Sam Venuti helped keep jazz alive in the Finger Lakes Region for over 40 years of his performances around the area. He was a gifted musician from an early age when it was discovered that he could play just about anything he heard, all by ear. Never a theory person, he played piano with an astounding fluidity and style that was all his own, though he would often cite Oscar Peterson and Bill Evans as his favorite players. 

Sam formed bands with local musicians that played throughout the Finger Lakes Region for most of his life. In the early days he the piano player for the Club 86 house band and accompanied such notables as Tony Bennett, Peggy Lee and many others who would come through on their tours. 

He played regularly in many area clubs and hosted a regular Thursday night jam session at Sacone’s in Geneva, which was always well attended and attracted great players. Sam was involved with music even when he wasn’t playing. He ran a company called Seneca Music and Vending…a necessary source of income for him to support his 10 children, all who had some form of musical background from an early age. 

Sam passed in 1994 and made an indelible mark on the Finger Lakes music scene with his legacy as a musician, a father and a friend to many.