Johnny Guarnieri was an American swing pianist and composer born John Albert
Guarnieri on March 23, 1917, in New York City. At age 15, he was influenced by
the music of Fats Waller and began his career touring with the ensembles of
George Hall, Eddie Farley, and Mike Riley. Guarnieri performed in the big bands
of Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and Tommy Dorsey between 1939 and 1943. His piano
style incorporated elements of classical music from composers including Domenico
Scarlatti and Beethoven. During the 1940s, he worked as a sideman for recordings
by Louis Armstrong, Ben Webster,...