John Ferrara

Jazz Pianist/Arranger/Composer

Biography






John Ferrara is a pianist, composer, & arranger, who has performed with scores of jazz & non-jazz luminaries since becoming a professional musician in 1963.These include Buddy Rich, Joe Williams, Nelson Riddle, Pacquito D'Rivera, Chico Hamilton, Philly Joe Jones, Major Holley, Al Grey, Doc Cheatham, Al Cohn, Hal Crook, George Mraz, Peter Donald, Glenna Gibson, Jack Wilkins, Clark Terry, Carmen Leggio, Victor Gaskin, George Young, Lou Soloff, Joe Newman, Herb Pomeroy, and Charles Macpherson. He has played shows with Suzanne Somers, Vaughn Monroe, Bob Crosby and many other notable performers.

In addition to publishing two jazz piano books, he taught at several schools including the Berklee College of Music (1978-81). He graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 1970 and was drafted into the Army the same year. John has also performed/arranged for two movies: "The Pallbearer" w/Gwyneth Paltrow, David Schwimmer and Barbara Hershey, a Miramax film, and "Theresa is a Mother", an award winning Indie film released in 2012.

Born and raised in Norwich, Connecticut, he has also been a computer programmer for IBM, CBS publishing, Verizon (NY Telephone) and Chemical Bank. A fire destroyed his studio along with all instruments and equipment in January 2016. It was rebuilt in June 2016.