Live at Birdland

Disc 1
1	Introduction / John Pizzarelli Trio 0:06
2	Just You, Just Me / John Pizzarelli Trio 4:41
3	The Frim Fram Sauce / John Pizzarelli Trio 5:31
4	This Song Is You / John Pizzarelli Trio 6:16
5	Isn't It a Pity? / John Pizzarelli Trio 4:14
6	Rhode Island (Intro) / John Pizzarelli Trio 1:04
7	Rhode Island / John Pizzarelli Trio 3:45
8	Ray Kennedy: Library of Congress Story / John Pizzarelli Trio 4:13
9	Gospel Truth / John Pizzarelli Trio 5:22
10	Ray Kennedy: Dizzy Gillespie Story / John Pizzarelli Trio 3:14
11	Tea for Tatum / John Pizzarelli Trio 5:05
12	James Taylor Intro, Pt. 1 / John Pizzarelli Trio 0:11
13	Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight / John Pizzarelli Trio 3:14
14	James Taylor Intro, Pt. 2 / John Pizzarelli Trio 1:02
15	Mean Old Man / John Pizzarelli Trio 3:49
16	Manhattan / John Pizzarelli Trio 4:12
17	Rosemary Clooney Story / John Pizzarelli Trio 2:31
18	Moonlight Becomes You / John Pizzarelli Trio 3:18
19	Final (Intro) / John Pizzarelli Trio 0:29
20	Will You Still Be Mine? / John Pizzarelli Trio 4:24
Disc 2
1	Introduction / John Pizzarelli Trio 0:20
2	Three Little Words / John Pizzarelli Trio 4:30
3	They Can't Take That Away from Me / John Pizzarelli Trio 6:04
4	Oh, How My Heart Beats for You / John Pizzarelli Trio 4:27
5	The Day I Found You (The Pollywog Song) / John Pizzarelli Trio 3:09
6	Polliwog Story / John Pizzarelli Trio 1:44
7	It's Only a Paper Moon / John Pizzarelli Trio 7:41
8	Stompin' at the Savoy / John Pizzarelli Trio 4:44
9	Better Run Before It's Spring / John Pizzarelli Trio 3:40
10	Grover Kemble Story / John Pizzarelli Trio 2:55
11	Headed Out to Vera's / John Pizzarelli Trio 3:55
12	Medley: Baby, Ain't I Good to You/Baby, Baby All the Time/Midnight ... / John Pizzarelli Trio 5:29
13	I Like Jersey Best (Intro) / John Pizzarelli Trio 0:57
14	I Like Jersey Best / John Pizzarelli Trio 8:28
15	My Castle's Rockin' / John Pizzarelli Trio 3:55
16	Baby Just Come Home to Me / John Pizzarelli Trio 3:14

All Music Guide

This is a wonderful, warm-hearted, and effortlessly virtuosic live recording by one of the finest living exponents of pre-bop small-ensemble jazz. With pianist Ray Kennedy and bassist Martin Pizzarelli (and on two songs joined by vocalist Grover Kemble), singer and guitarist John Pizzarelli runs through a generally lightweight but thoroughly charming set of standards, homages, funny stories, and the occasional original tune; the fast tunes are light and frothy, the ballads smooth and gentle, and even the moments that are less than utterly inspired work together with the album's highlights to create a very satisfying whole. John Pizzarelli has a suit sponsor, which tells you something about what to expect of him as a singer: his voice is smooth and warm, offering a nice combination of Chet Baker's timbre and Dean Martin's fullness; as a guitarist you need to know that he favors seven-string guitars and flat-wound strings, leading him naturally to a swinging Django Reinhardt-meets-Freddie Green kind of sound. As for the trio's instrumentation, it's true that when you can comp with this kind of authority you don't technically need a drummer. But on a few tracks a drummer would have filled out the band's sound nicely. Highlights include the group's fun, slightly greasy take on "Frim Fram Sauce" and a great ode to Art Tatum called "Tea for Tatum," as well as a fine original blues composition titled "Headed Out to Vera's." Pizzarelli's own "Oh, How My Heart Beats for You" and "Day I Found You" are also wonderful. But the album's standout track is a limpidly gorgeous rendition of another original, "Better Run Before It's Spring." Pizzarelli is obviously having a blast in the intimate setting of the legendary Birdland club, and so will any jazz lover who takes the time to listen. Very highly recommended. Rick Anderson

Downbeat

Proves he can craft a song into a personal statement like few other artists.