Jerry Grillo's Traditional Jazz Stylings
 Jerry Grillo has been at it long enough to call himself a veteran even if he answered his calling as a jazz singer relatively late in life. Only after retiring from a career as a schoolteacher in 1999 was Grillo able to devote himself to his first love. Since then he has released no fewer than nine CDs. He has also watched CD sales shrink, the ladders for getting a leg up in the industry collapse and opportunities to perform dwindle.
"People say, 'I got your CD at the library and copied it!' How am I supposed to answer that?" Grillo says with a sigh. "For singers, it's not as good as it was."
Grillo forges onward anyway, lending his foggy voice to the standards of pre-rock American songs in settings that sometimes depart from the norm. He's enjoyed a varied track record, performing with a diverse range of musicians, including The Danglers and the Nick Contorno Orchestra. He's sung with only a pianist for accompaniment and with a trio. Usually his combo includes bassist Madeline Dietrich, guitarist Kirk Tatnall and percussionist Randy Maio, who loves slapping the skins with his palms and playing with wind chimes as well as drumsticks.
To find work in restaurants and private functions, many jazz singers have switched to pop tunes, "and not in a jazz way," Grillo adds. He has always sung a few of his favorites from the 1950s ("Venus") and has added a couple of country songs ("For the Good Times," "Rambling Rose") that open easily to jazz, but prefers to draw from the classic jazz singer repertoire. Songs popularized by Frank Sinatra are a mainstay, along with compositions by Antonio Carlos Jobim for a Brazilian lilt, a funky "Summertime" and a sizzling, edgy rendition of "Fever."
"I can't change 'Moonlight in Vermont' or 'The Nearness of You' in good conscience," he says. "But we do many songs in a nontraditional way, changing the chords, the voicings and the rhythm. Kirk will play guitar with pedals and come close to a rock guitar solo never a real rock solo, but close."
Grillo's voice has gained assurance and nuance, as attested by a close listen to his 2009 anthology CD, Some of the Best. He pops up in unexpected venues, such as LuLu Cafe or Paddy's Pub, and accepts the changing times with a shrug. "I wonder sometimes if I shouldn't have left town, but the problem is I really love Milwaukee. Where else would I have gotten an award? I'm proud of my WAMI."
-- By David Luhrssen
Wednesday, March 28,2012
Grillo film looks at historic Milwaukee jazz venues
"Vintage Grillo...Milwaukee" is a new documentary created by a team made up of local jazz singer Jerry Grillo and filmmakers Tim Chiapetta and his wife, Lisa. The film looks at historic Milwaukee venues that occasionally feature jazz bands, including Transfer Pizzeria, 101 W. Mitchell St.
This lesson in local history will include songs from Broadway and the Movies. A premiere screening of the film will be shown during the intermission of a concert by Grillo at 6 p.m. Sunday at the Wherehouse, 818 S. Water St. Weather permitting, the event will begin with a short cocktail hour on the patio.
A line of jazz art-inspired T-shirts from Grillo's design company will be sold at the event. There's no admission price, but there is a two-drink minimum (includes soda).
-- Jackie Loohauis-Bennett
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
June, 2011
Grillo captures Historical Mystery Band at Lulu gig
For years, Jerry Grillo has been Milwaukee's jazz singer. He's been a constant on the scene, forging his own style out of a passion for singers like Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin, but always letting the Grillo come through.
He's recorded numerous CDs with different bands and in different settings. When he takes the stage at Cafe Lulu, 2265 S. Howell Ave., in Bay View on Saturday, May 8 at 10:30 p.m. it will be fronting a new group called Historical Mystery Band.
"I've always have had a band," says Grillo. "With jazz bands, however, most singers and players use whoever is available, because their skills are such that they can play any chord charts in almost every rhythm."
But with the Historical Mystery Band, which includes keyboardist Scott Currier, guitarist and bassist Kirk Tatnall and percussionist Randy Maio, Grillo wants to work with a band in a much more close-knit fashion.
"I would like my songs to be done in a way that is familiar to my own chosen musicians, and I also prefer musicians who write some of their own tunes, so we can feature them. I have chosen this band for that particular reason. I will also add saxopone or trumpet depending upon the gig."
Historical Mystery Band is a band, says Grillo -- who also performs with the 15-piece Nick Contorno Orchestra -- not just backing musicians for him. Currier and Tatnall have been writing original material that the band will perform alongside a selection of standards.
"Instead of just showcasing myself, I wanted the band to have a name other than only mine. We are a band, not just Jerry Grillo, the singer."
That band will be caught on film at its second performance (the first, on Thursday, April 29, is the start of an every-other-week residency at the Harbor Room, 117 E. Greenfield Ave.), says Grillo, who says a relatively low-fi video of a performance provided inspiration to make a DVD. Tim Chiapetta of Milwaukee Metro Design is filming the performance
"I was recorded on a cell phone at a gig, and that video was sent to me via Facebook," he recalls.
"It prompted the thought that I would like to have a better quality documentation of my bands and myself as performer. (Chiapetta) offered to film that, and I indicated that I wanted to be filmed at venues which would be considered historic because of the buildings they were housed in, or because they were considered historical because the venue was a Milwaukee landmark venue for so many years.
"I didn't want a staged video because I generally don't find them interesting for a jazz band. The documentary form was appealing to me because, if it is done well, it highlights the venue and the band at the same time. This is a concept film which includes the band as well -- not just a video. Film documentaries have always intrigued me. Videos of a band just playing their songs, don't really interest me at all. That is only a promotional tool."
If the name of the band seems like something of a mystery, itself, Grillo says it has a meaning relevant to the group and for the film project, too.
"The mystery part of the title is because of the fact the venues will be decided upon as we go along," he says. "This is part of a journey, filmwise, and will take quite a bit of effort and time to produce. I also have always been interested in historic venues, performed in many of them, and have never been filmed live professionally. "
Cafe Lulu, says Grillo, fits his criteria perfectly and is therefore perfect for the event.
"Cafe Lulu was selected because the original restaurant was a George Webb, and if that isn't historical, nothing is," says Grillo. "Also, they have become an intrinsic destination in Bay View, and were the first to develop that corner. The transformation of Kinnickinnic and Lincoln has been very interesting to watch."
Grillo's most recent solo CD, "Some of the Best," is available for purchase at performances only.
--Bobby Tanzilo
OnMilwaukee.com
April 24, 2010
Jazz on Camera: Jerry Grillo’s Historical Journey
 Jerry Grillo was a little taken aback. When a fan he had never met before, Lisa Chiappetta, showed him the video she made on her cell phone camera of one of his performances, Grillo thought, “I don’t like the YouTube quality.” But the encounter sparked a series of conversations, a train of thought that led to the Milwaukee jazz singer’s latest project.
Starting this spring, the Jerry Grillo Historical Mystery Band will be on a tour of landmark local venues, trailed by cameras. Lisa’s husband, Tim Chiappetta of Milwaukee Metro Design, will edit the footage into a documentary suitable for the festival circuit.
“I thought it would be fun to do something more involved and of better quality than just something you throw online,” Grillo says.
The singer and showman is no stranger to working with film and video artists. In the early ’90s, when his career as an interpreter of classic songs had just begun, Grillo did a short subject with Milwaukee filmmaker Cathy Cook, who has since gone on to national acclaim. The intervening years, however, mostly have been devoted to making music. Grillo has released no less than eight CDs and recently posted an original song on his website.
Music will be the most significant aspect of the planned documentary, but not the only one. “To me, it’s a historical journey,” Grillo explains. “I’m picking venues that don’t normally feature jazz, located in buildings associated with Milwaukee history in some way.”
He chose the location for this weekend’s gig at Café LuLu (2265 S. Howell Ave.) because the building once housed one of those favorite diners for Milwaukee night owls, George Webb. On May 13, Grillo will take the show to the Harbor Room (117 E. Greenfield Ave.).
The Historical Mystery Band features top-flight local jazz musicians, including Kirk Tatnall on guitar and bass, Scott Currier on keyboards, Mike Caldwell on saxophone and Randy Maio on drums and all manner of percussion. Several songs in the set list are instrumentals by Tatnall and Currier, but the focus will be on songs chosen and sung by Grillo.
“I don’t go beyond the ’60s—it’s hard to find songs that are good for me from beyond the ’60s,” he says, explaining a repertoire that runs roughly from Gershwin through Lennon and McCartney. Although in earlier years he was a purist, Grillo has become a creative interpreter. “I wanted to appeal to a different audience and create something more exciting for the band as well,” he says, explaining the reggae rendition of “Witchcraft” and an “almost hip-hop” take on “Summertime.”
The Jerry Grillo Historical Mystery Band performs at 10:30 p.m. Saturday, May 8, at Café LuLu.
-- David Luhrssen
ExpressMilwaukee.com
May 6, 2010
Jerry Grillo’s Sentimental Journey
 Several years ago Jerry Grillo was one of the most prolific jazz performers in town, recording no less than seven CDs from 1994 through the middle of the present decade and singing consistently in local clubs. He didn't fall silent as much as he became quieter, playing modest duets at Paddy's Pub and weddings and corporate parties with the Nick Contorno big band.
"I was content for a while not scratching around for gigs," Grillo says, explaining that his father died recently and his mother has been unwell. "It puts one in a contemplative mood," he continues. "For a while I didn't feel like doing anything."
Grillo returned recently with a new CD called Some Of The Best, a digitally remastered career retrospective culled from many of his previous CDs, plus a live bonus track and an alternate take of Frankie Avalon's hit "Venus." It's the culmination of his contemplative phase.
"I started thinking of all the musicians I've worked with over all these years," he says, explaining that at one time he toyed with ideas of either a bluesy album or a disc of songs newer than his usual repertoire of Gershwin, Ellington and songs from the golden years of popular songcraft. "The project became more of a sentimental thing, more of a tribute situation. And it was easier to do."
From the get-go Grillo attracted many of Milwaukee's best jazz musicians. On electric guitar: Jack Grassel, Kirk Tatnall and Steve Peplin. Barry Velleman and Scott Currier have been heard on piano. Randy Maio, Charles McFarlan, Jeff Hamann and Tom McGirr are among the rhythm players. Milwaukee expatriate Julie Wood lent her saxophone on occasion. All are represented on Some Of The Best, a set that includes edgy experimentation and straight ballads, '30s swing and '50s pop.
Although Grillo had dabbled over the years in cover bands and musical theater, he was a late bloomer as a jazz singer, tossing his hat into the bullring only after retiring from Milwaukee Public Schools. Some encouraged him to follow his star in cities where lights are brighter, but Grillo refused to leave.
"I love my house. I love the city. I'm thrilled with what's happening here-other than the winters," he explains. "There were so many negatives about moving. But the big reason was all the musicians I could work with here. I feel these people could play anywhere in the world with anybody. They are exceptional."
He pauses for a moment and adds, referring to Some Of The Best, "Maybe this is the final product. I don't know if I'll actually make another CD" in a world of rampant piracy and an imploding music industry. "But I'm adding songs to my repertoire and I have the people who can play them."
--Dave Luhrssen
Shepherd Express
April 2009
Standards With a Twist
Cupping his hands around his microphone, his eyes half closed, Jerry
Grillo sways to the rhythm of an inner reverie as he puts his singing
on pause to allow his guitarist to take a solo. Live, Grillo is the
consummate lounge singer, wrapping his voice around the meaning of
every word of every standard he sings.
But when speaking
about his fifth full-length CD, Fever...And Other Symptoms,
Grillo declares, "This is not lounge at all to me." The 12
tracks are all standards from the classic era of American pop music,
the '30s through the '50s, unless they are more recent tunes in the
style of a Brazilian samba, but most of them aren't performed in a
standard way. "It's alternative. It's in your face. It's
funky," he explains.
When Grillo
released his first CD in 1994 he colored strictly within the lines of
his repertoire. A few years later, he edged the material into less
explored areas. And then he pulled back a little, finding a
comfortable balance between familiarity and strangeness. "It's
taken me years to find out how far I can go without going too
far," he says.
On
"Fever," Grillo incorporates lyrics from Sonny and Cher, the
Doors and Gershwin to the song's elastic rhythm while guitarist Kirk
Tatnall tears off a Hendrixy solo. Pianist Scott Currier threads a
bluesy pattern through "Come Rain or Come Shine." The
inherent funkiness of "Softly As In a Morning Sunrise"
surfaces with help from guitarist Steve Peplin and drummer Randy Maio.
Grillo also relaxes into a more intimate mood on three songs
accompanied only by pianist Barry Velleman.
"I'm putting
my own stamp on these tunes," Grillo says. "I don't think
artists can make it today without stamping their own heart and soul on
the pieces. This is definitely who I am."
Shepherd
Express
Dave Luhrssen
June 21, 2001
Jerry Grillo has created a jazz vocal showcase for himself
with such classics as "Softly As In A Morning Sunrise,"
Cole Porter's "Get Out Of Town," Jobim's
"How Insensitive," Carmichael's "Georgia
On My Mind" Davenport's "Fever,"
George Gershwin's "Summertime," Johnny Mercer/Barry
Manilow's "When October Goes," Holiday's
"God Bless This Child" among others in the
outstanding CD release titled FEVER......AND OTHER SYMPTOMS. 12 selections.
Backed
by various artists, including guest pianist Barry Velleman,
this is an entertaining collection of jazz classics. It is a
pleasure listening to the solo work by these artists.
The
rendition of the Mercer/Manilow song, "When October Goes," is
a highly emotional and sensitive interpretation, and it reveals
the complexity and range of Jerry Grillo's voice. The piano
accompanying Grillo is played by Barry Velleman.
A
nice listening experience, this CD will find a home among jazz
vocalist fans everywhere. Jerry Grillo at his best!
John Barrett Jr.
Jazz Review
July, 2001
Lonely
A throwback to the days of cabaret, Grillo has earned comparisons to Frank Sinatra and Bobby Darin, and it's easy to hear why. He has a rich, resonant voice and a good dose of swagger that commands listeners to pay attention. On this single, he offers two versions of the title ballad. The second version is slightly bluesier, and clocking in two minutes longer, it allows for some nice solo work by members of the Barry Velleman Quartet.
Donna Kimura
jazzreview.com
am Jazz, Minneapple Records 2004 |
