RIZZO
CREATIVE STRATEGIES
MUSIC
ALL SONGS ARE FREE TO DOWNLOAD
JONNY RIZZO
Although I focus on the bass, I like to write songs and play other instruments like the drums, piano, guitar as well as my first love, the bassoon. I've played with a lot of musicians over the years but below are some of the recordings that I've played on. At the bottom of the page, You'll see The Wops recordings were done in Rome, Italy in 2005 and 2006. My first single Courthouse was recorded at each musician's apartment around Boston in 2009 along with Song For Jennie. Chicken Every Night was recorded with Oooh La La! on A Royal Flush in Autumn of 2019. Haley's Song was recorded with Oooh La La! on No Dumping in 2014. Mad World and Ambience for Brandon were recorded in Nashville in 2020. Chilly for Keith is my most recent album, but I'll be putting out more soon!
CHILLY FOR KEITH
A sequel to Ambience for Brandon, Chilly for Keith adds percussive and harmonic elements to create a more grounded aspect to the astral nature of the album.
AMBIENCE FOR BRANDON
I released Ambience for Brandon as one single album with no song breaks as an ambient piece for my friend, Brandon. Each song is a reflection upon different places and times in my life that have become the backdrop of my personal story. I hope it can be enjoyed while focusing on daily tasks or introspectively in the evening with a glass of wine.
Ambience for Brandon
Song List and Times
Runtime Song Title (Duration)
1:41 1. Belvedere (12:13)
13:54 2. Akasha (8:05)
21:58 3. Pine Bush in Winter (9:43)
31:40 4. Allora (9:51)
41:31 5. Tatjana Caillaux (6:31)
48:02 6. Particle Wave in Darkness (9:26)
57:23 7. Archangel Raphael (16:14)
1:13:35 8. The Last Train Home (11:22)
SINGLES
OOOH LA LA!
NO DUMPING
We recorded No Dumping in Albany, NY on a weekend in early 2014. Always so much fun to record with my family. Everybody sings a song or two and we have a good lunch. My brother, Alex Rizzo sang on it, my dad, John Rizzo played guitar, my cousins Andrew Sardella and Todd Sardella played the drums and keyboards and I played the bass. The videos on youtube were all shot by Todd's Daughter, Anne Marie Sardella and I edited them.
OOOH LA LA!
A ROYAL FLUSH
We recorded A Royal Flush in the same studio in Albany, NY on a weekend in 2019. Always fun getting the family band back together! Good music and good food. The star of the show was my daughter, Valentina Rizzo singing on Chicken Every Night! My brother, Alex Rizzo sang on it, my dad, John Rizzo played guitar, my cousins Andrew Sardella and Todd Sardella played the drums and keyboards and I played the bass. The videos on youtube were all shot by Todd's Daughter, Anne Marie Sardella and I edited them.
MORE OOOH LA LA!
SILENT MIND
2012 HERE WE COME
Silent Mind was a touring power rock trio based in Burlington, VT that played over 100 venues across the Northeast United States. This album was recorded in 2007 at Chakra 5 Records with Jamie Bright on guitar and vocals, Jay Baskowski on Drums and Jonathan Rizzo on bass. There were lights, costumes, festivals, house parties, ski resorts and a whole lot of laughs along the way. Here is a link to the Seven Days review of the album: Silent Mind Album Review
MORE OOOH LA LA!
THE WOPS
DEMO FROM CAPOLINA
Recorded in Rome, Italy during the Summer of 2006, this is the second album The Wops released with the addition of guitar player and songwriter Alessandro Caruso. This album consists of all original songs that we recorded when I went back to live in Rome with Francesco and his family for the Summer. It also gave me an opportunity to spend another few weeks with my family in Calabria. We had some amazing adventures together.
MORE OOOH LA LA!
THE WOPS
DUE POLPETE E UN HOT DOG
Recorded in Rome, Italy during the Fall of 2005 with three friends, Francesco Rita on Guitar, Fabrizio Piergiovanni on Drums and Jonathan Rizzo on Bass, this album marks the first of two albums we made together. I had been studying abroad at John Cabot University in Rome's Trastevere neighborhood for a few weeks or so when I heard someone upstairs across the courtyard at 15 Via Luciano Manara playing a Chili Peppers song on guitar and I walked over to knock on the door.
I asked through the door if I could play my bass with whomever was playing the guitar. In broken English, a woman asked me to come back when her husband was home. When I went back later that evening, I was invited in and Francesco's father (a jazz double bassist) asked me to play for him in the living room before I could play with his son. He then let me borrow his '76 Jazz bass for the next month before we recorded this album. Together with Fabrizio, we were brothers. We went everywhere, met everyone and did everything.