Musical career
Campilongo was born in South San Francisco, California. [3] When he was nine, he discovered the Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. He became interested in improvisation, saying in one interview, "I knew I liked improvisation and long musical journeys...so I used to buy albums based exclusively on how long the tracks were...That's how I discovered John Coltrane Live in Japan, John McLaughlin Devotion, a couple of different Cream albums."
Campilongo's career began in the mid-1970s. He studied guitar in San Francisco with Bunnie Gregoire, who taught him to embrace many genres of music, including the work of jazz guitarist George Van Eps and country singer John Denver. He used green stamps to buy his first guitar. One of Campilongo's biggest influences at the time was blues guitarist Roy Buchanan. When Campilongo was seventeen he began performing with local bands Radio City, the Rick Slyter Group, The Chromatics, Nancie and the Neighbors and went on to play with Marcus Fillinger and the San Francisco “World Beat” scene that led to a stint in the Renegades of Funk. 1992 was a transitional period when Campilongo formed Van Riff with Tim Wagar, Gene Rifkin and singer Van Riff, an original country group that featured Campilongo.
His recording career started in San Francisco in 1996 when he formed Jim Campilongo and the 10 Gallon Cats. After winning a Bammie for Outstanding Americana/Roots Artist, [4] four solo records and countless club and festival performances, Campilongo pulled up stakes.
In 2002, he moved to New York City and formed his Electric Trio, which toured Europe and Scandinavia and recorded the album American Hips for Blue Hen Records. In 2003, he formed the group The Little Willies with Norah Jones, Richard Julian, Lee Alexander, and Dan Rieser.
He has played with Al Anderson, Bright Eyes, Cake, J. J. Cale, Steve Cardenas, Burning Spear, Chris Cheek, Nels Cline, Patrick Stewart, Charlie Hunter, Adam Levy, Sunny Ozell, Peter Rowan, Teddy Thompson, Martha Wainwright and Norah Jones
Campilongo released Orange in 2010. In 2011, "Awful Pretty, Pretty Awful" was nominated for Best Instrumental Song at the 10th Annual Independent Music Awards. [5]
His album Dream Dictionary (2014) included Chris Morrissey (bass) and Josh Dion (drums). Other contributions came from Steve Cardenas, who played on two acoustic songs, and Norah Jones, who sang the album's only vocal on "Here I Am" by Ray Charles.
On Last Night, This Morning Campilongo joined the Honeyfingers with Luca Benedetti (guitar), Jonny Lam (pedal and lap steel guitar), Roy Williams (acoustic guitar, piano, organ), Dave Speranza (double bass) and Russ Meissner (drums). Vintage Guitar magazine called it "a brilliant record with magic and artistry". [6]
In 2017 Campilongo produced Zephaniah Ohora with co-producer Luca Benedetti that All Music described "…just enough warmth and echo to suggest the softer records emanating from Bakersfield in the '60s and '70s, and that is precisely the right musical bed for OHora". [7]
In 2018 Campilongo released Live at Rockwood that included guest artist Nels Cline. Vintage Guitar Magazine wrote "...there's no doubt Campilongo's playing is a treasure...the live format of this record is the perfect way for his capabilities and uniqueness to be perfectly displayed...the match of Campilongo with Chris Morrissey on bass and Josh Dion on drums is the ideal fit..." [8]
In 2020, Campilongo collaborated with Luca Benedetti on the critically acclaimed Two Guitars. The stripped down approach was described by Guitar Magazine (Japan) "...Jim and Luca have a telepathic chemistry on this great collection of beautiful originals and wonderfully curated covers on Two Guitars..." [9] The stripped down format was a challenge but the freedom of the duo was exhibited in full flight. GUITARIST UK wrote ”…a musical balm for troubled times..." "...Chopin meets Chet in dreamland..." "...as the effect is by turns sincere, strange and beautiful" and the LP was featured in Guitar Player “STRINGED VICTORY” “…a record forged in shared aspirations, experience, respect, and heart…” “…Campilongo and Benedetti are enormously accomplished players with massive creative palettes” “…one of the many delights of Two Guitars is that you can hear the rapport of the two guitarists unfold right before you on every track…” [10]
In 2023 Jim released a duo record with Steve Cardenas (Paul Motion, Charlie Haden)out on Sunnyside Record. Making A Scene wrote “….Compatible almost beyond description, these two guitarists deliver a sonically pleasing dish, that will inevitably both prove relaxing and smile inducing….” New York City Jazz Record wrote “New Year celebrates the artistic relationship of Jim Campilongo and Steve Cardenas” “…their styles are distinctive, yet highly compatible …” “…motivic development, barline-defying phrases and fluid swing…” and Vintage Guitar praised Jim & Steve “their harmonic personalities merge… Six string giants….originals like Campilongo’s ‘Miss Venezuela” are pure acoustic ecstasy”
In 2024 Jim is currently releasing Jim Campilongo 4TET record, “She Loved the Coney Island Freak Show” - his 16th record of original material scheduled to be released on vinyl and compact disc in July 2024.
