I quit my classical piano training at age eleven, seeking a more glamorous life as a professional athlete. I still hear my father's words ringing clearly in my head "someday you'll thank me" referring to the childhood piano training I so gladly abandoned. An eighth grade football knee injury eventually proved detrimental to my childhood dream. Oh well! 

High school brought new experiences, forming the band LIXX with a couple buddies with rock star ambitions. I grew my hair, sported parachute pants, bought a synthesizer with my neighborhood lawn mowing cash, & jammed to 80's  tunes on LPs. Spending Friday nights at band practice and Saturdays gigging parties & dances, memories were definitely made!

Graduating high school brought an element of retreat from the Chicago "big city" life... venturing out west with my mother & siblings to San Juan Island, Washington. Culture shock took hold, while nature and quiet times prevailed. My composing was born, as was my beautiful daughter Taylor.  I endeavored to start my own recording studio & bought all the toys. Mellow Sounds Studio opened on San Juan Island in '93, a popular haven for the island's many singer-songwriters and folk music artists. My buddy & talented guitarist/songwriter Tom Henry taught me how to listen and mix and the islanders now had a place to record. I released "Ancient Sky" (available by download only) in '94, an eclectic electronic blend of piano, Native American influences (always a fav!) and even cutting edge rock instrumentals (starring Tom)... still wandering a bit musically, obviously! Engineering & producing other artists was relatively short lived, but a priceless experience. Realizing that a musical career would be forever limited on the island, I moved to Seattle in '97.

At age 28, a trip back to Chicago to visit Dad lead me to meet my second cousin Joann Bongiorno, a classical piano virtuoso whom I had only heard stories about. I sat down at her Baldwin baby grand & something special happened. No, I didn't perform magically for her (acoustic piano was a bit foreign to me at that time), but I was enamored by the power, simplicity, and enchanting sound of the instrument as a solo. From that day forward, my synthesizers began to acquire dust, while a plethora of piano sample modules rotated through my studio rack.  I focused in on an album project, rented a grand, crammed it into my basement and spent three weeks diligently practicing & recording.

 "At Peace" ~ solo piano was released in February 2001. The support for this CD was and still is surprising, if not stunning. I give great thanks to all who gave to it!

Life got busier, busier and busier. Taylor blossoming into a young lady, my career developing rapidly... life just seemed to get a bit more complicated each day. Retreats to the piano were much harder to come by. Compositions came together, but sometimes over periods of months. My ability to visualize and memorize carried me through these times, musically. I managed to abstain from reading or writing music with my sole intent being to improvise and create.

Two years passed & I bought a baby grand! My 17 years in the restaurant business brought me a handsome salary with a great company, though I longed deeply for a new CD to hand to my family, friends, fans. My good friend and fellow pianist Joe Yamada put his home and glorious Kawai concert grand at my disposal and I dove in head first. My second release "Destined"~ solo piano was released in April  ‘04. It continues to receive heavy airplay at www.solopianoradio.com with "Just for You", "Chasing the Wind" & "To Be Held" all hitting #1 on the listener charts! The success of this CD brought new & wonderful opportunities, including numerous concert performances for Solo Piano Radio as well as putting me in "high demand" status as a wedding pianist. 

In May, 2006 I bought my dream piano, a Kawai RX-7 concert grand, fulfilling the dream of recording and producing my music from home, whenever I pleased! A whole new set of music channeled through my fingertips and evolved quickly into my proudest CD release to date, "Somewhere Within" ~ solo piano, just released in August ’07. I invite you listen to samples of my music here at my site and don't be shy... drop me a note & say "Hi"! 

Wishing you peace & joy in music,                                                                                

 Joe Bongiorno 

Oh & by the way, "Thank you Dad!"