Originally from Connecticut, Craig Pilo graduated from the University of North Texas College of Music in 1995 with a Bachelors Degree in Music. In the fall of 1996 he moved to Los Angeles where he resides today. In 1997 Craig did the fall tour with famed trumpeter Maynard Ferguson to promote his One More Trip To Birdland CD. Craig attributes his early success to some of his private teachers, Alan Dawson, Ed Soph, Dave Weckl, and Jeff Hamilton.
From 1998 until 2002 Craig worked around Los Angeles and maintained a regular schedule with Player (”Baby Come Back”), a few local artists, and did sessions for TV, Film, and local artists' CD’s. A partial list of credits from this period includes: Ally McBeal, Boston Public, Sex and the City, CSI Miami, Malcolm in the Middle, Sabrina, The Osbornes, and the movies Basic and Dirty Dancing II: Havana Nights. Some of the artists include: Billy Vera, Malo, Heatwave, Blue Magic, Deniece Williams, Don Rickles, The Delfonics, Tommy Roe, Chris Montez, and Danny Weis (Iron Butterfly).
In the Spring of 2002 Craig began playing regularly with Pat Boone. He did several tours over the next few years and recorded for a few of Pats CD’s. Craig played on the title cut “Under God” for the re-release of Pat’s American Glory CD released in 2002. In 2004 Craig broke away from his regular gigs and began playing with Angela Carole Brown and did a few tours with the Red Elvises. Each project produced a CD that included Craig on the drums. The Red Elvises recorded and released a live CD from one of the concerts in Russia, and Angela Carole Brown recorded and released The Slow Club. In the summer of 2005 Craig rejoined Pat Boone for his tour of Ireland. And in the summer of 2006 Craig played the Playboy Jazz Festival with Angela Carole Brown and The Slow Club Quartet.
In November of 2005, Craig joined “Rock N Roll Hall-of-Fame” singer Frankie Valli for his touring band. Craig continues touring with Frankie into 2007, but can also be seen touring with Edgar Winter, and Player. In April of 2007 Craig released a solo CD Just Play on Rue De La Harpe Records. Just Play has recently won the Los Angeles Music Awards for best intrumental jazz cd of 2007. The Award Show took place in Hollywood CA on November 29, 2007.
”Tight, yet fluent stick work, and a yen for selecting great tunes and accompanists. This just about sums up drummer Craig Pilo on his latest CD effort, Just Play. Moving well beyond tired arrangements and re-treaded licks, Pilo covers a few classic standards such as Autumn Leaves, All Blues and Teen Town, giving them novel readings. Craig’s pen is also in the spotlight on well-written pieces such as Early Cynical Mystery. His mastery of sundry styles and meters shines through and there’s chemistry galore with the likes of featured keyboardist, the stellar Mitchel Forman, as well as saxophonist Roman Dudak.”
- John Stevenson EJazz News
”A highly dynamic jazz fusion atmosphere filled with positive energy. “Just Play” showcases the work of an experimented musician whose bold personality is evident throughout the album. There are many wonderful sequences of vigorous, colorful jamming not to mention the excellent bass and organ grooves that make the music float around. Among the highlights “Early Cynical Mystery” one of the originals, brings a breeze from the “Return to Forever” years and Coltrane's “Miles Mode” here cleverly arranged by Craig Pilo. An entertaining album of great clarity and power for fusion enthusiasts.”
- Jazz World Quest.
”I’m betting you’ll be happy with the playing Craig and the band lay down on this disc. Simply outstanding jazz, crisply recorded from a lengthy all-star cast. Appearing on the tracks I’m playing are Mitchel Forman and Ed Czach with some truly blistering Fender Rhodes work, Burt Samolis, Keith Hubacher, Jim King, Tom Kennedy and David Enos each on some equally blistering bass lines, Roman Dudok on sax, with Pilo keeping the rhythm locked and loaded and filled with particularly tasty cymbal work.”
- FusionGroovin
”Drummer Craig Pilo is kept busy via his concert tours with pop and rock icons Frankie Valli and Edgar Winter. Yet this jazz-fusion studio date signifies an insightful glimpse into his enviable chops and overall musicality. With an attractive blend of originals, jazz standards, and pieces by Trane and Freddie Hubbard, the drummer generates pop, zip and fluid movement throughout. Featuring veteran session artists such as keyboardist Mitchel Forman, bassist Tom Kennedy and others, the various lineups convey a tightly-organized and thoroughly, in-the-pocket chemistry.
Constructed upon largely, melodic pieces and groove-oriented rhythmic maneuvers, Forman’s Fender Rhodes piano work serves as the axis on several tracks. They execute a mid-tempo, Latin-jazz spin on “Autumn Leaves,” while projecting a contempo jazz outlook with saxophonist Roman Dudok’s appearance on various works. On Hubbard’s modern jazz classic “Red Clay,” the saxophonist judiciously improvises within the primary melody, firmed-up by Pilo’s solid and throttling backbeats.
Kennedy renders a literal reading of Jaco Pastorius’ “Teen Town,” as the trio’s interpretation of “Softly As In A Morning Sunrise, surfaces as a dreamy ballad, spiced-up with a distinct edge. No frills or revelations here! It’s more about a consortium of top-caliber musicians infusing their broad music vernaculars into a potpourri of jazz-tinged works that intimate a jubilant state-of-affairs. Everything seems to click rather naturally here.”
- Glenn Astarita
”For all my Jazz lovers out there on the Internet, Craig Pilo is just what the doctor ordered. Craig, who is originally from Connecticut, is a graduate of the University of North Texas College of Music in 1995 with his Bachelors Degree in Music. One of his biggest accomplishments earlier on his career was when he tour in 1997 with famed trumpeter Maynard Ferguson. A part of Craig's success, according to Craig, has been contributed to some of his earlier private teachers. Between the times around 1998-2002, Craig continued to work passionately perfecting his craft. By the time 2002 rolled around, he landed a regular gig playing alone side with the legendary Pat Boone. More recently, Craig joined Frankie Valli on his touring band. Now comes 2007 and Craig Pilo is ready to show the music industry just what he is made of. I promise you this folks•when you listen to Craig's music•you will NOT be disappointed. Good stuff. Check out this fun interview that Craig took the time to do for the magazine recently.”
”Not only is he a great drummer, but his compositional skills are superb ... and he did a fantastic job producing the entire album! Craig arranged all three of his own tunes and was co-arranger of all the jazz standards which fills out the rest of the album. Impressed yet? Wait to you hear his playing!
Every tune on this instrumental jazz CD breaths and has life. It's obvious that each instrumentalist gave it their all; playing with a lot of passion, heart and soul. The overall vibe of the album comes off with a live feel, even though it was recorded in a recording studio (Wolftone Studios, Reseda, CA). When it comes to jazz, I think this is extremely important ingredient; it's what jazz really is ... spontaneous, 'in the moment', music.
I first listened to this CD in my car without checking out the track list. I got past the first tune and thought 'nice playing'. With about a minute passing on track 2, I said outloud (I'm alone in the car mind you) “I know this tune ...” amd quickly went for the liner notes. Reading outloud “'Autumn Leaves' ... what a great arrangement!” I think I made verbal praises on every tune, not just for the playing (every instrumentalist is great), but the arrangements really got me ... especially on the standards. I think it's worth mentioning at this time that Just Play has been nominated for two Los Angeles Music Awards in the Instrumental Jazz category!
As I listen to the CD while writing this review, I try to think back and reflect on why I like the album so much. I believe one of the biggest positives I get from Just Play is all the space, sound and color ... ala Joe Zawinul / Cannonball Adderley. Another reason I dig this album, besides that it just makes me smile, is that I can hear all of the influences of Craig's teachers/instructors in his playing. Dave Weckl, Jeff Hamilton, Ed Soph and the late Alan Dawson whom I was also fortune to briefly study with. I can think of no greater tribute to one's mentor than to hear them in what you do. Craig has definitely done this ... and more ... coming into his own with his unique musical language and approach.
Young players and students of drumming may be wondering ... what about the drumming? Well, Craig Pilo has a lot to say, and what he does say ... he says very well. The drum sounds on the CD are great, and drums are mixed up front ... where they should be!!! The listener will quickly be able to hear that Pilo has a strong understanding of the jazz/funk/latin music styles, not to mention the firm hold he has on polyrhythms, rhythmic displacment, odd note groupings/figures. But the beauty in all of this lies not in that Craig Pilo has a lot of chops and can solo his tokus off ... rather that he knows how and when to use them to make music ... which is what it's all about ... right?! No short-cuts here. Musicianship comes with time and seasoning, and Pilo has been marinating a very long time.
Just Play features a wonderful line-up of musicians, all working together to bring you an in-the-pocket musical chemistry that will make you want to listen to the CD again and again ... and spend hours in the practice room. And speaking of practice room, let me end with a quote from the CD's liner notes:
“Often times worrying about what's appropriatr, acceptable, traditional, or correct can prevent us from doing anything at all. The simple fear of being criticized for doing our own thing can damn us to our practice rooms without ever seeing the light of day. At some point, I honestly feel it's important to let the critics be critics, and for better or worse ... Just Play.” �” Craig Pilo”
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