The son of bassist Norbert “Nobby” Bany, John has been a fan of Slam Stewart since the age of 3. John is a well-known and long-time Chicago bassist and a veteran of many jazz festivals — including Big Horn (Ivanhoe, Illinois), the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Mid-American Festival (St. Louis), the Atlanta World Music Fest and, of course, the Elkhart Jazz Festival.

His unique vocal styling has delighted audiences everywhere. He has studied bass with top bassists and graduated with a degree in music from Miami University. John won the United States Air Force Worldwide Talent Contest in 1964 and then went on the road with the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra. From 1984-88, he was the jazz editor for the International Society of Bassists magazine.

The impressive list of musicians John has performed with includes: Joe Venuti, Bud Freeman, Eddie Higgins, Bonnie Koloc, Chuck Hedges and Don DeMicheal (The Swingtet). He can be heard on the Grammy-nominated album, The Real Bud Freeman 1984. He also took part in the Grammy-winning album, Tribute to Steve Goodman. John also has played with Buck Clayton, Freddie Hubbard, Wild Bill Davison, Don Goldie, Ira Sullivan, Jimmy and Marian McPartland, Benny Goodman, Butch Miles, Bobby Lewis and many more.

Since 1978, John has been playing at Andy’s Jazz Club in Chicago, where he leads his own group, The Men of Note, which was the name of his father’s quartet in the late 1930s.

John’s new PR photo is a computer-generated picture of the two-headed singer/bassist who performs (simultaneously) on his CD, John Bany Sings For His Favorite People…But Not Enough to Hurt His Playing.