John Oddo

John Frank Oddo (March 21, 1953 – April 2, 2019) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and

By 1980 the pipeline of young musicians coming out of the

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]

Personal life

John Oddo died suddenly at his home in White Plains, New York, on April 2, 2019.^[1]

Discography

With Debby Boone

With Dameronia

With Woody Herman

With Steve Tyrell

Film and television

• Michael Feinstein in Concert (1989)
• Golden Anniversary (1995)
• Our Town (2003)
• An Evening with Scott Hamilton & Friends (2004)
• Michael Feinstein at the Rainbow Room (2014)
• "Live from Lincoln Center": James Naughton: The Songs of Randy Newman (2014)

Awards and nominations

See also

• List of jazz arrangers

References

External links

• John Oddo at the Internet Broadway Database
• John Oddo at
  IMDb 
• John Oddo at
  AllMusic
• John Oddo discography at Discogs