet), Ibanda Ruhumbika (sousaphone), James Chirillo (banjo), [[Joe Saylor]] ([[snare drum]]), [[Ali Jackson (jazz drummer)|Ali Jackson]] (bass drum)
:: {{OCLC|1050431420}}
{{div col end}}

'''As member of the [[Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra]]'''
{{div col|colwidth=100em}}
* Live at [[Lincoln Theatre (Washington, D.C.)|Lincoln Theatre]], Washington, D.C., August 16 and 17, 1997
:: ''Blues and the Abstract Truth: The Music of Oliver Nelson'' (broadcast on NPR)

* ''Tribute to a Generation:  A Salute to the Big Bands of the WWII Era'' ([[Smithsonian Folkways]], 2004)
: Recorded on various dates in Washington, D.C., in tribute to the following bandleaders:
<ol type="i" start="1">
<li> [[Lionel Hampton]]: "[[Flying Home]]," May 20 & 21, 1995</li>
<li> [[Artie Shaw]]: "[['S Wonderful]]," June 20 & 21, 1992</li>
<li> [[Benny Carter]]: "{{nowrap|{{space|1}}'}}[[Ill Wind (Arlen-Koehler song)|Ill Wind]]," July 19 & 20, 1997</li>
<li> [[Tommy Dorsey]]: "[[Chlo-e (Song of the Swamp)|Chloe]]," August 12 & 13, 1995</li> 
<li> [[Artie Shaw]]: "[[Begin the Beguine]]," July 18 & 19, 1998</li>
<li> [[Duke Ellington]]: "Sepia Panorama," July 31, 1993
<li> [[Benny Goodman]]: "Back Bay Boogie," July 19 & 20, 1997</li>
<li> [[Glenn Miller]]: "[[The Song of the Volga Boatmen]]," July 25 & 26, 1992</li>
<li> [[Artie Shaw]]: "[[Summertime (George Gershwin song)|Summertime]]," July 18 & 19, 1998</li>
<li> [[Duke Ellington]]: "[[Take the "A" Train]]," June 20 & 21, 1992
<li> [[Benny Carter]]: "Back Bay Boogie," July 19 & 20, 1997</li>
<li> [[Duke Ellington]]: "[[Cotton Tail]]," April 29 & 30, 1995
<li> [[Tommy Dorsey]]: "[[Old Folks at Home|Swanee River]]," August 12 & 13, 1995</li>
<li> [[Duke Ellington]]: "Rain Check," May 9, 1993
<li> [[Artie Shaw]]: "Back Bay Shuffle," July 18 & 19, 1998</li>
<li> [[Duke Ellington]]: "[[Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin']]" July 18 & 19, 1998
<li> [[Tommy Dorsey]]: "Hallelujah," August 12 & 13, 1995</li></ol>
: Unissued:
<ol type="i" start="18">
<li> Jimmie Lunceford: "Blue Blazes," August 12 & 13, 1995</li></ol>
{{div col end}}

'''[[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]'''
{{div col|colwidth=100em}}
* ''[[Come Fly Away]]'', March 1, 2010 – September 5, 2010 (188 performances)
{{div col end}}

== Published music and papers ==
'''Compositions and arrangements'''
* "Prelude (to a minor insensitivity)", for the Gotham Wind Symphony (n.d.)
* "March, dedicated to the memory of [[Bill Finegan]]", for the Gotham Wind Symphony (n.d.)
* "Love Was Right For Us," lyrics by Tanyayette Charlaisse Willoughby (born 1957), music by Chirillo (1984)
* "When You're in Mind," lyrics Judy Spencer, music by Chirillo (1985)
* "Now I know Why" (1989)
* "Skytime Samba" (1989)
* "Pulsación No. 1," by [[Astor Piazzolla]], arranged by Chirillo (n.d.)
* "Work Song Blues" (1991)
* "[[God Rest You Merry, Gentlemen]]," arranged by Chirillo (1992)
* "Manhattan Work Song," for the [[Loren Schoenberg]] Jazz Orchestra (1993)
* "Bittersweet" (1994)
* ''Valse Prismatique'', for [[Warren Vaché Jr.|Warren Vaché]] and the Scottish String Ensemble
:: On [[Warren Vaché Jr.|Warren Vaché]]'s 2006 album, ''Don't Look Back'' (see discography)
* ''Homage Concerto,'' for clarinet and jazz orchestra, Val-Doc Music ([[ASCAP]]) (1996); {{OCLC|41312302}}
: Composed and arranged by Chirillo
: Written for [[Ken Peplowski]] with the [[Loren Schoenberg]] Jazz Orchestra<ref name="Rough-Guide-Jazz 2004" /><ref name="Mosbrook 2003" />
<ol type="i" start="1">
<li> "Swing"</li>
<li> "Elegy"</li>
<li> "Driving"</li></ol>

* ''Grainger Suite'' (on two of [[Percy Grainger]]'s tunes (2002)
<ol type="i" start="1">
<li> "Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol"</li>
<li> "Hill-Song No. 2"</li></ol>

'''Papers'''
* James Chirillo, "Comments About the One-Note Chord Theory" (October 2002)

'''Interviews'''
* James Chirillo interviewed by Monk Rowe, New York City, January 12, 2007, Hamilton College Jazz Archive (DVD) (2007); {{OCLC|895052699|190787433}}

==Notes and references ==
=== Notes ===
{{reflist|group=lower-alpha|100em|refs=

<ref name="Grammy 75 & 76" group=lower-alpha>Following ''Lab '75's'' [[Grammy]] nomination for [[Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band]], ''Lab '76,'' received a Grammy nomination for the same category.  Both nominations represented the first Grammy nominations to student ensembles of any genre. ("NT Lab Band Gets Grammy Nomination," ''[[Denton Record-Chronicle]],'' May 10, 1976)</ref>
<ref name="Helen Hobbs Jordan" group=lower-alpha>Helen Hobbs Jordan (1907–2006)</ref>

}}

=== References ===
{{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="Grove 2002">''The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz'' (2nd ed.) (Chirillo is in Vol. 2 of 3), [[Barry Dean Kernfeld]] (ed.), [[Macmillan Publishers]] (2002); {{LCCN|2001040794}}, {{ISBN|1561592846}}, {{OCLC|46956628}}</ref>

<ref name="NYTs 2005 Jan 19">[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E7DB1338F93AA25752C0A9639C8B63&&scp=1&sq=%22helen%20jordan%22&st=cse "Devoted Students Rally to Help a Music Teacher,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170102172217/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C01E7DB1338F93AA25752C0A9639C8B63&&scp=1&sq=%22helen%20jordan%22&st=cse |date=2017-01-02 }} by Daniel J. Wakin, ''[[New York Times]],'' January 19, 2005</ref>

<ref name="NYTs 2006, Apr 28">[https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/28/arts/music/28jordan.html?_r=0 "Helen Hobbs Jordan, 99, Music Teacher to Generations, Is Dead,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311015500/https://www.nytimes.com/2006/04/28/arts/music/helen-hobbs-jordan-99-music-teacher-to-generations-is-dead.html |date=2023-03-11 }} by Daniel J. Wakin, ''[[New York Times]]'', April 28, 2006</ref>

<ref name="UNT Program 1998 Oct 12">[https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc640/m1/113 "UNT Electric Guitar Ensemble"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181108065410/https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark%3A/67531/metadc640/m1/113/ |date=2018-11-08 }} (concert program), [[University of North Texas College of Music]], October 12, 1998</ref>

<ref name="Philadelphia-Daily-News 1986 Mar 14">[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50686851/philadelphia-daily-news/ "Jazz: 'Benny Goodman': Ch 12. Has a Winner"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519023538/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50686851/philadelphia-daily-news/ |date=2021-05-19 }} (review), by Nels Robert Nelson (1923–1996), ''[[Philadelphia Daily News]],'' March 14, 1986 (accessible ''via'' [[Newspapers.com]])</ref>

<ref name="Rough-Guide-Jazz 2004">''[https://books.google.com/books?id=I5wrGL-a-Q8C&dq=%22homage+concerto&pg=PR9-IA38 The Rough Guide to Jazz] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311015501/https://books.google.com/books?id=I5wrGL-a-Q8C&pg=PR9-IA38&lpg=PR9-IA38&dq=%22homage+concerto |date=2023-03-11 }}'' (3rd ed.); entry: "James Chirillo;" entry by [[Digby Fairweather]]; book by [[Ian Carr]], [[Digby Fairweather]], [[Brian Priestley]]; [[Rough Guides]] (2004), p. 144; {{ISBN|1-84353-256-5}}; {{OCLC|762959118}}</ref>

<ref name="jazzdiscography-chirillo">''[[The Jazz Discography Online]];'' entry: "James Chirillo;" Tom Lord (ed.); Lord Music (retrieved November 8, 2018); {{OCLC|182585494|690104143}}</ref>

<ref name="DRC 1977 Dec 8">[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50686953/denton-record-chronicle/ "New 1 O'Clock LP a First-Rate Release"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519024434/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50686953/denton-record-chronicle/ |date=2021-05-19 }} (record review), by Bob Darden (Robert F. Darden), ''[[Denton Record-Chronicle]],'' December 8, 1977, p. 7B (accessible ''via'' [[Newspapers.com]])<div style="margin-left:2em">Note: From 1984 to 1994, Darden was Gospel Music Editor for ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]''</div></ref>

<ref name="DRC 1976 Jul 11">[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50687070/denton-record-chronicle/ "Lab Band Happy to be Home"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519031013/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50687070/denton-record-chronicle/ |date=2021-05-19 }}, by Joyce Hopkins, ''[[Denton Record-Chronicle]],'' July 11, 1976, p. 3A (accessible ''via'' [[Newspapers.com]])</ref>

<ref name="DRC 1976 Oct 10">[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50687193/denton-record-chronicle/ "Lab Band: Members Chosen for Fall Group"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210519030333/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50687193/denton-record-chronicle/ |date=2021-05-19 }}, ''[[Denton Record-Chronicle]],'' October 10, 1976, p. 7B (accessible ''via'' [[Newspapers.com]])</ref>

<ref name="Mosbrook 2003">''[http://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=21&article=1134&context=scholbks&type=additional&psig=AOvVaw2B_NyWo2ttxKHeoHz4KGhH&ust=1541873465219218 Cleveland Jazz History] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517164309/https://engagedscholarship.csuohio.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?filename=21&article=1134&context=scholbks&type=additional&psig=AOvVaw2B_NyWo2ttxKHeoHz4KGhH&ust=1541873465219218 |date=2021-05-17 }};'' by Joe Mosbrook; entry: Ken Peplowski (Chapter 22); Northeast Ohio Jazz Society (2003); pps. 207–211; {{OCLC|53463124}}</ref>

<ref name="Hustad 2012">''[https://books.google.com/books?id=rDKhApTppgAC Born to Play: The Ruby Braff Discography and Directory of Performances] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311015501/https://books.google.com/books?id=rDKhApTppgAC&printsec=frontcover |date=2023-03-11 }},''  Chapter 19: "The Pianists and Growth of Jazz Parties: September 1988–September 1993," by Thomas P. Hustad, [[Scarecrow Press]] (2012), p. 506; {{ISBN|978-0-8108-8264-5}} (cloth); {{ISBN|978-0-8108-8265-2}} ([[e-book]]); {{OCLC|802531474}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
* {{URL| 1=http://james.chirillo.com | 2=Official website}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chirillo, James}}
[[Category:1953 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Hard bop guitarists]]
[[Category:American jazz guitarists]]
[[Category:American jazz banjoists]]
[[Category:Swing guitarists]]
[[Category:American male guitarists]]
[[Category:20th-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:21st-century American guitarists]]
[[Category:American jazz composers]]
[[Category:American male jazz composers]]
[[Category:American music arrangers]]
[[Category:Jazz arrangers]]
[[Category:American jazz bandleaders]]
[[Category:Musicians from Teaneck, New Jersey]]
[[Category:University of North Texas College of Music alumni]]
[[Category:United States Military Academy people]]
[[Category:United States Army Band musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:Arbors Records artists]]