Biography
Mike Longo earned acclaim as a jazz pianist, composer, and arranger chiefly through his extended partnership with the forward-looking trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. Although rooted in bebop and Afro-Cuban jazz, Longo's approach developed across his career, taking on groove-centered hard bop and funk during the 1970s via releases such as The Awakening and Talk with the Spirits before reverting to a direct acoustic manner in later decades on recordings including 1997's I Miss You John and 2014's Step on It. After first gaining notice as a sideman in New York during the early 1960s, Longo achieved broader recognition serving as Gillespie's musical director and supplying material for albums such as 1967's Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac, 1969's The Real Thing, and 1970's Portrait of Jenny. In addition to maintaining a lifelong tie to Gillespie, Longo established his own profile as a bandleader by performing steadily with his trio and directing the progressive big band known as the State of the Art Jazz Ensemble.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1937, Michael Josef Longo was raised in a musical home where his father played bass and his mother performed on organ for church services. Exposed to piano early, Longo pursued classical studies at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and, influenced by figures such as Count Basie and Sugar Chile Robinson, began absorbing boogie-woogie and jazz. He later relocated with his family to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where his father entered the produce business while leading a band. During that time Longo obtained his initial performing experience alongside his father and captured several local talent contests. Still in high school, he also took nightclub engagements, among them a pivotal appearance with alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderly.
Following graduation Longo continued classical piano training at Western Kentucky University and received a B.A. in music in 1959. He next toured with the Salt City Six before establishing himself in New York City. There he promptly secured work supporting artists including trumpeter Red Allen and tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins. After one year he moved to Toronto for private lessons with pianist Oscar Peterson. Upon returning to New York he resumed sideman duties and led the house band at the Embers West nightclub, backing performers such as Roy Eldridge, Nancy Wilson, Paul Chambers, Gloria Lynne, and Joe Williams. It was at the Embers in 1966 that trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie took notice and engaged Longo as musical director and arranger. Longo maintained close collaboration with Gillespie through the 1960s and 1970s, appearing on live dates and contributing to albums including 1967's Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac, 1969's The Real Thing, and 1970's Portrait of Jenny. He sustained the association for the remainder of Gillespie's life, working with him intermittently until the trumpeter's passing in 1993.
Independently, Longo launched his recording career with A Jazz Portrait of Funny Girl, a trio session drawing on the hit musical and featuring bassist Herman Wright and drummer Roy Brooks. Throughout the 1970s he continued performing and recording in varied formats, issuing titles such as 1972's The Awakening, 1975's 900 Shares of the Blues with Joe Farrell and Ron Carter, and 1976's Talk with the Spirits. Although always anchored in bebop and acoustic modern jazz, those projects reflected Longo's incorporation of funk and soul elements. Additional Gillespie collaborations occurred during the same period, along with recorded appearances alongside Astrud Gilberto, Lee Konitz, and James Moody. Longo furthered his training by studying composition privately with Hall Overton.
During the 1970s Longo expanded into authorship, producing numerous volumes on music theory and pedagogy. He also established Consolidated Artists Productions, a publishing firm and record label employed to support other artists. After the 1982 solo outing Solo Recital, Longo resumed regular recording in the 1990s with albums such as 1990's The Earth Is One Country, the 1995 Gillespie tribute I Miss You John, and 1997's Dawn of a New Day. In the late 1990s he formed the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble.
Longo remained active through the 2000s, releasing 2003's Live: The Detroit International Jazz Festival, 2004's Oasis with the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble, and the 2007 trio album Float Like a Butterfly. Introduced to the Baha'i faith by Gillespie, Longo assisted in securing the naming of the Baha'i Center of New York City's performance hall as the John Birks Gillespie Auditorium. Beginning in 2004 he hosted a weekly jazz series at the venue, curating acts and appearing with his own groups. In 2011 he issued To My Surprise, which showcased his trio along with guest contributions from trumpeter Jimmy Owens and saxophonist Lance Bryant. Live from New York followed in 2013, documenting Longo leading the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble in concert at the New York Baha'i Center. The trio album Step on It, featuring bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Lewis Nash, appeared in 2014. Longo died at age 83 on March 22, 2020, from complications of the COVID-19 virus.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, in 1937, Michael Josef Longo was raised in a musical home where his father played bass and his mother performed on organ for church services. Exposed to piano early, Longo pursued classical studies at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and, influenced by figures such as Count Basie and Sugar Chile Robinson, began absorbing boogie-woogie and jazz. He later relocated with his family to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where his father entered the produce business while leading a band. During that time Longo obtained his initial performing experience alongside his father and captured several local talent contests. Still in high school, he also took nightclub engagements, among them a pivotal appearance with alto saxophonist Cannonball Adderly.
Following graduation Longo continued classical piano training at Western Kentucky University and received a B.A. in music in 1959. He next toured with the Salt City Six before establishing himself in New York City. There he promptly secured work supporting artists including trumpeter Red Allen and tenor saxophonist Coleman Hawkins. After one year he moved to Toronto for private lessons with pianist Oscar Peterson. Upon returning to New York he resumed sideman duties and led the house band at the Embers West nightclub, backing performers such as Roy Eldridge, Nancy Wilson, Paul Chambers, Gloria Lynne, and Joe Williams. It was at the Embers in 1966 that trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie took notice and engaged Longo as musical director and arranger. Longo maintained close collaboration with Gillespie through the 1960s and 1970s, appearing on live dates and contributing to albums including 1967's Swing Low, Sweet Cadillac, 1969's The Real Thing, and 1970's Portrait of Jenny. He sustained the association for the remainder of Gillespie's life, working with him intermittently until the trumpeter's passing in 1993.
Independently, Longo launched his recording career with A Jazz Portrait of Funny Girl, a trio session drawing on the hit musical and featuring bassist Herman Wright and drummer Roy Brooks. Throughout the 1970s he continued performing and recording in varied formats, issuing titles such as 1972's The Awakening, 1975's 900 Shares of the Blues with Joe Farrell and Ron Carter, and 1976's Talk with the Spirits. Although always anchored in bebop and acoustic modern jazz, those projects reflected Longo's incorporation of funk and soul elements. Additional Gillespie collaborations occurred during the same period, along with recorded appearances alongside Astrud Gilberto, Lee Konitz, and James Moody. Longo furthered his training by studying composition privately with Hall Overton.
During the 1970s Longo expanded into authorship, producing numerous volumes on music theory and pedagogy. He also established Consolidated Artists Productions, a publishing firm and record label employed to support other artists. After the 1982 solo outing Solo Recital, Longo resumed regular recording in the 1990s with albums such as 1990's The Earth Is One Country, the 1995 Gillespie tribute I Miss You John, and 1997's Dawn of a New Day. In the late 1990s he formed the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble.
Longo remained active through the 2000s, releasing 2003's Live: The Detroit International Jazz Festival, 2004's Oasis with the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble, and the 2007 trio album Float Like a Butterfly. Introduced to the Baha'i faith by Gillespie, Longo assisted in securing the naming of the Baha'i Center of New York City's performance hall as the John Birks Gillespie Auditorium. Beginning in 2004 he hosted a weekly jazz series at the venue, curating acts and appearing with his own groups. In 2011 he issued To My Surprise, which showcased his trio along with guest contributions from trumpeter Jimmy Owens and saxophonist Lance Bryant. Live from New York followed in 2013, documenting Longo leading the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble in concert at the New York Baha'i Center. The trio album Step on It, featuring bassist Bob Cranshaw and drummer Lewis Nash, appeared in 2014. Longo died at age 83 on March 22, 2020, from complications of the COVID-19 virus.
Albums
