Pete Jolly, born Peter Ceragioli Jr. June 5,1932 In New Haven, CT died on November 6,2004 in Pasadena, CA. He was an American West Coast jazz pianist and accordionist, likely best known for his performance of television themes and various movie soundtracks.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, he began playing the accordion at age 3, and appeared on the radio program Hobby Lobby at age seven.
His composition "Little Bird" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1963, and he formed the Pete Jolly Trio in 1964. With the Trio, and also as a solo artist, he recorded several albums, the last being in 2000; a collaboration with Jan Lundgren. He also worked with other notable jazz artists, including Buddy DeFranco, Art Pepper, and Red Norvo, and for many years with EZ music arranger and director Ray Conniff.
Jolly's music can be heard on television programs such as Get Smart, The Love Boat, I Spy, Mannix, M*A*S*H, and Dallas, as well as hundreds of movie soundtracks.
He died in Pasadena, California, from complications of bone marrow cancer, having been hospitalized from August to November, 2004.∼Noted jazz pianist, composer and keyboardist. Born Peter A. Ceragioli in New Haven, Connecticut, he rose to fame on the West Coast in the 1950s and remained a fixture in southern California for over 40 years. Began on accordion when he was three and then piano when he was eight and played his first gig when he was 12. In 1946, his family moved to Phoenix where he joined the Musicians Union and started working extensively in clubs. During a visit to Los Angeles in 1954, Jolly sat in at the Lighthouse, which led to him joining Shorty Rogers' Giants. He recorded three albums as a leader for Victor in 1956, worked with Buddy DeFranco, Terry Gibbs, Richie Kamuca, Chet Baker and Art Pepper, among, others in the late '50s and had a surprise hit with "Little Bird" in 1963 which was nominated for a Grammy. Jolly became a busy studio musician in the 1960s, and also led his trio with bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Nick Martinis regularly in local clubs for over 30 years until Jolly's hospitalization in August 2004. In addition to RCA, Pete Jolly recorded for Metrojazz, MGM, Ava, Charlie Parker Records, Columbia, A&M, Atlas, Holt, and V.S.O.P. as a leader. He played piano, organ and accordion and provided the keyboard work for television theme songs such as "Get Smart," "The Love Boat," "I Spy," "Dallas" and "MASH." Also heard on a myriad of movie soundtracks, including "The Man With the Golden Arm" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." His recordings included "The Sensational Pete Jolly Gases Everybody" (1963), "Strike Up the Band" (1980), "Yeah" (1995) and his final album, with Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren, was "Collaboration" (2001). Cause of death: died in Pasadena, California of complications from bone marrow cancer and irregular heartbeat.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, he began playing the accordion at age 3, and appeared on the radio program Hobby Lobby at age seven.
His composition "Little Bird" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1963, and he formed the Pete Jolly Trio in 1964. With the Trio, and also as a solo artist, he recorded several albums, the last being in 2000; a collaboration with Jan Lundgren. He also worked with other notable jazz artists, including Buddy DeFranco, Art Pepper, and Red Norvo, and for many years with EZ music arranger and director Ray Conniff.
Jolly's music can be heard on television programs such as Get Smart, The Love Boat, I Spy, Mannix, M*A*S*H, and Dallas, as well as hundreds of movie soundtracks.
He died in Pasadena, California, from complications of bone marrow cancer, having been hospitalized from August to November, 2004.∼Noted jazz pianist, composer and keyboardist. Born Peter A. Ceragioli in New Haven, Connecticut, he rose to fame on the West Coast in the 1950s and remained a fixture in southern California for over 40 years. Began on accordion when he was three and then piano when he was eight and played his first gig when he was 12. In 1946, his family moved to Phoenix where he joined the Musicians Union and started working extensively in clubs. During a visit to Los Angeles in 1954, Jolly sat in at the Lighthouse, which led to him joining Shorty Rogers' Giants. He recorded three albums as a leader for Victor in 1956, worked with Buddy DeFranco, Terry Gibbs, Richie Kamuca, Chet Baker and Art Pepper, among, others in the late '50s and had a surprise hit with "Little Bird" in 1963 which was nominated for a Grammy. Jolly became a busy studio musician in the 1960s, and also led his trio with bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Nick Martinis regularly in local clubs for over 30 years until Jolly's hospitalization in August 2004. In addition to RCA, Pete Jolly recorded for Metrojazz, MGM, Ava, Charlie Parker Records, Columbia, A&M, Atlas, Holt, and V.S.O.P. as a leader. He played piano, organ and accordion and provided the keyboard work for television theme songs such as "Get Smart," "The Love Boat," "I Spy," "Dallas" and "MASH." Also heard on a myriad of movie soundtracks, including "The Man With the Golden Arm" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." His recordings included "The Sensational Pete Jolly Gases Everybody" (1963), "Strike Up the Band" (1980), "Yeah" (1995) and his final album, with Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren, was "Collaboration" (2001). Cause of death: died in Pasadena, California of complications from bone marrow cancer and irregular heartbeat.
Pete Jolly, born Peter Ceragioli Jr. June 5,1932 In New Haven, CT died on November 6,2004 in Pasadena, CA. He was an American West Coast jazz pianist and accordionist, likely best known for his performance of television themes and various movie soundtracks.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, he began playing the accordion at age 3, and appeared on the radio program Hobby Lobby at age seven.
His composition "Little Bird" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1963, and he formed the Pete Jolly Trio in 1964. With the Trio, and also as a solo artist, he recorded several albums, the last being in 2000; a collaboration with Jan Lundgren. He also worked with other notable jazz artists, including Buddy DeFranco, Art Pepper, and Red Norvo, and for many years with EZ music arranger and director Ray Conniff.
Jolly's music can be heard on television programs such as Get Smart, The Love Boat, I Spy, Mannix, M*A*S*H, and Dallas, as well as hundreds of movie soundtracks.
He died in Pasadena, California, from complications of bone marrow cancer, having been hospitalized from August to November, 2004.∼Noted jazz pianist, composer and keyboardist. Born Peter A. Ceragioli in New Haven, Connecticut, he rose to fame on the West Coast in the 1950s and remained a fixture in southern California for over 40 years. Began on accordion when he was three and then piano when he was eight and played his first gig when he was 12. In 1946, his family moved to Phoenix where he joined the Musicians Union and started working extensively in clubs. During a visit to Los Angeles in 1954, Jolly sat in at the Lighthouse, which led to him joining Shorty Rogers' Giants. He recorded three albums as a leader for Victor in 1956, worked with Buddy DeFranco, Terry Gibbs, Richie Kamuca, Chet Baker and Art Pepper, among, others in the late '50s and had a surprise hit with "Little Bird" in 1963 which was nominated for a Grammy. Jolly became a busy studio musician in the 1960s, and also led his trio with bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Nick Martinis regularly in local clubs for over 30 years until Jolly's hospitalization in August 2004. In addition to RCA, Pete Jolly recorded for Metrojazz, MGM, Ava, Charlie Parker Records, Columbia, A&M, Atlas, Holt, and V.S.O.P. as a leader. He played piano, organ and accordion and provided the keyboard work for television theme songs such as "Get Smart," "The Love Boat," "I Spy," "Dallas" and "MASH." Also heard on a myriad of movie soundtracks, including "The Man With the Golden Arm" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." His recordings included "The Sensational Pete Jolly Gases Everybody" (1963), "Strike Up the Band" (1980), "Yeah" (1995) and his final album, with Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren, was "Collaboration" (2001). Cause of death: died in Pasadena, California of complications from bone marrow cancer and irregular heartbeat.
Born in New Haven, Connecticut, he began playing the accordion at age 3, and appeared on the radio program Hobby Lobby at age seven.
His composition "Little Bird" was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1963, and he formed the Pete Jolly Trio in 1964. With the Trio, and also as a solo artist, he recorded several albums, the last being in 2000; a collaboration with Jan Lundgren. He also worked with other notable jazz artists, including Buddy DeFranco, Art Pepper, and Red Norvo, and for many years with EZ music arranger and director Ray Conniff.
Jolly's music can be heard on television programs such as Get Smart, The Love Boat, I Spy, Mannix, M*A*S*H, and Dallas, as well as hundreds of movie soundtracks.
He died in Pasadena, California, from complications of bone marrow cancer, having been hospitalized from August to November, 2004.∼Noted jazz pianist, composer and keyboardist. Born Peter A. Ceragioli in New Haven, Connecticut, he rose to fame on the West Coast in the 1950s and remained a fixture in southern California for over 40 years. Began on accordion when he was three and then piano when he was eight and played his first gig when he was 12. In 1946, his family moved to Phoenix where he joined the Musicians Union and started working extensively in clubs. During a visit to Los Angeles in 1954, Jolly sat in at the Lighthouse, which led to him joining Shorty Rogers' Giants. He recorded three albums as a leader for Victor in 1956, worked with Buddy DeFranco, Terry Gibbs, Richie Kamuca, Chet Baker and Art Pepper, among, others in the late '50s and had a surprise hit with "Little Bird" in 1963 which was nominated for a Grammy. Jolly became a busy studio musician in the 1960s, and also led his trio with bassist Chuck Berghofer and drummer Nick Martinis regularly in local clubs for over 30 years until Jolly's hospitalization in August 2004. In addition to RCA, Pete Jolly recorded for Metrojazz, MGM, Ava, Charlie Parker Records, Columbia, A&M, Atlas, Holt, and V.S.O.P. as a leader. He played piano, organ and accordion and provided the keyboard work for television theme songs such as "Get Smart," "The Love Boat," "I Spy," "Dallas" and "MASH." Also heard on a myriad of movie soundtracks, including "The Man With the Golden Arm" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." His recordings included "The Sensational Pete Jolly Gases Everybody" (1963), "Strike Up the Band" (1980), "Yeah" (1995) and his final album, with Swedish pianist Jan Lundgren, was "Collaboration" (2001). Cause of death: died in Pasadena, California of complications from bone marrow cancer and irregular heartbeat.
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