Obituary of Robert F. Cardillo
Robert “Bobby” Cardillo
Age 95, of Oakland passed away at his home on Thursday, December 12, 2019. Beloved husband of the late Marianne Logiodice, the late Anne Silver and the late Ryna Perlman; Loving father of Harry (Debbie Heideneich), Rob (Sue Leary) and Chris. Preceded in death by his siblings Marce Nigro, Henry Cardilla, Edith DiGiorgio, Al Cardell, Helen Menten and Dorothy Tripoli.
The youngest of seven children of Peter and Caterina, Bobby found his musical calling early in life. After graduating from Central Catholic, he spent three years during WWII in a US Navy band. After service, he toured with the Ina Ray Hutton Jazz Band and received his BFA in Music at Carnegie Tech.
He married Marianne Logiodice in 1950, with whom he raised their three sons. He played on Gimbel's TV Shoppers Review and accompanied travelling artists including Andy Williams, Kay Ballard, Fifi Dorsey, Guy Kibbe, and Gilda Gray at local nightclubs. He and Reid Jaynes also formed one of the first two-piano teams in the region. In 1958, he performed alongside 13-year-old Itzhak Perlman for a Mozart Sonata at the William Penn Hotel.
In 1960, he began teaching individual students at his private studio in Stanton Heights. He also taught jazz piano at both CMU and Duquesne where he later received his MFA. During the 70’s he also accompanied Mel Torme, Diahann Carroll, Henry Mancini, and Michel LeGrand with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. He and Torme also performed together at Walt Harper's Jazz Club in downtown Pittsburgh.
In 1980, he accompanied John Wade and Patrice King Brown on the Pittsburgh 2-Day Show on KDKA. In 1988, he and son Harry, an accomplished jazz pianist, opened Cardillo's Club Cafe, a jazz club in the Southside. The two piano stage featured headliners such as Tommy Flanagan, Ron McCroby, and Rebecca Paris.
In 2000, both he and Harry were inducted into the Steinway Artists Roster. An avid Steelers fan, he held season tickets for over 40 years.
Friends and family will be received at McCabe Bros., Inc. Funeral Home, 6214 Walnut Street, Shadyside on Monday, 2-5 and 6-8 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Paul Cathedral on Tuesday at 10 a.m. THOSE WISHING TO ATTEND, PLEASE GATHER AT THE CHURCH. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations be made to the Friends of the Music Library at Carnegie Library. Condolences may be left at www.mccabebrothers.com