Peter Cincotti
A piano prodigy who became the youngest artist ever to top the Billboard jazz chart, blending classic jazz cool with contemporary pop songwriting.
Born 1983 (age 43)·American singer-songwriter·Birthday: July 11·Millennials
Biography
Peter Cincotti didn't just learn piano; he seemed to converse with it from toddlerhood. Growing up in New York City, he was immersed in music, studying jazz legends while developing his own vocal and compositional style. His precocious talent led him to Manhattan's club scene while still in high school, a training ground that forged a confident stage presence. At just 19, his self-titled debut album, helmed by legendary producer Phil Ramone, shot to number one on the Billboard jazz chart, making him the youngest artist to ever achieve that feat. This launched him onto the world's most prestigious stages, from Carnegie Hall to the Montreux Jazz Festival. Rather than rest in traditional jazz, Cincotti has continually evolved, weaving blues, rock, and pop into his music, establishing himself as a sophisticated singer-songwriter for a modern audience.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Peter was born in 1983, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Peter Was Born
The biggest hits of 1983
#1 Movie
Return of the Jedi
Best Picture
Terms of Endearment
#1 TV Show
60 Minutes
Peter's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1983Born
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1988Started school
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1996Became a teenager
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Could drive
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2001Could vote
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2004Turned 21
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2013Turned 30
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 40
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 43 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Became the youngest artist ever to reach No. 1 on the Billboard jazz album chart with his 2003 self-titled debut.
- Performed at iconic venues worldwide including Carnegie Hall, the Montreux Jazz Festival, and L'Olympia in Paris.
- Had his debut album produced by the legendary music producer Phil Ramone.
Did You Know?
He began playing piano at the age of three and was performing professionally in New York City clubs by his mid-teens.
He won the award for 'Best New Artist' at the 2005 Montreux Jazz Festival.
He made a cameo appearance as a piano player in the 2004 film 'Beyond the Sea,' a biography of Bobby Darin.
“The piano is a conversation, and every night it's a different story.”
