John Petrucielli

Dr. John Petrucelli currently serves as Visiting Director of Jazz Studies at University of Utah. A New Jersey native who began playing jazz in Trenton, mentored by jazz great Richie Cole, Petrucelli attended University of Virginia and continued his musical education under the tutelage of trumpeter John D’Earth. From there he was encouraged by esteemed composer and jazz visionary Terence Blanchard to move to New Orleans. The Big Easy proved to be a transformational time for John. He explored composition and deepened his connection to the jazz tradition and expanded his artistic palette.
In the fall of 2010, Petrucelli moved back to the New York area to begin his studies at Rutgers University with saxophonist Ralph Bowen. Earning two Master’s degrees in Jazz History and Research (M.A.) and Jazz Performance (M.M.), he worked closely with world class musicians and researchers including Stanley Cowell, Charles Tolliver Conrad Herwig, Lewis Porter and Henry Martin. He also joined the NYYS Jazz Orchestra, giving him the opportunity to perform with Alex Sipiagin, Sam Sadigursky and Paquito D’Rivera at venues including Symphony Space and Jazz at Lincoln Center.
Jazz Weekly described Petrucelli’s compositions as a “potent blend of yin and yang that captivates the listener.” His debut album The Way featured esteemed drummer Victor Lewis alongside rising stars of the contemporary jazz scene. Following the release, the band embarked on an international tour which included stops in Hong Kong and mainland China. He also undertook a collaborative project with vocalist/lyricist Anastasia Hagermann, entitled Mischievous Minx, which introduced a substantial EP in December 2017. His 2018 endeavor Presence was a 10-movement, live-in-concert recording premiered at the New Hazlett Theater in Pittsburgh. Presented with support through a grant underwritten by the National Endowment for the Arts, and completed with a national tour, Petrucelli’s jazz quintet was augmented by the Kassia String Quartet and also featured special guest artist Melvin Butler of Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band. “John Petrucelli’s Presence moves him closer to the jazz pantheon,” as reviewed by AllAboutJazz.
In December of 2020, Petrucelli was commissioned by Disney Pixar to compose and record a new composition for promotional support of the movie SOUL. The composition premiered on local CBS affiliates nationwide on December 24th. For more information, please visit www.johnpetrucellisax.com.