A warm and gregarious guitarist,
Bucky Pizzarelli carried the torch for traditional jazz and swing well into the 21st century. Influenced by innovative guitarists like
Django Reinhardt and
George Van Eps,
Pizzarelli was known for his skill on both the six- and seven-string guitar. Following his emergence as a sideman in New York in the 1950s, he established his reputation as a member of the NBC Tonight Show Band during the '60s and '70s. Along with tours with icons like
Benny Goodman, he released his own albums, embracing mainstream jazz traditions and commiserating with fellow veterans like
Zoot Sims,
Bud Freeman,
Slam Stewart, and others. He passed these traditions down to his sons, guitarist/singer
John Pizzarelli and bassist
Martin Pizzarelli, recording a handful of highly regarded albums, like 2007's Generations, 2009's Pizzarelli Party, and 2011's
Family Fugue, that showcased his wry charm and ebullient fret-board skills.
Pizzarelli remained active well into his eighties and continued to explore his varied interests, as on his 2015 classical and standards album
Renaissance.
Born in 1926 in Paterson, New Jersey,
John Paul "Bucky" Pizzarelli grew up in a musical family and was introduced to the guitar and banjo at a young age. Influenced early on by his uncles, professional musicians Pete and Bobby Domenick, he began playing jazz and classical music. He soon developed a swinging style influenced by players like
Django Reinhardt,
Freddie Green, and seven-string guitar inventor
George Van Eps. At age 17, he made his professional debut with the
Vaughn Monroe dance band. Other gigs followed, and in 1952
Pizzarelli joined the staff band at NBC, then led by
Skitch Henderson. For the next decade, he split his time working for the network and playing gigs around New York City. During this period he also performed with
the Three Suns trio, working under the stage name "Johnny Buck". He recorded with
Lionel Hampton,
Tony Mottola, Mat Mathews, and others. As a leader, he made his recorded debut in 1960 with the duo album Music Minus Many Men, with bassist
Vinnie Burke. In 1964 he joined Johnny Carson's legendary Tonight Show Band featuring trumpeter
Doc Severinsen. He also began touring as a member of
Benny Goodman's group.
Pizzarelli's recordings picked up in the '70s, beginning with 1972's Green Guitar Blues, featuring bassist
George Duvivier and drummer
Don Lamond. He formed a duo with guitarist
George Barnes and continued his work with clarinetist
Goodman. More albums followed, including 1975's Nightwings, a solo guitar outing that also featured an appearance by
Joe Venuti; 1977's Bucky's Bunch with bassist
Slam Stewart and clarinetist
Eddie Daniels, and 1977's
Doug and Buck with pedal steel player
Doug Jernigan. There were notable sessions with
Zoot Sims,
Bud Freeman, and an album of
Bix Beiderbecke tunes arranged by
Bill Challis.
Also during the '70s, the guitarist began showcasing his talented son, guitarist/singer
John Pizzarelli, at his gigs. They made their recorded debut together on 1980's 2x7=Pizzarelli, which featured the then-19-year-old
John in a duet setting with his father. He also backed his son on the younger
Pizzarelli's solo debut, 1983's I'm Hip: Please Don't Tell My Father.
Bucky would continue to record alongside
John for many of his sessions, including 1990's
My Blue Heaven, 1991's
All of Me, 1993's
Naturally, and 1994's
New Standards. In 1995,
Pizzarelli returned to his solo work with
Nirvana, playing alongside bassist
Lynn Seaton and drummer
Bernard Purdie. He then paired with violinist Richard Carr for 1998's
String Thing, and rejoined his son for 1999's
Contrasts. Also that year, he issued the solo seven-string guitar date
April Kisses.
In 2001,
Pizzarelli released a second solo album of seven-stringed guitar,
One Morning in May. Also that year, he paired with pianist
John Bunch and bassist
Jay Leonhart for the
Duke Ellington-themed
Manhattan Swing: A Visit with the Duke. The same group, this time with drummer
Dennis Mackrel, returned in 2003 with
Plays the Music of Jerome Kern. Moonglow, a collaboration with guitarist
Frank Vignola, arrived in 2005, followed two years later by
5 for Freddie: Bucky's Tribute to Freddie Green. He also paired with son
John for 2007's duo seven-stringed guitar album, Generations.
Pizzarelli then showcased his eclectic taste with the Western-swing themed albums, 2009's
Diggin' Up Bones and 2010's
Back in the Saddle Again: Arbors Country Series, Vol. 2. Both
Bucky and
John were the focus of 2011's
Family Fugue, after which the elder
Pizzarelli paid homage to esteemed jazz arranger
Bill Challis with
Challis in Wonderland. The trio album Three for All arrived in 2014, followed a year later by the classical-themed
Renaissance.
Bucky Pizzarelli died on April 1, 2020 due to complications from the COVID-19 virus. He was 94 years old. ~ Matt Collar