John Oddo

John Oddo
John Oddo
	John Oddo at piano, circa 2005
Background information
Birth name	John Frank Oddo
Born	March 21, 1953; Brooklyn, New York
Died	April 2, 2019 (aged 66); White Plains, New York
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer, arranger
Instrument	Piano
Labels	Concord

John Frank Oddo (March 21, 1953 – April 2, 2019) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. He is most notably associated as pianist and musical director for Woody Herman, Rosemary Clooney and Michael Feinstein.

Early life

John Oddo was born in Brooklyn, New York on March 21, 1953.^[1] He studied piano as a child and would eventually graduate from the Eastman School of Music with a master's degree in Jazz Studies in 1978.^[2]

Career

Woody Herman's Young Thundering Herd

I think it's the best big-band album in terms of sound that I've been associated with in the last 46 years. (re: Live at the Concord Jazz Festival LP)

— Woody Herman^[3]

By 1980 the pipeline of young musicians coming out of the Eastman School of Music had become a strong stream of young jazz artists for Woody Herman's big band. Recently graduated from Eastman, on July 6 of 1980 Oddo joined the Herman organization along with John Fedchock, Steve Harrow and Mike Brignola.^[4]^[5] Oddo would quickly become a star in the long line of pianists/arrangers for Herman dating back to Ralph Burns, Nat Pierce and Alan Broadbent; he would serve as the band's primary arranger 1980-1984.^[6]^[3] Two notable albums with Concord Records were produced during this time featuring Oddo as both pianist and musical arranger/director: The Woody Herman Big Band Live at the Concord Jazz Festival (1981) and World Class (1982, live from Osaka, Japan).^[7] Both of these Concord releases would go on to earn Grammy Award nominations in 1982 and 1984 for Best Jazz Performance – Large Group (Instrumental). John Oddo has become synonymous with the long list of notable Herman composers and arrangers to include names such as Johnny Mandel, Bill Holman, Shorty Rogers, Jimmy Guiffre and others.^[8]^[9]

Rosemary Clooney

She (Clooney) is very definite about what she does," he said. "She has a reason for singing everything she sings, and I try to bring that out in an arrangement. One reason we work together so well is that she's basically a swing singer, and I'm rooted in that style.

— John Oddo^[10]

In August 1983, Woody Herman recorded the album My Buddy featuring Rosemary Clooney on the Concord Records label. Carl Jefferson (CEO with Concord) urged the collaboration as both Clooney and Herman were on contract with his label at the time; this being her eighth and his sixth release with Concord.^[11] John Oddo served as the arranger and musical director of the project having been serving in that role for the Herman band for the previous two and a half years. Three new arrangements (of Oddo's seven) were literally produced overnight by him for the new project.^[12] The album is the start of a long, 18-year association of Oddo becoming Clooney's musical director; the musical architect of her resurgence in popularity.^[13]^[14] His credits include work on 20 of her recordings, as well as numerous live and televised performances.^[15]^[16]^[17]^[18]

Michael Feinstein

Oddo was a longtime collaborator with Michael Feinstein as both music director and arranger, and received a Drama Desk Award nomination for his orchestrations for Feinstein and Dame Edna Everage's 2010 Broadway show, All About Me.^[19]^[20] Oddo was also musical director for Feinstein's PBS specials, Michael Feinstein at the Rainbow Room and Michael Feinstein New Year's Eve at the Rainbow Room. Starting in 2010, Oddo appeared and is heard on numerous episodes of Michael Feinstein's PBS series American Songbook.

Further work

Over his career, John Oddo became the "go-to guy" for an arrangement, orchestration or backing singers in the New York entertainment circles for regular engagements, Broadway and broadcast media to include the famous Algonquin Hotel Oak Room.^[21] In the early 1980s Oddo worked for the group Dameronia helping to transcribe and recreate the music of Tadd Dameron for concerts and three notable recordings. As musical director, arranger and pianist Oddo's musical collaborators over the years have included Debby Boone, Stan Getz, Patti Austin, Joe Williams, Christine Ebersole, Melissa Errico, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Bob Hope, Toni Tennille, Maureen McGovern, David Hyde Pierce, Linda Ronstadt, John Pizzarelli, and Steve Tyrell.^[22] He served as musical director and arranger for James Naughtons production Street of Dreams in 1998 and PBS "Live from Lincoln Center" presents James Naughton: The Songs of Randy Newman.^[23]^[24]^[25] Other notable projects included composer and performer for the 2003 PBS/Showtime Our Town directed by James Naughton. He served as, conductor, pianist, and arranger for the NBC special Scott Hamilton & Friends. Oddo has performed at the White House for four presidents. From 2015 to 2019 Oddo served as the musical director, arranger and pianist for Tony Danza's cabaret show, Standards & Stories.^[26]^[27]