Joe Chindamo

A pianist is unlike other instrumentalists in that he or she doesn't usually carry his or her piano to a gig. This is why consistency and trust in a brand name is important. Whenever I walk on stage and see a Yamaha, I'm relieved because I know my hands are in good hands. I love its action, evenness, responsiveness and most of all, tone. Dynamically too, a Yamaha piano offers me the whole gamut - from the most delicate pianissimo to the most thunderous fortissimo - all with the ease and exhilaration of driving a Ferrari.

Biography

How does a Melbourne boy, the eldest son of Italian Immigrants, grow up to be - the preferred pianist of just about every film composer in the city, record 10 CDs to date, have his piano playing talents adorn more than 60 films, and tour extensively with the likes of: the late Ray Brown, Billy Cobham, Lee Konitz, Mike and Randy Becker, Frank Morgan, Mark Turner, Ernie Watts, Ravi Coltrane, Larry Coryell, James Morrison and much, much more?

By picking-up and playing the accordion at the age of 6!

At the tender age of 6, Joe Chindamo was encouraged to take-up a musical instrument by his parents – the accordion, no-less.

Joe went on to win a number of nationally televised talent quests, (New Faces, Pot ‘O’ Gold, etc). He spent most Saturday nights, along with his brother on drums, playing the accordion at local Italian functions – all this before the age of 15.

It wasn’t until the age of 15 that Joe began his love affair with the feel, touch and technique created by piano playing. He vowed to be as good as Oscar Peterson, after listening to The Trio – Live in Chicago, at a party one night.

He describes his passion for creating and playing music on the piano as the extreme high and lows of emotions, “...sitting behind the wheel of a Ferrari racing at top speed. Then it feels as though we are caressing a beautiful woman…”.

Described by critics as having the ability to “…refashion the familiar without losing its essence…” 2, it was never a question if Joe would receive the deserving industry recognition locally and abroad – it was only a question of when.

With an avid preference, and choosing to play Yamaha pianos, Joe recently reached ‘number 1 on the HMV modern jazz charts in Japan’, the first Australian artist to have achieved this distinction – and in June 2002 Joe’s talents were recognized by the Australian Music Industry with the award of ‘2002 Australian Entertainment ‘MO’ Award for Instrumental Jazz Performer of the Year’. He has been re-nominated for this award in 2004.