REMEMBERING - New Jersey Jazz Society

More documents

Recommendations

Info

JerseyArticlesJazzTalking JazzA Jersey Jazz Interview with John PizzarelliBy Schaen FoxMany of us in the New Jersey Jazz Societyremember John Pizzarelli as the young sonwho played with Bucky Pizzarelli at some of ourearliest Waterloo Jazzfests. Others possiblyremember him as the guitarist who might havegiven us a new state song, but almost gave us anofficial state jingle. Now a few decades on, he isan international star who frequently shares thestage and radio waves with his lovely andtalented wife, Broadway’s Jessica Molaskey. Aftertrying to fit an interview into his very crowdedschedule, we finally made phone time on April27. Not only did the interview feel more like myown private stage performance, but it ended in amost unusual manner.JJ: I love your stage banter. You are such a polished raconteurthat I feel like simply saying “Go” and letting you say what youwill rather than asking questions.JP: OK, perfect, not a problem. [Chuckles]JJ: Yeah, but that would be too easy. There are an impressivenumber of interviews with you on the web. About how manydo you do in a year?JP: I guess whatever city you are going to, you end up doing some sortof interview. So I guess between 25 and 50 a year.JJ: You tell great stories. Have you considered that in thefuture you will not only be a topic of research, but also a source forhistorians?JP: Yeah, I guess so. Sometimes I can’t believe the places I’ve been and thepeople I’ve played with, especially in my early 20s and even in my teens. I waslucky enough to hang out with people like Zoot Sims, Joe Pass and SlamStewart and play with Ray Brown, Marshall Royal, Buddy Tate, Bob Haggard, MiltHinton, Ralph Sutton and Paul Smith; a pretty good list of guys. It’s prettyamazing. [Laughs] To have been in those situations at such an early age waspretty mind blowing as I look back at it. Luckily I didn’t know anything then thatI know now or else I would have been more scared than I was. I’ve taken someof that whenever I do clinics and little experiences that I’ve had on the roadand sort of pass them on and tell stories. They are fun to tell and they arepretty amazing.I like entertaining people andit’s part of the whole package.John Pizzarelli. Photo by Andrew Southam.JJ: And you do tell them so very well.JP: Well, I try. I think it is part of the whole thing. I’ve been playing professionallyfor 30 years and with my own group for 19; so something’s got to happen. Itry to pass those stories on, because it’s part of the entertainment of the show.I like entertaining people and it’s part of the whole package.JJ: I’m one of those who have been watching you since your dadfirst brought you out to play. So I look on your ascent in popularityas succession in the royal line.JP: I’m glad, but it hasn’t been without its bumps in the road. It’s still veryinteresting because of just the process of it all: Being my father’s son; singingon a record in 1983; making three records in the ’80s; making my first sort ofnational record in 1990; then going to RCA the next year; and really touring anincredible amount in those first eight years. It was just wild. I was under theHarry Connick, Jr. radar in the early ’90s so I wasn’t under the scrutiny that a lotof 20-year-olds who come up today are. I was 30 when I finally got to a majorlabel and I had all that music to lean back on. I had played with Zoot Sims, SlamStewart, a lot with my father, I had 10 years of experience and that really wascontinued on page 2624_________________________________ October 2009
Jazz at the Berrie Centerat Ramapo College presentsFall SeasonA NIGHT OF SALSA!Larry Harlow andthe Latin Legends BandSaturday, October 10 | 8 PM | Sharp TheaterHe brought Salsa to the U.S. and was the moving force behindthe Latin Grammys. Now this living legend of Afro-Cuban jazzbrings his 12-piece big band to the Berrie Center.Tickets: $23/20/18GERSHWIN, ELLINGTON AND PORTER –SWINGIN’ THE GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOKThe Rachel Price QuartetSaturday, October 24 | 8 PM | Sharp TheaterThe youngest competitor to wow the audience atthe Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition,Rachel Price pays tribute to the great jazz composers.Tickets: $23/20/18THE WINTER SHOWGeorge WinstonSunday, December 6 | 8 PM | Sharp TheaterGeorge Winston is a consummate, contemporary performer, with a melodiccontemplative “new age” piano style that conjures up seasonal images depictedin his bestselling albums. The Winter Show evokes the pastoral holiday spirit.Tickets: $35/32/30GeorgeWinston.Photo byJoe DelTufo.Larry Harlow.Photo by Tom Ehrlich.Rachel PriceIT’S CHRISTMAS TIME!The John Pizzarelli QuartetSaturday, December 19 | 8 PM | Sharp TheaterOne of New Jersey’s favorite guitarist/vocalists, John Pizzarellicelebrates the holidays with American songbook greats.Tickets: $30/27/24JohnPizzarelliSeniors and Ramapo Affiliates, WBGO Radio andNJ Jazz Society members receive 5% discount offregular ticket prices. All children’s tickets $15.Box Office: 201-684-7844 or www.ramapo.edu/berriecenterOctober 2009_________________________________ 25
Page 4: 4__________________________________
Page 7 and 8: Restaurantand bar24 Main St. (Rt. 1
Page 9 and 10: JerseyArticlesJazzClassic StineBy J
Page 11 and 12: October 2009_______________________
Page 13 and 14: October 2009_______________________
Page 15 and 16: Corea, Clarke & White TrioChick Cor
Page 17 and 18: Help NJJS increase the size of scho
Page 19 and 20: October 2009_______________________
Page 21 and 22: “Through His Life”A Memorial Co
Page 23: October 2009_______________________
Page 27 and 28: Shelly Productions presents LIVE JA
Page 29 and 30: October 2009_______________________
Page 31 and 32: JerseyArticlesJazzcome down theree
Page 33 and 34: The new spot for Live Jazzin Morris
Page 35 and 36: ARBORS RECORDSPIZZArelli Party with
Page 37 and 38: October 2009_______________________
Page 39 and 40: OCTOBER 23,2009: BICKFORD THEATRE A
Page 41 and 42: JerseyReviewsJazzHurricane Bill Fai
Page 44 and 45: JerseyReviewsJazzCompactViewsBy Joe
Page 46 and 47: JerseyReviewsJazzCOMPACT VIEWSconti
Page 48 and 49: JerseyReviewsJazze have three stage
Page 50 and 51: JerseyReviewsJazzSatchmo Summerfest
Page 52 and 53: JerseyReviewsJazzCaught inthe ActBy
Page 54 and 55: New JerseyJazzSocietyWhat’s New?
Page 56 and 57: ’RoundJerseyMorris JazzThe Bickfo
Page 58 and 59: Somewhere There’s MusicJerseyEven
Page 60: c/o New Jersey Jazz SocietyPO Box 4

REMEMBERING - New Jersey Jazz Society

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?