Peter began his career over 45 years ago as an entertainer and recording artist. He was born in England and moved to Australia with his family at the age of 10. There he studied six years in classical piano. He moved to Sydney at the age of 16 to pursue a career in commercial art. He was 17 when he made a great appearance on “Australian’s Amateur Hour”. This was the turning point. He became a professional musician under the name Chet. After studying recordings of Fats Waller and George Shearing, he began to play with jazz and pop bands in the Sydney area. In 1955-57, he was seen all over Sydney with other emerging artists like Johnny O’Keefe or Barry Crocker. He also performed alongside top jazz musicians and became the first Australian artist to simultaneously pursue a career in Jazz and Pop Rock. He opened “El Morocco” in Brisbane, with his trio, in 1957, and moved to Surfer’s Paradise Hotel, on the Gold Coast, a year and half later, where he was well-known. He also started to appear on television as a guest host. He was invited to open for the top jazz musicians Ella Fitzgerald and Billy Eckstine at “Embers” Melbourne. He returned to Sydney and took over the big band at André’s with Shirley Bassey (Billy Daniels), Dorothy Dandridge, and other musicians. Many of his songs became hits for top Australian recording artists. For a year and half, he was signed to host “Six O’Clock Rock”, an Australian television show. In 1963, he left Australia to go to California. He took the name Chet Demilo and formed a pop/jazz band. His first appearances were in Los Angeles. Reno, Lake Tahoe and Las Vegas were followed by major clubs along the West Coast. A memorable booking was a five year engagement at “Donkin” in Marina del Rey. His songs were recorded by Jerry Butler, Don Ho and Eartha Kitt. Jack Jones was also a part of this recording. Peter founded “Aries Rising”, a new group featuring Randy Crawford as a vocalist. They toured the West Coast of Canada for the next three year. He made a six-month engagement at “Sneeky Pete” on Sunset Strip in 1977. After five years of engagements in Palm Springs and Hawaii, and Vancouver, British Columbia for five years, he returned home to Los Angeles in 1983 to make live appearances and establish his recording studio, “Music 88”. He was also engaged to perform at hundreds of private functions and parties at hotels and private homes in the west and downtown areas. He was a prominent performer on the Royal Viking Sky, cruising to Brazil and the Mediterranean, as well as London to Leningrad. He was a regular at Vicki’s of Santa Fe, Indian Wells, and Ron’s in Palm Desert during high season 1990. He returned to Santa Barbara and was the featured jazz pianist/singer at City Broiler jazz club/restaurant, for eight months. Peter and Dallas bought the Santa Barbara restaurant, “Andria’s Harborside” in February 1991. They added a piano bar to the restaurant, where Peter and friends performed together. Santa Barbara Jazz Society met at the bar for their monthly jam session along the waterfront. The restaurant was sold to Beachside Inn Hotel in 2001. In 1991, Peter was also a member of “Monday Madness”, a jazz band led by Chuck Wood at Santa Barbara City College. They played jazz festivals and concerts throughout California and accompanied artists like Stan Getz and Frankie Laine. His 1993 CD, “Santa Barbara”, was released. The “The Last Live Band”, which was recorded in 1997, was followed by his 1993 CD. Peter performed his original compositions in concert in Russia in 1998 with some of the best jazz musicians in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Peter also produced and directed the Santa Barbara International Jazz Festival in 1998 and 1999. This festival brought together artists such as Tito Puente and Lalo Schifrin from Russia, Kenny Burell and John Foreman from Australia. Oleg Lundstrem from Russia and the Moskats of Russia to the Santa Barbara Jazz Scene at Ledbetter Beach. Peter accompanied Jane Russell, a movie actress, on a Mediteranean cruise aboard “Crystal Symphony”. He also played in jazz clubs in England, Italy, and toured China as part of a jazz trio. A future tour is in the works. Peter’s appearances in Shanghai, Weihai and Qingdao were very well received. Peter was back in Moscow, Russia in April 2001, appearing with the Oleg Lundstrem Orchestra. In 2001/02, three new CDs were made: “Full Circle”, “Piano and Voices”, and “Full Circle”, which featured new compositions. In late 2002, “Messenger of Music” (The Singer’s Sing), a boxed set of four CDs was released. He also produced and arranged an album for Leslie Lembo, Santa Barbara’s singing star. He appeared with his old friends Barry Crocker, John Foreman, and Bert Newton at “The Basement”, a jazz club in Sydney. In December, he returned to Russia, appearing in Moscow and Tatliatti as well as Samara, Ulyanavosk, and Samara. He returned to Moscow in July 2002, performing three concerts in the Moscow region with Russia’s top saxophonist Igor Butman, at “Le Club”. In February 2003, he performed in Australia and then returned to Moscow in April with his new CD “Live In Moscow”. He performed in Moscow’s Tchaikovsky hall with the Oleg Lundstrem Orchestra in 2004 and also made appearances at Santa Barbara’s Soho Music Club. He began working with Lois Mahalia, a singer and songwriter, on her CD “This Is Lois Mahalia”. In 2005, he also started his own projects “The Songs that Worked for Me” (which will be released in 2007). He continued touring with Jane Russell at concerts throughout California. In 2007, he will produce and arrange a CD entitled “Smile” with Ross Borden, a local artist. His art was displayed in a Santa Barbara gallery called Tours De Arte in December 2006. He was also featured at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum’s April 2007 exhibit. There are also shows in Scottsdale, Arizona and Seattle, Washington throughout the year. After his bi-annual SOHO show, he performed a one man concert on Queen Mary 2 and was accompanied by Jane Russell during Jane Russell’s performance at King’s Court. This was in April 2008. He performed at several Moscow jazz clubs and concerts in May to celebrate “Ten years in Russia”. He also recorded two CDs, “Cool Vibes”, and “Live In New York”. From www.artjazz88.com
