Mike Longo, born Michael Josef Longo on March 19, 1937, in Cincinnati, Ohio, was an American jazz pianist, composer, and author. Longo started his career playing with his father’s band before working with Cannonball Adderley, who helped him secure his own performances. He was later hired by Dizzy Gillespie, becoming the director of music for the Dizzy Gillespie Quintet and later the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Band. Longo led the Mike Longo Trio in the 1960s, which remained active for 42 years. Notable albums include Funkia (1974) and Talk with the Spirits (1976). He received several accolades, including a Downbeat Hall of Fame Scholarship in 1959 and a National Endowment for the Arts Grant in 1972. Longo passed away on March 22, 2020, due to complications from COVID-19.
