Universally acclaimed as a pianist with a deft touch and a delightful sense of melody, Mike Longo's resume reads like a who's who of jazz, from his earliest interactions with Cannonball Adderley to his work with his idol and mentor Oscar Peterson to his longtime association with Dizzy Gillespie to his current work with renowned bassist Bob Cranshaw and legendary drummer Lewis Nash.

Born in Cincinnati, Ohio in March 1939, Mike Longo grew up in a musical family.


At the knee of his bass playing father and church musician mother, Longo began playing piano at age three. The following year, he simultaneously started taking formal lessons at the Cincinnati Conservatory and picking out boogie woogie bass lines on his home piano, the result of seeing Sugar Child Robinson play a set following a Count Basie concert. With a family move to Ft. Lauderdale, Longo had his first opportunity to hear Oscar Peterson, who immediately became his idol (and would later become a mentor). As luck would have it, Longo's high school band teacher was none other than Cannonball Adderley, who took a liking to Longo and helped him start his professional career at age 15 by playing R&B clubs on the "chittlin' circuit."

Following his education at Western Kentucky University -- and the decision to decline further study at Berklee College in Boston -- Longo landed in New York in the late 1950s. With a regular gig at The Metropole, he began serving as the house pianist for the likes of Coleman Hawkins and Gene Krupa.

Trumpeter Jimmy McPartland hired him for a two-week stint at Chicago's London House. It was there that Longo has the opportunity to play for his idol, Peterson, resulting in a 6-month scholarship to study at his Advanced School of Contemporary Music during 1961 and 1962.

With his return to New York and a regular gig at the Embers Club, Longo was discovered by Dizzy Gillespie. Longo became the music director of Gillespie's quintet in 1966, spending seven years with the master trumpeter. When Gillespie died in 1993, Longo was at his bedside and delivered the eulogy at Dizzy's funeral.

Though Longo officially left Gillespie's quintet in the mid 70s, he continue to play, write and arrange for him throughout the rest of Gillespie's life. After a long run of playing  club dates and sessions through the 70s, 80s and into the 90s, Longo formed the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble, an 18-piece big band consisting of New York's most talented jazz players, an ensemble that still performs. Along with playing in big band and trio formats, Longo also continues to make records with his six man Mike Longo Funk Band. Along with two out-of-print classic -- The Awakening  and 900 Shares Of The Blues -- Longo's funk outfit recently recorded a live album called Jazz Meets Funk. 

In 2004, Longo initiated an ongoing Tuesday night concert series at New York City's Baha'i Center in honor of Gillespie, who was a follower of the Baha'i faith. 

ongo's most recent -- and highly regarded work -- harkens back to the trio format that has been Longo's bread and butter since the 50s. With drummer Lewis Nash -- who participated in some of Gillespie's last recordings -- and former Sonny Rollins protege Bob Cranshaw, Longo has recorded three albums: 2009's Top 5 jazz staple Sting Like A Bee, 2011's To My Surprise and the recently released Step On It (reviewed here).

"To the average listener he is playing great jazz," says Step On It producer Bob Magnuson, "but anyone who has followed the of his career hears the highly refined development of a consummate artist."

Learn more about Mike Longo here.