Frank Cunimondo

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Frank Cunimondo is a jazz pianist and educator based in the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania region.

1 Biography
2 Works
3 Discography
4 References

[edit] Biography

He was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 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 Donalson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Urbie Green, Lee Konitz, Louie Belison, 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. One of his former students who would attain fame (although not for piano playing) was actor Jeff Goldblum.

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.