For most of his career, John Pizzarelli has served as the standard bearer in two aspects. As demonstrated Saturday night at Catalina’s, he has set the standards for, well, standards, as the 90 minute set included material from his recent album of classic show tunes Stage and Screen. Secondly the guitarist/ vocalist has kept burning the drummerless trio flame, initially lit by Nat “King” Cole and has carried it throughout his glowing career.
Teamed with bassist Mike Karn and pianist Larry Fuller swung like a tether ball with the lithe rhythm singing on vintage tunes like “Too Close For Comfort” and “I Love Betsy”, effortlessly scatting along the rapid guitar lines of “I just Found Out About Love” with a confident swagger. Making you feel like you were sitting around the campfire, Pizzarelli mixed in yarns and stories about the composers and songs, while using his avuncular charm to deliver cozy reads of the romantic “Tea For Two”, a medley of “I’m IN The Mood For Love/Say It Over and Over Again” and a take of “As Time Goes By” that included an introduction that would have even made Bogie return to Paris. A samba’d “Baubles, Bangles and Beads” had Fuller’s fingers sashaying over the sleek pulse, while Karn dug in deep for a nifty “I Want To Be Happy”
As far as guitar prowess, Pizzarelli showed that he looks good in nylons, switching guitars for an impressionistic “Some Other Time”, with his fingers dancing on “Swing On A Star” and showing that modern material can have legs, producing a fragrant version of Pat Metheny’s “Last Train Home”.
As with the best of cooks, Pizzarelli never feels he has to add too many ingredients, letting the crystalline piano of Fuller or patient bass of Karn do their work with Pizzarelli’s clear enunciation of “Where Or When”.
Most fun was the closing act, with the three delivering an instrumental opus of an “Oklahoma Suite” that had the three take themes from the famed musical and go about as far as they can go with them, both collectively and individually.
Encoring with a fingerpopping “Three Little Words”, Pizzarelli and company reminded the audience that the main people initially became jazz fans is because they liked the songs. John P makes you fall in love with melodies once again, and you don’t even notice that they are presented in majestrial fashion. But isn’t that the art off all trapeze artists, making the difficult look effortless?
Upcoming shows at Catalina’s include 9/01-03 Poncho Sanchez, Arturo Sandoval 9/08-09, Jane Monheit 9/15-16, Emmet Cohen 10/04 and Marcus Miller 10/05-08