Biography
James Argiro, a pianist, composer, arranger, conductor, and producer, began his professional career at age 14 and has experienced a richly varied life in music and entertainment.
By age 16, he was leading a popular R&B/Blues band in the late 1950s, providing backup for many top singers and vocal groups of that era, including The Moonglows, The Cadillacs, Lavern Baker, The Drifters, and Ruth Brown.
Following a stint in an Army band as band librarian, saxophonist, percussionist, and assistant conductor, he launched his first national tour in 1967 as assistant conductor and arranger for the Ice Capades.
With extensive experience across all facets of music creation, production, and the performing arts, he has collaborated with numerous stars across various media.
As Music Director and/or arranger, he has worked with notable celebrities such as Bernadette Peters, Leslie Uggams, Carol Channing, Mickey Rooney, Lainie Kazan, Joan Rivers, Frank Sinatra Jr., Florence Henderson, Anthony Newley, Carol Lawrence, Juliet Prowse, and others. As a jazz pianist and arranger, he has performed alongside Mel Torme, Marlena Shaw, Ernie Andrews, Lionel Hampton, "Cat" Anderson, Red Rodney, Ernie Watts, Jeff Hamilton, Shelly Manne, Louis Bellson, and many more. His big band affiliations include Harry James, Tommy Dorsey, Bill Holman, Count Basie, Richard Maltby, Alvino Rey, and collaborations with Nelson Riddle, Neal Hefti, Henry Mancini, Fred Karlin, Anthony Newley, David Rose, and Peter Matz.
Much of his career was dedicated to Hollywood television and recording studios, serving as a staff member on numerous variety shows such as Sonny & Cher and Tony Orlando & Dawn.
Additional achievements include serving as former Chairman and host of Monday Night Jazz, the nation’s longest-running continuous jazz series; being a nationally published arranger; arranger and jazz/pop pianist for the Hartford Symphony; arranger and pianist with The Hartford Symphony Classical Jazz Quartet; former board member of The American Society of Music Arrangers; Music Director/Arranger for Dave Brubeck's The Real Ambassadors featuring Jon Hendricks and Kurt Elling; and composer and publisher member of the American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers (ASCAP).
James has also acted in three award-winning films: Twice, Past Tense, and Chasing Rainbows, sharing a Global Music Award for the score of the latter with writer/director Robert Fritz.
He currently serves on the music faculty at Westfield State University.
