John Oddo

Having started his career as a pianist, arranger, and composer for Woody Herman and his Thundering Herd, Oddo met vocalist Rosemary Clooney in 1983 and served as her music director, pianist, and arranger for more than 18 years. His credits include work on 20 of her recordings, as well as countless live and televised performances.

As music director/arranger/pianist, his collaborators also include Debby Boone, Christine Ebersole, Melissa Errico, Tony Bennett, Ray Charles, Barbara Cook, Cheyenne Jackson, Maureen McGovern, David Hyde Pierce, Linda Ronstadt, and James Naughton, for whom he was music director and arranger for PBS “Live from Lincoln Center” presents James Naughton: The Songs of Randy Newman.

Other projects include composer and performer for PBS/Showtime’s Our Town, directed by James Naughton and starring Paul Newman, and conductor, pianist, and arranger for the NBC special Scott Hamilton & Friends. He has also performed at the White House for four of the last five presidents.

A master’s graduate of the Eastman School of Music, John Oddo is a musician with tremendous versatility.

He has long collaborated with Michael Feinstein, serving as conductor/music director for many of Feinstein’s symphony performances and writer for Feinstein’s symphony and big band arrangements.

He received a Drama Desk Award nomination for his orchestrations for Feinstein and Dame Edna Everage’s 2010 Broadway show, All About Me. Oddo was also music director and arranger for Feinstein’s PBS specials, Michael Feinstein at the Rainbow Room and Michael Feinstein New Year’s Eve at the Rainbow Room.

Early in his career, John worked with Don Sickler in transcribing Tadd Dameron's music for Philly Joe Jones and Dameronia.