John Deley is from Pittsburgh, PA. After receiving a BFA in Piano Performance from Carnegie-Mellon University, he moved to Boston to do a masters degree in Jazz Studies at the New England Conservatory, studying with Geri Allen, Jon Mc Neil, and Charlie Banacos. Migrating to NewYork in 1997, he started his career as a sideman which has included such artists as Dido, Angelique Kidjo, Lizz Wright, Incognito, Elle King, Darlene Love, Valerie June and more recently Idina Menzel and David Johansen. For the last 11 years he’s worked in the music department of Sesame Street as a keyboard player. When he’s not being a sideman, he performs with his New Orleans band, The 41 Players.

EDUCATION:

BFA Piano Performance- Carnegie-Mellon University

MFA Jazz Improvisation- New England Conservatory of Music

PERFORMED WITH:

Elvis Costello

Idina Menzel

Bill Withers

Carly Simon

David Johannsen (Buster Poindexter)

Thalia

Taylor Hicks

Andy Grammar

Michael Bolton

Michael Buble’

Sarah Brightman

Youssou D'Nour

Me'Shell N’Degeocello

Sandra Bernhard

John Legend

Sara Bareilles

Sophie B Hawkins

Marc Broussard

The Coasters

Alice Smith

John Boutte’

Ondara

Phoebe Snow

Shawn Colvin

Count Basic

Baby Do Brasil

Delta Goodrem

Toby Lightman

Sam Hawksley

Betty

Stephan Simmons

Toni Estes

Toshi Reagon

Lena Hall (Hedwig)

Chrissie Amphlett (Divinyls)

JC Chasez (N’Sync)

Roger Mc Guinn (The Byrds)

Constantine Maroulis (American Idol)

Sandra St.Victor (The Family Stand)

James Iglehart

Mandy Gonzalez

Chris Jackson

TOURED AND/OR RECORDED WITH:

Elle King

Kyle Gordon

Valerie June

Darlene Love

Dido

Angelique Kidjo

Lauryn Hill

Lizz Wright

Incognito

The Weepies

Patty Smyth/Scandal

Kerli

Marion Raven (M2M)

Armor For Sleep

Lucy Woodward

Nadia Ackerman

Elysian Fields

MUSICAL DIRECTION:

The Three Irish Tenors (Musical Director)

Mandy Gonzalez (Hamilton)(Musical Director)

Chris Jackson (Hamilton)(Musical Director)

CITY SIRENS (Creator/Arranger/Musical Director)

We Work Creator Awards (Musical Director) 2018-2019

James Monroe Iglehart (Musical Director)

BROADWAY SHOWS:

Diana the Musical- Assistant Conductor and Key 2

Shrek The Musical- Key 1

Spiderman:Turn off the Dark - Key 1 Sub

They’re Playing Our Song - Key 2

Waitress - Workshop and Key 2 Sub

The Midtown Men: (Touring show of the original Broadway Cast) - Key 1

OFF-BROADWAY:

Curtain Up! - Back to Broadway (2022)

The Fortress of Solitude: (Public Theater 2014) - Key 1

Rachel Bloom- Death, Let Me Do My Show! (2023)

TELEVISION EXPERIENCE:

Member of the music department of SESAME STREET from 2010 - PRESENT

OTHER TELEVISION APPEARANCES:

Live 8 (London)

James Corden

MTV Video Music Awards

Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Late Night With David Letterman

Craig Kilborn

The Today Show

Good Morning America

Ryan Seacrest

Ellen Degeneres

BRIT Awards (UK)

ARIA Awards (Australia)

ECKO Awards (Germany)

NRJ Awards (France)

Top of the Pops (UK)

CNN Worldbeat

BET Jazz Central

Rosie O' Donell TV 4 (UK)

CD UK (UK)

Later with Jules Holland (UK)

The Lottery (UK)

Parkinson (UK)

TV Total (Germany)

DISCOGRAPHY:

2001 Dido- Honestly OK (Live) BMG/Arista

2001 Dido- All you Want (Live) BMG/Arista

2002 BenZona- Nocturnal Emotions Deflector Records

2004 Samsara - Fast Too Slow 

2004 Elana Arian-Foreword

2004 Cantinero-Championship Boxing

2005 Marion Raven- Here I Am -Atlantic Records

2005 Dido- Live At Brixton Academy- Cheeky Records

2005 Pete Miser- Camouflage Is Relative- Coup De Grace Records

2005 Hank Kim- Blue Alibi

2006 State Radio- Up Against The Crown- Nettwerk Records

2007 Brack- Memory Town - Niche Records

2007 Elana Arian- How To Stand In The Rain

2007 Armor For Sleep-Smile For Them-Sire Records

2008 Kerli- Love Is Dead- Island Records

2008 The Weepies-Hideaway

2008 Che’ Broadway-Bullets over Broadway II

2009 Janita-Haunted-Jupiter Records

2009 Paula Atherton- Groove With Me

2009 Shek The Musical-Original Broadway Cast Recording-Universal Records 

2009 Telling On Trixie- Ugly, Broke, and Sober

2009 Kids Bop Kids- Kids Bop 17-Razor and Tie

2009 Lisa Lisa-Life N’ Love

2010 A.J. Mc Lean-Love Crazy-Avex Trax

2010 Kids Bop Kids- Kids Bop 18-Razor and Tie

2014 PT Walkley-Shoulders

2014 James Rotondi-Roto’s Magic Act

2015 The Fortress of Solitude-Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording

2017 Grey Reverend-Altruistic Holiday

2017 Danelia Cotton-The Mystery of Me

2017 Mandy Gonzalez- Fearless

2017 Robbie Williams-Under The Radar Vol. 2

2018 Jenifer Porter- These Years-Cougar Moon Music

2019 Nadia Ackerman/John Deley - Perfect Gift (Single)

2021 Diana: The Musical-Original Broadway Cast Recording-Universal Records

2021 Coming Together: Sesame Street

2022 Nadia Ackerman-Coconut Bunny Cake

2022 Elysian Fields-Once Beautiful, Twice Removed

2023 Kyle Gordon-Kyle Gordon is Great