Johnny Costa on Emusic

[hdiddy]

Wow... I have been looking for his stuff forever and now found him on eMusic. Little did I know that I had grown up with some of his music my entire life. For those who don't know, he's the pianist that accompanies Mr. Rogers as he takes his trips around the neighborhood. He's the music that makes Trolley float down the tracks.

I guess he's not that well known but the guy can give Art Tatum a run for his money. I think this is probably the one real thing I owe the Ken Burnsington series as they did do a little bit on Mr. Costa IIRC.

[chop_1992]

Great call, hdiddy! Johnny Costa was one of the best piano players under the radar. The ironic thing was: Millions of kids (and their parents) heard him everyday playing on the Mr. Rogers Show along with Carl McVicker and Bob Rawsthorne (my father in-law). They taped live, did new instrumental trio music constantly, and accompanied the theater pieces and guest soloists, like YoYo Ma and Wynton Marsalis. Costa never left Pittsburgh and he was never really widely known in jazz circles . . . just in kids' circles!

[Mark Carlsen]

Yeah, and I believe his brother is Eddie Costa ...Won't ya be my neighbor ?

[Mike Goodbar]

I blame Johnny Costa and Vince Guaraldi for planting the jazz bug in my young ears.

[shakernow]

I remember reading where Tatum himself once referred to Johnny Costa as "the white Tatum."

[hdiddy]

Just found this today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tiox7gvW64k

[hdiddy]

Originally Posted by Mike Goodbar

I blame Johnny Costa and Vince Guaraldi for planting the jazz bug in my young ears.

For me, it's more Johnny Costa. Whenever I hear the end credits these days it's just kills me with Mr. Costa's improvisations. Before Mr. Costa's death, every show was different as only a jazz pianist could do. No two were the same. After he died, Fred Rogers continued to use his recordings to keep it going.