John Pizzarelli celebrates the Great American Songbook at Jane Pickens Theater

From What;s Up Newp July 22, 2024

Spectacle Live produced another great show at The Jane Pickens Theater on Saturday, July 20, with the John Pizzarelli Trio.

Pizzarelli, the wonderful seven-string guitar master, brought along Mike Kern on double bass and the brilliant Isaiah J. Thompson on piano. The trio was sharp as a tack and smooth as butter.

Pizzarelli is currently showcasing his 2023 recording “Stage and Screen,” in which he demonstrates that great songs continue to be great after over 100 years. Pizzarelli offered a summary of how each selection was made for inclusion on the recording and noted the writers of each selection.

At times in the program, one was reminded of how wonderful and grand musical entertainment was in the 40s with gorgeous arrangements and lyrics, which are poetry set to music. Rodgers and Hart crafted pieces with melodies that were so rich and challenging. Pizzarelli handled the vocals with deft articulation and a soft touch.

Pizzarelli took a moment to showcase his artistry solo on guitar, picking up a nylon-stringed tenor guitar with a deep, resonant tone. He offered Metheny’s “Last Train Home,” demonstrating his virtuosity. Some of the gorgeous chords that emanated don’t even have names yet, and he performed with such comfort and ease that the audience felt richly embraced.

After playing a couple of solo pieces, he invited the trio back. Mike Karn, the bassist, has been involved in the New York jazz scene for more than 20 years, and in that time, he has worked with many of the music world’s most creative artists. Most interestingly, Karn joined the Ray Charles Orchestra after college as a sax player and spent 1988 and ’89 touring the United States, Europe, and Japan. He also joined the big band of Harry Connick Jr. in 2001 and appeared at the 2004 Newport Jazz Festival. Karn supported the trio beautifully and executed his solos with precision and grace.

Isaiah J. Thompson, at 27, played with the mastery of the greats and, at times, was reminiscent of McCoy Tyner with his staccato attack on blistering leads. The Yamaha Grand sounded delicious and was amplified perfectly for a most enjoyable experience in the house. Thompson received his Bachelor’s and Master’s of Music degrees from The Juilliard School. He made his recording debut on the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis’s album, “Handful of Keys,” and has since released multiple recordings as a leader. We will be hearing much more from Mr. Thompson in the future as his talent appears boundless.

Pizzarelli could have been a stand-up comedian had the music not panned out for him. He is very expressive and engaging as he talks about his opening for Sinatra in Germany at the beginning of his career. He explains how he is nervous when he’s about to meet him but reminds himself that he has “Pizza” in his name, so he’s reassured – he then looks into those deep blue eyes, the color of the flame on the gas stove, the deepest blue ever, the blues that looked into Ava Gardner’s eyes and said, “ya wanna get married”? Pizzarelli shakes Sinatra’s hand, and 41 years later, Sinatra’s words to him still resonate deeply: “Eat something – you look bad”.

The audience was afforded a rich, well-rounded evening of entertainment by a true master. Perhaps in the early days of his career, having Bucky Pizzarelli as your father may have helped; however, John Pizzarelli has clearly established himself as a class act of his own merit and is a joy to behold. Pizzarelli personally engaged each patron who visited him after the show and showed genuine warmth in engaging everyone.