John Kelly Colaianni

1962 - 2023

Colaianni, John Kelly, - formerly of Ventnor, has died at the age of 61 at St. Mary's Medical Center in Langhorne, PA. A virtuoso jazz pianist whose career spanned five decades, John shared the stage with some of the jazz world's all-time greats. While still in high school, John became active on the Washington D.C. jazz scene, playing in jam sessions at well-known venues such as The Pigfoot, One Step Down, Blues Alley, The Bayou, and Frankie Condon's. During this period, John also played gigs directed by Ella Fitzgerald's bassist, Keter Betts, who recruited 16-year-old John for "Jazz Stars of The Future," a troupe of young, local jazz musicians. While John was in tenth grade, he was invited to play regularly with the University of Maryland Jazz Ensemble. After moving to Ventnor and just months out of high school, John met the legendary vibraphonist and band leader Lionel Hampton backstage at an Atlantic City casino. After a successful audition in Hampton's New York City apartment, John toured internationally and recorded three albums with the Lionel Hampton Big Band. In the mid-1980s, John made three critically acclaimed albums of his own on the Concord Records Jazz label and was a finalist in the First International Thelonious Monk Piano Competition at The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. This was followed by four years of international touring with the great Mel Tormé as well as performing on six of Torme's albums. In 2003, the renowned guitarist and inventor Les Paul welcomed John to his Trio. Throughout John's six-year tenure with Les at New York's famed Iridium Jazz Club, the group also toured, recorded, and appeared many times on national media, ending with Les's death in 2009. John was also a member of the late guitarist Larry Coryell's Trio, performing on Coryell's 2011 release, "Montgomery." In 2016, John began organizing a big band at the urging of friends and fellow musicians familiar with his work as an arranger and pianist. The 17-piece band, The John Colianni Jazz Orchestra, performed swing, modern jazz, standards, and original compositions in various venues around New York City. Along the way, John recorded with the great rock idol, Steve Miller, as well as scores of other collaborations with an array of distinguished pop, rock, and jazz performers. Known by friends and fellow musicians as "Johnny Chops," John will be remembered for his speed, intelligence, and wit at the piano. His formidable body of work is a moving testimony to a sensitive artist steeped in the history, values, and culture of jazz, which many consider "America's original art form."

John was preceded in death by his parents, James and Patricia Colaianni of Galloway, and his sister, Pamela. He is survived by his son Torre of New Jersey, Torre's mother Denise Yost of Hawthorne, sister Karen Johnson of Cape May Court House, sister Janice Sosebee and brother-in-law Carl Sosebee of Silver Spring, MD, brother James F. Colaianni Jr. and sister-in-law Lori Colaianni of Ventnor, brother Louis Colaianni of Culver City, CA. nephew Scott Johnson and wife Kerry Johnson of Los Angeles, niece Juliet Sosebee and husband Shan Williams of North Beach, MD, niece Amanda Goudie of Ventnor; and great-nephew and nieces, Grady and Gracie Johnson of Los Angeles, and Bailey Freedman of North Beach, MD. John is also survived by Lorraine Yost of Northfield, her late husband Jim Yost, and countless friends, musicians and extended family.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, December 3, from 2 to 3:30 p.m., followed by a memorial service at the Wimberg Funeral Home at 211 E. Great Creek Rd., Galloway, NJ 08205. Contributions to the South Jersey Jazz Society may be considered in lieu of flowers. https://southjerseyjazz.org/make-a-donation/ For directions and condolences, please visit Wimbergfuneralhome.com