Born and raised in Utica NY, John Piazza Jr. began his trumpet studies at the age of 16. John was fortunate throughout his formative years to have been taken under the wing by many local jazz legends including JR Monterose, Jack Palmer, Rick Montalbano, Danny D'Imperio, Sal Alberico Sr. & Jr. and his mentor Sal Amico.
John went on to study music at Onondaga Community College, received a BM in Music Education from the Crane School of Music and later earned his masters degree in Jazz studies at the University of Massachusetts.
John spent 11 years working as a Musical Director for Carnival Cruise Lines where he managed all aspects of live musical entertainment. As a full time working musician and conductor, John has supported countless musical and variety acts including Aretha Franklin, The Temptations, John Davidson, Charo, Eddie "The Big Ragu" Mekka, Duke Daniels of the Platters to name a few.
John is currently Director of Music at the Rome YMCA Center for the Creative Arts in upstate N.Y. where he teaches, ear training, music theory and jazz history. In addition John has developed a curriculum for teaching basic music principles to 3, 4, & 5th graders with the aid of African drums. He also runs a number of jazz and commercial repertoire ensembles.
John has studied jazz with Yusef Lateef,
Max Roach, Jeff Holmes, Billy Taylor, Archie Shepp, Brett Zvacek, JR Monterose
and his mentor Sal Amico. John has studied trumpet with Bill Adam, Bob Slack,
Jack Palmer, Jim Mosher, Dr. John Ellis and Walter Chesnut. Although influenced
by all of his teachers, John's teaching style is of the Bill Adam School.