Frank Cunimondo
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| Frank Cunimondo | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1934 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Genres | Jazz, Salsa, Bossa nova |
| Occupations | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Piano, Keyboards |
| Years active | 1960s–present |
| Labels | Mondo Records Sound Idea Movieplay Music Underonesun |
| Associated acts | Bill Evans, Nathan Davis, George Benson |
| Website | Official website |
Frank Cunimondo (born 1934) is an American jazz pianist and educator based in Pittsburgh,[1] Pennsylvania, USA.
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[edit] Biography
He was born in Pittsburgh and began playing music at the age of 6 studying classical piano. As a teenager he made a transition to jazz. He attended George Westinghouse High School, where other notable jazz musicians had also been students including Ahmad Jamal and Errol Garner. He later attended Carnegie Tech, which subsequently became Carnegie Mellon University.
In his early teens, he began to play professionally at a number of clubs around Pittsburgh. At 19, he toured a number of cities including Atlantic City and Miami. In Pittsburgh, he played at many local jazz haunts, most notably, The Crawford Grill. He often shared a stage with the young George Benson.
In the 1950s, Frank Cunimondo moved to New York City where he continued playing professionally and immersed himself into the jazz scene. He eventually returned to Pittsburgh permanently.
[edit] Works
Frank Cunimondo has a long discography, having recorded with nearly every artist from Pittsburgh. In addition, he has shared the stage with a number of jazz stars including: Sonny Stitt, Lou Donaldson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Urbie Green, Lee Konitz, Louie Bellson, Joshua Redman, Phil Woods and Frank Rosolino. The Frank Cunimondo Trio is also a fixture of the Pittsburgh Jazz scene. His most popular recording, "Feelin' Good" which he recorded with Lynn Marino, is an international hit and is distributed on MoviePlay Gold. The title track has also been sampled and used in a number of European dance mixes. He distributes most of his recordings through his record label Mondo Records.
He has made a number of television appearances including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.
In addition to performing, Frank Cunimondo has a long career teaching jazz piano. He has previously taught at Duquesne University and currently teaches at the University of Pittsburgh[1] and at Carnegie Mellon.
In the 1980s he owned a jazz club in Pittsburgh called "Cunimondo's Keyboard Jazz Supper Club."
In 1989, he was voted "Best Jazz Pianist" in Pittsburgh. His style is most often compared to pianist Bill Evans.
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
| Rel. | Title | Label | Formats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1968 | "Communication" | Mondo Records | LP, CD | - |
| 1969 | "The Lamp Is Low" | Mondo Records | LP, CD | - |
| 1971 | "The Frank Cunimondo Trio, Introducing Lynn Marino" | Mondo Records | LP, CD | - |
| 1971 | "Echoes" | Mondo Records | LP, CD | - |
| 1975 | "The Top Shelf Collection" | Sound Idea | LP, CD | - |
| 1975 | "Sagittarius" | Mondo Records | LP, CD | - |
| 1978 | "Frank Cunimondo Plays George Benson - Live in Concert" | Mondo Records | LP, CD | - |
| 19?? | "It's You, It's Me" | Mondo Records | LP, CD | - |
| 19?? | "Choice Cuts" | Mondo Records | LP, CD | - |
| 19?? | "Totally Frank" | Mondo Records | LP, CD | - |
| 19?? | "Feelin' Good" | Mondo Records | LP, CD | - |
| 2003 | "Sound Painting" | Mondo Records | LP, CD | - |
[edit] Albums as sideman
| Year | Performer | Title | Label | Formats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1976 | Nathan Davis | "Suite for Dr. Martin Luther King" | Tomorrow International, Inc. | LP, CD | Re-issued on CD in 2006 by Pony Canyon |
[edit] Singles
| Year | Performer | Title | Track listing: | Label | Formats | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | The Frank Cunimondo Trio | We've Only Just Begun | We've Only Just Begun Soon It's Gonna Rain |
Movieplay Music | CD | Introducing Lynn Marino |
| 1997 | The Frank Cunimondo Trio | Feelin' Good | Feelin' Good Beyond The Clouds |
Movieplay Music | CD | - |
| 1999 | The Frank Cunimondo Trio | Feelin' Good (Feelin' Better Streamer Remix) | Feelin' Good (Feelin' Better Streamer Remix) Feelin' Good (Original Version) |
Underonesun | 12" | - |
[edit] References
- ^ a b Santella, Jim (1997-11-01). "CD/LP Review: It's you It's me". All About Jazz. http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=2475. Retrieved 2010-10-10.
