Pizzarelli strives to be unforgettable too

Young Chang

John Pizzarelli has two things to say to the late Nat King Cole. The

first is that without him, the jazz guitarist and vocalist would not have

known what to do. The second is a million thank-yous.

With two of his late ‘90s albums titled “Dear Mr. Cole” and “P.S. Mr.

Cole,” Pizzarelli saluted Cole’s music as having “all the ingredients” --

great jazz, great ensemble playing and subtle humor in the lyrics.

“And you could just hear the fun they were having,” Pizzarelli said.

Today the son of self-taught guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli has his own

group to have fun with, his own team to make the ingredients of tasty

jazz.

Eight years ago, Pizzarelli, and his brother, bassist Martin

Pizzarelli, as well as pianist Ray Kennedy, started the John Pizzarelli

Trio. Their style is swing-jazz, a type that can be translated into other

musical genres.

“When we play at colleges and we play for younger people who may not

be familiar with the music, many times people come up to us and say, ‘We

hate jazz, but we really like what you do,”’ Kennedy said.

But the group hasn’t gone soft on jazz. They’re jazz lovers to the

core, improvising 80% of the time.

The trio will open the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s J.P.

Morgan Jazz Club Series in Founders Hall today, a venue they’ve played

before and think highly of.

Music is something that needs to be heard, Kennedy said, and musicians

sometimes lose sight of how people are responding and get involved in the

playing.

“Not that they should change their music to entertain people, but they

should be aware of what communicates what they’re trying to get across,”

he said.

One of the group’s albums is titled “Meets the Beatles.” Younger fans

know these songs and respond well to tracks such as “Oh Darlin”’ played

the Pizzarelli way.

Their most recent release, “Kisses in the Rain,” is a compilation of

the songs they’ve played live that have made listeners ask, “Where can I

get that?”

Tracks include Bing Crosby and Harry Barris’ “From Monday On,” Ira and

George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm” and Dorothy Fields and Jimmy McHugh’s

“I’m in the Mood for Love.”

The group chemistry is almost automatic. Because Martin and John

Pizzarelli are brothers, they share intuition, Kennedy said. The pianist

also has a brother who plays bass, which he said helps him understand the

Pizzarellis’ connection.

“And John and I think very much alike, because we grew up listening to

the same type of music,” Kennedy said. “If I see John lift his hand to

play a chord or something on the guitar, I always know what he’s going to

play before he plays it.”

Pizzarelli grew up performing jazz guitar duets with his father,

Bucky, who played regularly with side bands formed by Benny Goodman.

Pizzarelli tagged along at his father’s concerts and played a few songs

on stage. He met Goodman, Les Paul and Zoot Sims.

But though it was fun, it hasn’t always been easy to be the child of a

performer, working in the same field.

“There was a time when I had to be John Pizzarelli, and [my father]

had to be Bucky Pizzarelli,” Pizzarelli said.

About 10 years ago, the Pizzarelli, 40, started his own trio. The

group has since contributed to movie scores, including “Pret-a-Porter”

and “Forget Paris.”

They even appeared in the film “The Out-of-Towners,” starring Goldie

Hawn and Steve Martin, as musicians who play at the Tavern on the Green

in New York City.

But the film and television work hasn’t taken their focus away from

music. In fact, members of the group have perhaps been a little too

focused at times.

Kennedy remembers one particular project, when the trio performed on

the television series “Melrose Place.” He was using the only pay phone in

a big warehouse-type studio, and Heather Locklear was waiting in line.

Kennedy didn’t know who she was but didn’t keep her waiting too long

anyway.

“I’m not a TV person,” he said. “I listen to music, and I write music.

That’s what I like to do.”

FYI

* WHAT: John Pizzarelli opens the Orange County Performing Arts

Center’s J.P. Morgan Jazz Club Series in Founders Hall

* WHEN: 7:30 and 9:30 p.m. today and Saturday

* WHERE: Founders Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa

* COST: $46 for early shows, $42 for late shows

* CALL: (714) 740-7878