John Pizzarelli: Let There Be Love auf CD

+Harry Allen,Dominic Cortese,Ray Kennedy,
Jesse Levy,Ken Peplowski u.a.
*** DSD - direct stream digital

„Mir schwebte ein Album vor, das alle Aspekte der Liebe berücksichtigt - vom rauschenden Honeymoon über den gewöhnlichen Alltagstrott bis hin zu einem tristen Regentag. Und all das sollte so klingen, als wäre es zu später Stunde in einem privaten Rahmen aufgenommen, sozusagen in der Art eines intimen Geständnisses.“ (John Pizzarelli) Dieses Unterfangen ist John Pizzarelli voll und ganz geglückt: In seiner unverkennbar eigenen Art interpretiert er Songs der so genannten „Tin Pan Alley“-Ära und haucht dabei Klassikern wie As Time Goes By, Stompin’ At The Savoy oder These Foolish Things neues Leben ein. Nahtlos fügen sich dazwischen eigene Kompositionen ein, die den Gitarristen und Sänger zum Aushängeschild des American Songbook avancieren lassen. Pizzarelli versucht keinen neutönerischen Spagat, unter den neuen Traditionalisten ist er trotzdem der beste und mit Wynton Marsalis kann er es allemal aufnehmen.

Product Information

Hailed by critics as one of the most accomplished interpreters of the Great American Songbook, John Pizzarelli is known for his fluid guitar work and smooth vocals. Let There Be Love, his second Telarc release, features sixteen tracks of intimate jazz.

"I set out to make an album that was a spontaneous expression of what it feels like to be ‘in love,’ from wedding day, to everyday, to the occasional rainy day," writes Pizzarelli in the liner notes. "I wanted this album to feel personal and romantic, as if you had happened upon us playing for friends in our living room late at night."

Recorded live-to-stereo, Let There Be Love spotlights pianist Ray Kennedy, bassist Martin Pizzarelli and percussionist Tony Tedesco, along with guest saxophonists Harry Allen and Ken Peplowski, accordionist Dominic Cortese, cellist Jesse Levy, and guitarist extraordinaire Bucky Pizzarelli.

Spanning 70 years of songwriting, John Pizzarelli presents early Tin Pan Alley songs, rhythm songs from the ‘40s and ‘50s, and his own compositions. Let There Be Love includes such timeless standards as "These Foolish Things," "Stompin’ at the Savoy" and "As Time Goes By," along with more recent compositions "Our Love Rolls On," written by Dave Frishberg and Grover Kemble’s "Follow."

Pizzarelli collaborated with his wife, Jessica Molaskey, and Ray Kennedy to write "Lucky Charm" and "It’s Our Little Secret." The unabashedly romantic "DaVinci’s Eyes" was written by Molasky and the guitarist at the request of producer (and Telarc President) Bob Woods. His legendary father, Bucky Pizzarelli, joins in on "I Don’t Know Why (I Love You Like I Do)," a tribute to seven-string guitar pioneer George Van Eps, and "Just One More Chance," which is dedicated to Les Paul.

Pizzarelli has been playing guitar since he was six years old, following in the footsteps of his father. Although his first love was rock ‘n’ roll, musical luminaries Benny Goodman, Les Paul, Zoot Sims and Jimmy Rowles, among others, often visited the Pizzarelli home. John began performing with his father at the age of 20. Together with his trio, he has toured throughout the United States, Europe and Japan since 1992, performing classic pop, jazz and swing standards.

Released in February 2000, Pizzarelli’s Telarc debut, Kisses in the Rain, was a brilliant collection of traditionals ("From Monday On," "I’m in the Mood for Love," "Polka Dots and Moonbeams"), his own compositions ("I Wouldn’t Trade You," "Baby Just Come Home to Me") and a Ray Kennedy tribute to Oscar Peterson ("Oscar Night"). (concordmusicgroup. com)