John Serry Jr.

John Serry Jr. (born John Serrapica Jr.; January 19, 1954) is an American jazz pianist and composer, as well as a composer of contemporary classical music works that feature percussion, on which he also doubles.

He is a son of the accordionist and composer John Serry.

In his teens, Serry studied percussion with Juilliard instructor Gordon Gottlieb and performed the Darius Milhaud Percussion and Paul Creston Marimba Concertos, the latter on a European tour with the Long Island Youth Orchestra (Summer 1973).

In 1975, while a student at the Eastman School of Music, Serry was awarded Best Pianist, Best Composer-Arranger (Combo) and, as part of the group Auracle (then called Inner Vision), Best Combo in the 1975 Notre Dame Jazz Festival.

The judges were Sonny Rollins and Jack DeJohnette, among others.

From 1976 to 1979, while living in Los Angeles, Serry played piano and keyboards on motion picture and television soundtracks (e.g., The Stunt Man, Vegas).

During his years based in Los Angeles (1976–1988), Serry played piano at numerous jazz venues, including The Light House, Donte's, The Baked Potato, Carmello's and the Laguna Beach Jazz Festival.

Auracle was later signed to Chrysalis Records and recorded 'Glider' (1978) on which Serry played piano and keyboards and for which he composed four of the compositions.

The album was co-produced by Miles Davis' producer, Teo Macero, and the group performed at the 1978 Montreux Jazz Festival.

His debut solo album was 'Exhibition' (1979 Chrysalis Records), for which he received a Grammy Nomination (Best Instrumental Arrangement) for his composition, 'Sabotage'.

Serry began his musical education at the age four on the accordion under the instruction of his father John Serry, a noted concert accordionist and organist.

These studies continued until the age of eleven, when he elected to concentrate on the piano and drums.

In 1979, Serry was commissioned, by marimba soloist Leigh Howard Stevens, to compose a work for solo marimba.

The result, 'Rhapsody for Marimba' (aka "Night Rhapsody"), was premiered by Stevens that year at Town Hall, New York City.

In 1980, Serry's first published classical works were entered into the Studio 4 catalogue, including 'Conversations for Timpani Duo', 'Duet for Percussion and Keyboards' and later (1988), 'Therapy' (for multiple percussion soloist).

'Rhapsody for Marimba' ("Night Rhapsody") was published by Marimba Productions in 1980.

From 1981 to 1987, still in Los Angeles, he composed soundtracks for numerous documentary and corporate films, most of them produced by Armand Hammer Productions (a division of Occidental Petroleum) and many of which received Cine Golden Eagle awards (e.g., 'From the Garden of the Middle Kingdom', 1982).

In 1983, he toured in the U.S. as pianist with Doc Severinsen's quintet, Xebron.

From 1983 to 1985, Serry composed the music for the Bard Productions videos of the Shakespeare plays, 'The Tempest' (starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr..), 'Othello' (William Marshall, Jenny Agutter) and Antony and Cleopatra (Lynn Redgrave, Timothy Dalton, Bravo Channel).

In 1985, Serry was commissioned, by percussion soloist Steve Houghton, to compose the 'Concerto for Percussion Brass and Percussion', which was premiered at 1985 Percussive Arts Society (PAS) International Convention and for which Serry was awarded Third Prize in the 1985 PAS competition.

Serry played principal percussion in a concert of the Bartók Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion (California Chamber Symphony, Los Angeles, 1985) along with Gordon Gottlieb and pianists John and Antoinette Perry.

In 1986, he revised his work 'Intrusions (for 10 percussionists)' for a performance at the Aspen Music Festival (Jonathan Haas, conductor).

In 1987, he was again commissioned by Leigh Howard Stevens, this time to compose the 'Concerto for Marimba and Wind Ensemble' which was premiered at the Kennedy Center with Stevens as soloist and the Madison University Wind Ensemble.

In 1988, 'Intrusions' was performed at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, by the Juilliard Percussion Ensemble with Roland Kohloff conducting.

During 1988, Serry arranged several works of Gabrieli for the Canadian Brass, including for their album, Gabrieli/Monteverdi (1989 Sony/CBS).

From 1988 to 1991, Serry was Associate Professor of Music and Director of Jazz at the University of South Carolina, Columbia.

While there, he instituted several new courses and revised the curriculum for the bachelor's and master's degrees with jazz emphasis.

He also formed and conducted concerts of a jazz and studio orchestra, and produced semi-annual jazz festivals with guest artists, including Marian McPartland, Bill Watrous, Bob Sheppard and others.

(Saxophonist Chris Potter, who was then a high school student, participated in the festival concerts and also played in Serry's quartet.)

During the 1990s, Serry also composed music for television commercials (e.g., for Grey Advertising).

He also played the piano/keyboards and percussion, in several Broadway shows (e.g., 'Saturday Night Fever', 'Cats' and 'Les Misérables') and conducted at Radio City Music Hall.

He was Music Director and pianist for the Gateway Playhouse production of the Broadway jazz musical, 'Swing', featuring the music of Duke Ellington, Glenn Miller and others.

Serry moved back to New York City in 1991.

There he performed with his quartet at numerous jazz venues, including The Blue Note, Birdland, Visiones, Steinway Hall and others.

Members of his groups included drummers John Riley and Marvin 'Smitty' Smith, saxophonists Gerry Niewood, Ralph Bowen and Ted Nash, bassists Anthony Jackson and Tom Brigandi and percussionist Gordon Gottlieb.

In 1992, Serry played percussion on Stravinsky's 'Les noces' at Lincoln Center, conducted by Robert Craft (released on the Musicmasters CD, 'Stravinsky, the Composer', Vol. II).

In 2002/3, Serry toured on piano/keyboards with several shows, including a U.S. tour of 'Saturday Night Fever' and European tours of 'Fame' and 'Grease', for which he was Assistant Music Director.

In 2004, Serry moved to London where he formed a quartet with Dave O'Higgins saxophone, Mark Mondesir drums and, variously Mike Mondesir or Sam Burgess on bass.

The group played several times a year at The 606 Club (in Chelsea), as well as at other venues.

In 2006, Serry recorded the album, 'The Shift' with that quartet, but it was not until 2013 that 'The Shift' (SPCo Records) was released, after a remix in Bologna, Italy.