​Welcome to www.Ianpetillo.com

In the pocket. New Orleans-based drummer, vocalist, and bandleader Ian Petillo keeps it swingin' and dynamic with his Legacy Jazz Band. Backed by thirty years of dedication to authentic Jazz and Blues, Ian’s grace and groove set him apart. He started playing drums at the age of three, and was formally trained by Big Band master Howie Mann (Nat King Cole, Tommy Dorsey) starting at age twelve. Ian later studied under Jimmy Cobb, Ralph Peterson, renowned Long Island drum master Earl Williams, and technical virtuoso Joe Acione. As a young man, Ian cut his teeth on the competitive NYC Jazz scene while acquiring his Music Education Degree.

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In 1998, Ian marked a major career milestone as the bandleader of his very first group, The New Amsterdam Quartet, anchoring a two-month residency at Huis Ten Bosch in Japan. Building on that international momentum, Ian went on to form the acclaimed Legacy Jazz Band in 2001, performing countless concert series and private events from New York to regional festival stages, including headlining the annual 4th of July Fireworks Dixieland Celebration at Morgan Memorial Park.

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Highly versatile on stage and in the studio, Ian also built an elite reputation on the New York circuit driving the rhythm section for renowned trumpet player Chris Norton at iconic venues including The Boom Boom Room, Tavern on the Green, and Le Cirque, alongside live dates backing vocalist Nicki Blanski (Hairspray) at Feinstein's. He has also provided foundational musical backing for notable vocal performances by celebrated actors Joe Piscopo and Danny Aiello. An experienced global touring player, Ian traversed entirely throughout Russia on an extensive 2006 tour backing powerhouse vocalist Anastasia Rene.

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His television, session, and festival credits include tracking for The Little Bill Show, driving the drums on Eric Bernhardt's release Bernie's Blues, tracking the featured CD with Queens-based trumpet player Rodriguez Sanz and Jerry Weldon on saxophone, and leading the Legacy Jazz Band for a monumental festival performance featuring legendary Louis Armstrong All-Stars jazz pianist Marty Napoleon at the Downtown Sound Festival. His extensive tracking catalog also features studio work for legendary blues guitarist Jeff Chaz (including serving as producer and drummer on Apartment 14, and producer on Octo Player), drum tracking on Frenchie Moe's 2023 release Soul Full Tonight, George Bouchard's Listen To Your Dreams, and Tiffany Pollack and Co.'s Bayou Liberty.

 

By 2016, Ian began his next chapter of life. Driven by pure musical impulse, he packed his clothes inside his bass drum and drove down to New Orleans on a lark, meeting a girl from Mississippi and planting deep musical roots in the Crescent City. Today, he remains a vital fixture of the Crescent City music scene, performing regularly across the historic French Quarter and taking the stage at major regional events like Jazz Fest. His independent productions highlight his dual talent as a master timekeeper and commanding lead vocalist, anchored by the raw blues compilation Blues From The Past, the rhythmically complex Analog X, and the acclaimed 2024 Legacy Jazz Band studio albums The Girl in White and Bonnabel Blvd. Outside of fronting the LJB, Ian stays busy as a premier live session drummer, music producer, composer, and arranger.