John Brighenti is a 1967 graduate of the Hartt College of Music of the University of Hartford where he received a Bachelor of Music Education with a minor in both classical piano and music theory.  After graduating, he enrolled at the Hartford Conservatory of Music to further pursue his musical studies.  These studies included courses in big band arranging, and jazz piano techniques.  John’s instructor was the prominent Hartford pianist, composer, arranger and historian, Ray Cassarino. John next traveled to New York to study jazz improvisation with the world-renowned jazz pianist and composer, Lennie Tristano for a year in 1975.   From 1982-1984 he went on to study jazz piano with the great jazz saxophonist/pianist Jerry Bergonzi.  John’s professional experiences as a pianist include performing with numerous orchestras, lounge groups, jazz ensembles and vocalists in the New England States, Atlanta, Phoenix, Las Vegas and cruise ships.  1977 found John touring the U.S. playing piano for the Glenn Miller Orchestra under the direction of Jimmy Henderson.  Since then he has played with the Eddie Howard, Al Gentile and Chic Chicetti Orchestras well as Paul Landerman’s Group.

  In Connecticut his venues have included Szechuan Tokyo Jazz Club, Cavey’s, Max Downtown, The Hartford Club, 880 Club, Trinity-On-Main,  Ferme Restaurant, Foxwoods Casino, Apricot’s,  Carmen Anthony’s, New Britain Museum of Art, Max a Mia, Matthew’s, the Wadsworth Atheneum,  and the Wethersfield Historical Society (among many others).  His weekly appearances and monthly Jazz Nights at Vito’s Wethersfield are “legend.” Performers he has played with include Paul Brown, Freda Payne, Gino Pizzola, Seb Giacco, Bobbie Rogers, Chic Chicetti, Johnny Corvo, Tony Allen, Benny Bennet, Al Lepak, “Tiny Joe,” Phil Bowler, Karen Frisk, Julian Wild, Jeff Fuller, Billy Cofrances, Ed Fast, Dianne Mower, Atla DeChamplain, Nicole Pasternak, Tom Devino, Rob Zappulla, Mike Asetta, Esdras Lubin, etc.   He performs twice a month at Mohegan Sun Casino in the Grand Lobby and at Todd English’s Tuscany Restaurant.

    John was selected to perform at The Baby Grand Jazz Series at the Hartford Public Library and played with his trio and singer Erin O’Luanaigh  on February 24, 2013 to an audience of over 300.  A live recording “Swingin’ On a Sunday Afternoon” was made of that concert and released that spring.   It was the first live recording CD made in the 10-year history of this prestigious jazz series. He performed in this series again on February 16, 2014 with vocalist Erin O’Luanaigh, bass player Lou Bocciarelli and drummer Tom Devino.  The audience once again over 300 people gave them two standing ovations and they were called to do two encores.  He has currently teamed with vocalist Orice Jenkins performing a highly acclaimed program called “The Songs of Nat King Cole.”