Featured Musician - August 2014
Craig Bidondo
Name:: Craig Bidondo
Instrument: Piano
Early Influences/Education: I was born and raised in Alaska. My parents listened to a huge variety of music: Sinatra, Country Western, even Flamenco. We lived in a 10’ x 50’ trailer, so I had to wait until we moved from Anchorage to Palmer, so they could buy an addition — a “lean-to” just large enough in which to fit a piano. I first saw a piano in kindergarten, when our class had to sit on the floor in a semi-circle and listen to the teacher play and sing. The panels were removed from the front side, so we could see the strings in action. I remember thinking, “I can do it all by myself.” [I could] play melody, rhythm, percussive, all the parts. I started taking lessons when I was nine years old, and I loved it from the very beginning.
My teacher was a high school girl, and we still keep in touch today. I heard “jazz” played when I was in Junior high, and decided right away I wanted to play jazz. In high school, I played in a Christian rock band I started called “The Light.” I studied Chuck Mangione charts, but had no jazz studies before college; I played mostly classical works. I think playing all classical music is way too much stress! If you make one mistake, it’s all wrong! I attended Biola University in Southern California, and graduated in 1987, majoring in Composition and Music Theory.
Portland: I felt lost and lonely in LA, so I moved to Portland in 1988, after hearing lots of stories about how the Rose City was such a Jazz Mecca, particularly at Mt. Hood Community College. [So] I marched into Hal Malcomb’s office and offered myself up to be an accompanist. I was then introduced to Larry McVey, head of the Music Department, and offered a scholarship right then! That’s how I started playing jazz full time. I studied with George Mitchell, accompanied a lot, and coached singers.
Bands: I played with Johnny Martin for six years, in lots of dance venues in the late 1990s. That’s where I learned the “Great American Song Book.” I’ve also worked with Tim Gilson, Ollie McClay, Tony Starlight, and Art Abrams Swing Machine.
l was the music director and keyboardist for the 2006-2007 Portland production of “Menopause — The Musical,” which completed over 290 shows in Portland, making it the longest running show in Portland Center for the Performing Arts history.
Musical Influences: I’d say there are four major ones. I’ve already mentioned Chuck Mangione. He appealed to me when I was only in high school. Chick Corea, Dave Brubeck and Vince Guaraldi are the others. They appealed to folks who said they didn’t think they liked jazz. I’m a country boy ... nothing “high falutin’” for me, or for a lot of others too, as it turns out.
Most Satisfying Experience: That’s pretty easy. I was playing solo, and a college ballet student just got up and started dancing spontaneously ... as if they couldn’t keep their feet still. Dancing is very improvisational. What a thrill! It fits right in with my future plans.
Favorite Recordings: Keith Jerrett has to be #1! I play his Tokyo ‘96 Trio over and over again! About a year ago, a Tony Bennett and Bill Evans “Complete” recording was released, which is the best thing I’ve heard in a very long time! Evans’ approach is quite different, magical even! I really love Bill Evans! Something completely different is from Brazilian guitarist and singer Rosa Passos. She is considered the modern Queen of Bossa Nova.
Discography: With my brother Pierre, guitar, “The Home Coming”; features 14 original compositions that took us six years. Combined our French, Basque, Norwegian and American ancestry; Tim Gilson, bass, and electric bass, and Ted Swenson are also featured. Two albums with Johnny Martin, and several as sideman for Sally Sieh, Malea and others.
Gigs: Fridays at Tippy Canoe, Troutdale, 6:30-10:30 pm with Ollie McClay; Saturdays, Jazzy Bagels, Gresham, solo, 11:00 am-1:00 pm,; and Tippy Canoe, 6:30 - 10:30 pm with Ollie McClay; Sundays, The Riverview Restaurant, Troutdale, with Tim Gilson, 5-9:00 pm. Check the JSO calendar: I perform other gigs as well, including weddings, at hotels, art galleries, and for corporate events.
Future Plans: I have come up with what I think is an original concept [playing music to which ordinary people improvise dances]. It involves moving your body in connection with your spirit, and it really helps me and the dancers be “over-taken by joy”! You don’t need to know how to dance to be swept up in the improvisation of jazz music, and do free form dance that the music inspires you to do. It is “mutually inspiring.”
We recently did a workshop that was like an improvisational exercise class. After the exercises, we started playing sustained New Age, pop, jazz, hard rock, and blues. The dancers just got up and danced whatever the music inspired them to do. It was magnificent and beautiful! Tim Gilson and I found it was easy to improvise music to dance, and the dancers [improvising with] each other and to the music. That is what I meant by being “taken over by joy”! There was room for 22-24 students to dance at one time. There has to be room to leap and twirl.
I want to do an Artist and Writers workshop next. I play a predetermined, 20-minute set first, to help stimulate the creative juices. The “artists” draw, write, sculpt, or even play cribbage [during the set]. After that, we [the musicians] walk around to see what we’ve inspired them to create. Then, during the second set, we improvise on their creations. And so on, and on ... I hope to schedule another one in September. We can accommodate 60-100 artists at a time.
Writer’s comment: Bidondo is so busy that he doesn’t have time to watch TV. He is the father of two sons.
-- by Nancy Tice