From playing professional gigs in Manhattan clubs as a teenager to headlining international stages, Peter Cincotti has spent over two decades fusing the American jazz piano tradition with contemporary pop architecture. Starting the piano at age three, he studied under jazz greats like Ellis Marsalis and Fred Hersch before legendary producer Phil Ramone discovered him in a New York club. Ramone produced Cincotti’s 2003 self-titled debut, which soared to No. 1 on the Billboard traditional jazz chart and made eighteen-year-old Cincotti the youngest artist ever to achieve the top spot.

While early comparisons linked his suave delivery to Harry Connick Jr. or Bobby Darin, Cincotti forged his own path. His sophomore album, On the Moon, fused jazz standards with adult alternative pop, earning a gold record in France. His sonic ambition grew with 2007’s East of Angel Town, produced by Grammy titan David Foster. Anchored by the hit “Goodbye Philadelphia,” the all-original pop-rock project led to tours with Seal and Stevie Nicks, plus a collaboration with David Guetta on the international hit “Love Is Gone.”

Cincotti’s sophisticated aesthetic and magnetic stage presence also opened doors in film and fashion. He appeared in Spider-Man 2, acted alongside Kevin Spacey in Beyond the Sea, sang a memorable duet on House of Cards, and served as a global ambassador for luxury houses like Ermenegildo Zegna and Tod’s.

Yet, he remains deeply rooted in his craft. During the pandemic, he penned “Heart of the City,” a love letter to New York that cemented his bond with legendary rooms like the Café Carlyle. His later work masterfully bridges his past and present: 2023’s Killer on the Keys paid tribute to piano legends from Scott Joplin to Lady Gaga alongside autobiographical originals, while his holiday track “Because It’s Christmas” climbed the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts.

His latest chapter, In Color, is an expansive, multi-part project featuring multi-language duets with global powerhouses like Chris Botti, Marcus Miller, and Angélique Kidjo. Decades after breaking records as a teenage jazz prodigy, Cincotti continues to bridge high-society supper clubs and global pop radio through his distinct piano-driven lens.

Performing Sunday, November 21-22.

Article written by Middle C Jazz Marketing Support, Scott Homewood