Review
by Jeff Tamarkin
John Pizzarelli takes so naturally to these Ellington classics that if you didn't know better, you might think they were written for him. Following With a Song in My Heart, the guitarist/vocalist's 2008 tribute to songwriting icon Richard Rodgers, and, prior to that, 2006's Dear Mr. Sinatra, it would seem that Pizzarelli is systematically checking off all of those to whom he feels indebted. And that's a good thing, because his dedication to and understanding of this music is unquestioned. Rockin' in Rhythm doesn't stray all that far stylistically from those previous outings: Pizzarelli isn't out to rewrite history here, just to celebrate a hero. On the zippy opening "In a Mellow Tone," Pizzarelli, his rhythm crew, and his brass section come out swinging. Larry Fuller's mid-song piano solo is brisk and sparkling, and when it gives way to Pizzarelli's guitar-and-scat solo, the transition is smooth and sweet. As always, Pizzarelli's guitar playing is skilled and striking, though nowhere does he let it upstage the tunes that he's here to honor. And although his vocalizing has been described as thin, on easygoing tracks like "Satin Doll" and "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good" he puts it to fine use, much as Chet Baker did: the emotionalism in his low-key delivery is palpable and Pizzarelli understands that soft and cool fit the bill, so no need to shout. His song choices aren't exactly radical, but neither are they entirely predictable (there's no "Take the 'A' Train," for example). Some tunes, though covered to death, suit the program despite their ubiquity: you can't go wrong with either "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" or "Don't Get Around Much Anymore," and Pizzarelli fuses them seamlessly into a medley whose arrangement hews closely to the originals while still leaving room for his personalization. Other less celebrated numbers ("Just Squeeze Me," performed solo; "Love Scene") break up the familiarity, and there are several guests joining the proceedings to liven things up -- not surprisingly, dad Bucky Pizzarelli sits in on a few tracks (soloing on "Satin Doll"), and Kurt Elling and (John Pizzarelli's wife) Jessica Molaskey's duet on "Perdido" (with a Gerald Wilson arrangement) makes for a natural pairing that gives the set a welcomed lift midway. And "C Jam Blues," featuring violinist Aaron Weinstein and saxophonist Harry Allen, is a gem. Horn arrangements by Don Sebesky give more than half the tracks a zest that Ellington would certainly have approved of.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/rockin-in-rhythm-a-duke-ellington-tribute-mw0001953231
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Reseña
por Jeff Tamarkin
John Pizzarelli interpreta con tanta naturalidad estos clásicos de Ellington que, si no lo supieras, podrías pensar que fueron escritos para él. Después de With a Song in My Heart, el homenaje del guitarrista/vocalista en 2008 al icono de la canción Richard Rodgers, y, antes de eso, Dear Mr. Sinatra de 2006, parecería que Pizzarelli está marcando sistemáticamente a todos aquellos con los que se siente en deuda. Y eso es bueno, porque su dedicación y comprensión de esta música es incuestionable. Rockin' in Rhythm no se aleja mucho estilísticamente de esos trabajos anteriores: Pizzarelli no pretende reescribir la historia, sino celebrar a un héroe. En el primer tema, "In a Mellow Tone", Pizzarelli, su equipo rítmico y su sección de metales salen con fuerza. El solo de piano de Larry Fuller a mitad de la canción es enérgico y chispeante, y cuando da paso al solo de guitarra y gaitas de Pizzarelli, la transición es suave y dulce. Como siempre, el toque de guitarra de Pizzarelli es hábil y llamativo, aunque en ningún momento deja que eclipse las melodías que ha venido a honrar. Y aunque su voz ha sido descrita como débil, en temas tranquilos como "Satin Doll" y "I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good" hace un buen uso de ella, al igual que Chet Baker: la emotividad de su discurso en voz baja es palpable y Pizzarelli entiende que la suavidad y la frescura son necesarias, así que no hace falta gritar. Sus elecciones de canciones no son precisamente radicales, pero tampoco son del todo predecibles (no hay "Take the 'A' Train", por ejemplo). Algunas melodías, aunque ya han sido versionadas, encajan en el programa a pesar de su omnipresencia: no puedes equivocarte con "East St. Louis Toodle-Oo" ni con "Don't Get Around Much Anymore", y Pizzarelli las fusiona a la perfección en un popurrí cuyos arreglos se ciñen a los originales, pero dejando espacio para su personalización. Otros números menos celebrados ("Just Squeeze Me", interpretado en solitario; "Love Scene") rompen la familiaridad, y hay varios invitados que se unen a los procedimientos para animar las cosas - no es sorprendente que el padre Bucky Pizzarelli se siente en algunas pistas (solo en "Satin Doll"), y Kurt Elling y (la esposa de John Pizzarelli) el dúo de Jessica Molaskey en "Perdido" (con un arreglo de Gerald Wilson) hace un emparejamiento natural que da al conjunto un bienvenido impulso a mitad de camino. Y "C Jam Blues", con el violinista Aaron Weinstein y el saxofonista Harry Allen, es una joya. Los arreglos de trompa de Don Sebesky dan a más de la mitad de los temas un entusiasmo que Ellington seguramente habría aprobado.
https://www.allmusic.com/album/rockin-in-rhythm-a-duke-ellington-tribute-mw0001953231
1 - In A Mellow Tone
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Milt Gabler
- Medley
2a - East St. Louis Toodle-oo
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Bub Miley*
Violin – Aaron Weinstein
2b - Don't Get Around Much Anymore
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Bob Russell
3 - Satin Doll
Written-By – Billy Strayhorn, Duke Ellington, Johnny Mercer
4 - C Jam Blues
Tenor Saxophone – Harry Allen (2)
Violin – Aaron Weinstein
Written-By – Duke Ellington
5 - In My Solitude
Rhythm Guitar – Bucky Pizzarelli
Violin – Aaron Weinstein
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Eddie DeLange, Irving Mills
6 - Just Squeeze Me
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Lee Gaines
7 - Perdido
Vocals – Kurt Elling
Vocals, Lyrics By [Additional] – Jessica Molaskey
Written-By – Ervin Drake, Hans Lengsfelder, Juan Tizol
8 - All Too Soon
Rhythm Guitar – Bucky Pizzarelli
Written-By – Carl Sigman, Duke Ellington
9 - I'm Beginning to See the Light
Written-By – Don George, Duke Ellington, Harry James (2), Johnny Hodges
10 - Love Scene
Written-By – Duke Ellington
11 - I Got It Bad And That Ain't Good
Rhythm Guitar – Bucky Pizzarelli
Tenor Saxophone – Harry Allen (2)
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Paul Francis Webster
- Medley
12a - Cottontail
Written-By – Duke Ellington
12b - Rockin' In Rhythm
Written-By – Duke Ellington, Harry Carney, Irving Mills
Credits:
Alto Saxophone, Clarinet – Andy Fusco
Arranged By [Quartet] – John Pizzarelli
Arranged By [Swing Seven] – Don Sebesky
Art Direction, Design – Burton Yount
Baritone Saxophone, Bass Clarinet – Kenny Berger
Double Bass – Martin Pizzarelli
Drums – Tony Tedesco
Engineer [Assistant], Mastered By – Bill Moss (2)
Guitar, Vocals, Liner Notes – John Pizzarelli
Photography By – Jimmy Katz
Piano – Larry Fuller (2)
Recorded By, Mixed By – Jim Czak
Rhythm Guitar [Acoustic & Electric] – Bucky Pizzarelli (tracks: 3, 5, 8, 11)
Tenor Saxophone – Harry Allen (2) (tracks: 4, 11)
Trombone, Alto Horn – John Mosca
Trumpet – Tony Kadleck
Violin – Aaron Weinstein (tracks: 2b, 4, 5)
Vocals – Jessica Molaskey (tracks: 7), Kurt Elling (tracks: 7)
Label: Telarc Jazz – TEL-31921-02
Released: 2010
Genre: Jazz
Style: Swing, Vocal
https://www.discogs.com/release/11797473-John-Pizzarelli-Rockin-In-Rhythm
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