James Chirillo


James Louis Chirillo is an American jazz guitarist, banjoist, composer, arranger, and band leader.

Career

From 1977 to 1979, Chirillo performed regularly with singers Marilyn Maye, Vic Damone, Joey Heatherton, Lorna Luft, and 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 ceremonial band of the United States military.
In 1982, he moved to New York City. He studied and performed with Tiny Grimes. From 1985–1986, he was a member of Benny Goodman's last band. From 1987–1991, he was a member of the Buck Clayton Orchestra and toured Europe in July 1991. He performed with 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 1992–1999 he was a charter member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, directed by Gunther Schuller and David Baker.

Education

Chirillo studied at the University of North Texas College of Music. During the 1976-1977 academic year, he was the guitarist for the One O'Clock Lab Band. His major concentration was composition and he studied guitar with Jack Petersen.
In 1976, with the One O'Clock Lab Band, Chirillo toured the Soviet Union, 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.
After college, Chirillo studied composition and arranging with John Carisi and Bill Finegan. He also studied guitar with Remo Palmier.

Discography

As leader

As member of the One O'Clock Lab Band
With Kenny Davern
With Gil Evans Project, Ryan Truesdell :de:Ryan Truesdell|
With Benny Goodman
With Keith Ingham
With the New York All Stars
With Houston Person
With Loren Schoenberg
With Daryl Sherman
With others

  1. John Rosamond Johnson, James Weldon Johnson, Bob Cole, "Oh, Didn't He Ramble"
As member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra

  1. Lionel Hampton: "Flying Home," May 20 & 21, 1995
  2. Artie Shaw: "'S Wonderful," June 20 & 21, 1992
  3. Benny Carter: "Ill Wind," July 19 & 20, 1997
  4. Tommy Dorsey: "Chloe," August 12 & 13, 1995

  5. Artie Shaw: "Begin the Beguine," July 18 & 19, 1998
  6. Duke Ellington: "Sepia Panorama," July 31, 1993
  7. Benny Goodman: "Back Bay Boogie," July 19 & 20, 1997
  8. Glenn Miller: "The Song of the Volga Boatmen," July 25 & 26, 1992
  9. Artie Shaw: "Summertime," July 18 & 19, 1998
  10. Duke Ellington: "Take the "A" Train," June 20 & 21, 1992
  11. Benny Carter: "Back Bay Boogie," July 19 & 20, 1997
  12. Duke Ellington: "Cotton Tail," April 29 & 30, 1995
  13. Tommy Dorsey: "Swanee River," August 12 & 13, 1995
  14. Duke Ellington: "Rain Check," May 9, 1993
  15. Artie Shaw: "Back Bay Shuffle," July 18 & 19, 1998
  16. Duke Ellington: "Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'" July 18 & 19, 1998
  17. Tommy Dorsey: "Hallelujah," August 12 & 13, 1995

  1. Jimmie Lunceford: "Blue Blazes," August 12 & 13, 1995
Broadway
Compositions and arrangements

  1. "Swing"
  2. "Elegy"
  3. "Driving"

  1. "Sussex Mummers' Christmas Carol"
  2. "Hill-Song No. 2"
Papers
Interviews