Live at Birdland is two hours, twelve minutes, and sixteen
seconds the finest of the American Musical Art form. The John Pizzarelli Trio celebrated its tenth
anniversary at New York City's Birdland club this past year and Telarc was there to capture the
festivities. How fortunate we are.
Forty-three-year-old John Pizzarelli is jazz royalty. His father, Bucky Pizzarelli, pioneered the
guitar style his son was later to perfect. Pizarrelli’s sweet tenor and deft guitar playing drive him to
the forefront of mainstream jazz performance. John Pizzarelli was taught guitar by his father and sat
in with him and Zoot Sims at an early 1980s show. The Greater and Lesser Pizzarelli have recorded
several fine albums together since.
Often compared to the Nat King Cole Trio, The John Pizzarelli Trio is comparable only in the
guitar/piano/bass format. In spite of his great reverence for Cole, Pizzarelli has proven to be his own
man. A light, whimsical singer with a keen sense of humor, Pizzarelli is an immediate crowd
charmer. He peppers this two-disc set with stories about bandmates, family, and other singers. He
opens the second disc with a vamp on the Rolling Stone’s "Jumpin’ Jack Flash" before
launching into a summertime "Three Little Word" that will make the listener understand
what Sonny Rollins was thinking about when he included this song in his book.
The trio consists of pianist Ray Kennedy and bassist brother Martin Pizzarelli. The trio is joined
by vocalist Grover Kemble on the Pizzarelli original "Headed Out for Vera’s" and &
quot;My Castle’s rockin’." The trio runs down a super set of swing standards, all which are
wholly satisfied. One of the value elements of this disc is the sheer musicality of Pizzarelli’s guitar
playing and singing. Both make listening to instrumental artist’s take on these chestnuts make
sense once the listener has heard the lyrics sung by such a top-rate singer.
See Telarc Jazz and John Pizzarelli.
~ C. Michael Bailey
