Aug 26, 2025 1:53 PM
Blindfold Test: Buster Williams
Buster Williams, who at the age of 83 has been on the scene for 65 years, had never done a Blindfold Test. The first…
John Pizzarelli celebrates the 40th anniversary of his recording career with a nod to musicals of film and Broadway.
(Photo: Jaci Berkopec)Guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli will be hitting the road this summer with his terrific trio and a brand new album, Stage And Screen, celebrating the 40th anniversary of his recording debut. The album features 12 great tunes from the American songbook that happened to be associated with Broadway musicals and/or their film counterparts.
Catch Pizzarelli at a venue near you, including a July 8 date at Le Festival International de Jazz de Montréal. Just to get into the spirit, here’s a premiere of ‘You’re All The World To Me,’ from the 1951 film Royal Wedding starring Fred Astaire. Pizzarelli is joined here by bassist Mike Karn and pianist Isaiah J. Thompson, recent winner of the American Pianists Awards.
“The idea of taking these songs out of the context of their shows or movies was interesting to me,” Pizzarelli says. “With a new arrangement you can change the meaning of a song. That’s what we’ve been doing all of our lives as jazz musicians — trying to figure out how to make these classic songs different, whether it’s a songbook standard or a Beatles hit. It’s always a lot of fun.” DB
“What I got from Percy was the dignity of playing the bass,” Buster Williams said of Percy Heath.
Aug 26, 2025 1:53 PM
Buster Williams, who at the age of 83 has been on the scene for 65 years, had never done a Blindfold Test. The first…
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