Born and raised in Rochester, N.Y., Chet Catallo is a guitarist, composer, and producer who is a six-time Grammy nominee. A predominantly self-taught musician, his musical talent was evident at the age of three as he played on toy instruments, and it blossomed by the age 10, when he established his first band.
Catallo was a member of innovative contemporary jazz group Spyro Gyra from 1978 to 1984. Spyro Gyra was one of the first bands to cross over from fusion jazz to pop and topped the charts in multiple categories. The band headlined jazz and music festivals around the world, including performances at Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, and the Newport Jazz Festival, playing on the same bill with legends such as George Benson, Miles Davis, and Herbie Hancock.
Catallo was responsible for writing some of Spyro Gyra’s most popular gold and platinum hits, including “Café Amore,” “Lovin You,” and “It Doesn’t Matter.” A 1981 review of “Café Amore” in Record World magazine said, “Guitarist Chet Catallo displays his many talents on this self -penned piece.”
Catallo, left Spyro Gyra in 1984, along with drummer Eli Konikoff, and formed Chet Catallo & the Cats, which remains a force in jazz music, with an active performance and recording schedule. The album “First Take” is comprised almost entirely of Catallo’s original compositions and features several of Rochester’s most celebrated musicians, who performed regularly with Catallo, including the late Ralph Ortiz, Andy Calabrese, Steve Curry, Charlie Curran, Jim Richmond, and Vince Ercolamento.
Catallo continually composes and creates new material. He personally considers his music to be more than just jazz, and rather something much more adventurous, as he combines Latin influences with funk, R&B, and many pop elements.
“First Take,” which was recorded live and mixed on the spot, was accepted for the nomination process in 13 Grammy categories, including Best Pop Instrumental Jazz Album, Best Instrumental Composition, and Album of the Year.
For many years Catallo has conducted guitar clinics, on behalf of Gibson Guitar Corporation, throughout the United States and Japan.
Chet Catallo will perform live at the April 13 concert and ceremony.