James Chirillo

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 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 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.

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.

After college, Chirillo studied composition and arranging with John Carisi and Bill Finegan. He also studied guitar with Remo Palmier.

As leader

• Sultry Serenade (Nagel Heyer, 2000)

As sideman

• At the Mill Hill Playhouse (Arbors, 2003)
• In Concert at the Outpost Performance Space, Albuquerque 2004 (Arbors, 2005)
• Dialogues (Arbors, 2007)

• Lab '76 (NTSU Jazz, 1976)
• Lab '77 (NTSU Jazz, 1977)
• Jazz at Spoleto '77 Left Bank (Jazz Society 1978)
• Lab '78 (NTSU Jazz, 1978)

• Thinking of You (HighNote, 2007)
• Mellow (HighNote, 2009)
• Something Personal (HighNote, 2015)

• 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, 1985)
• 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, 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 (Mack Avenue, 2013)
• Cécile McLorin Salvant, Ghost Song (Nonesuch, 2022)
• Bob Mintzer, Homage to Count Basie (DMP, 2000)
• Joe Muranyi, Moon Over Marstons Mills (JLX Kiado, 2008)
• 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, Live at J's Part 1 (Arhoolie, 1993)
• Claude Williams, Live at J's Part 2 (Arhoolie, 1993)
• Jack Wilson, In New York (DIW, 1993)

• Buck Clayton Live: Village Vanguard, February 16, 17, 18, 1990 (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

• 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

• Sammy Sherman, Live at Chan's (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

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)

1. John Rosamond Johnson, James Weldon Johnson, Bob Cole, "Oh, Didn't He Ramble" (1902)

Other musicians: Marcus Printup (trumpet), Vincent Gardener (trombone), Dan Block (clarinet), Ibanda Ruhumbika (sousaphone), James Chirillo (banjo), Joe Saylor (snare drum), Ali Jackson (bass drum)

OCLC 1050431420

• Live at 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:

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

Unissued:

1. Jimmie Lunceford: "Blue Blazes," August 12 & 13, 1995

Broadway

• Come Fly Away, March 1, 2010, September 5, 2010 (188 performances)

• "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 and the Scottish String Ensemble

On 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

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

• Grainger Suite (on two of Percy Grainger's tunes (2002)

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

• Chirillo, James (October 2002). "Comments About the One-Note Chord Theory".

Interviews

• James Chirillo interviewed by Monk Rowe, New York City, January 12, 2007, Hamilton College Jazz Archive (DVD) (2007); OCLC 895052699, 190787433