Posted September 24, 2014
DAYTON, OH (September 24, 2014) – On Friday, October 10 and Saturday, October 11 at 8 pm in the Mead Theatre of the Schuster Center, American jazz guitarist, vocalist, songwriter, and bandleader John Pizzarelli returns to the Schuster Center to join Artistic Director and Conductor Neal Gittleman and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra for the first concert in the Kettering Health Network’s 2014–2015 SuperPops Series Pizzarelli Plays Sinatra and Nat King Cole.
He’s been called “hip with a wink,” “madly creative,” “a tour de force,” “a rare entertainer,” “the genial genius of the guitar, ” and the man responsible for “reinvigorating the Great American Songbook and re-popularizing jazz.” World-renowned jazz guitarist and vocalist John Pizzarelli returns to Dayton to dazzle audiences with his charm, smooth vocals, mastery of the guitar, and pure love for American jazz. “John is such a fabulous singer and performer, and the musicians he brings with him are simply the best jazz musicians you’ll find anywhere in the world,” said DPO Conductor Neal Gittleman. “He puts on a fabulous show, and he’s really nice too! You can’t get any better than that.”
John Pizzarelli has performed with jazz icons Benny Goodman, Les Paul, Zoot Sims, Clark Terry, Slam Stewart, and George Shearing. He has also opened for such greats as Dave Brubeck, Ramsey Lewis, Rosemary Clooney, and Frank Sinatra. His album discography includes The Rare Delight of You (2002), Bossa Nova (2004), Knowing You (2005), Dear Mr. Sinatra (2006), With a Song in My Heart (2008 Grammy Award nomination), Rockin’ in Rhythm (2010), and Double Exposure (2012). He also performs on several tracks of Paul McCartney’s 2012 album, Kisses on the Bottom.
In the first half of the SuperPops concert with DPO, Pizzarelli visits the songbook of Nat King Cole with such favorites as “L-O-V-E”, “Sentimental Reasons”, “Straighten Up and Fly Right”, “This Will Make You Laugh”, “Paper Moon”, “For All We Know”, and the ever-popular “Route 66”. After intermission, Frank Sinatra comes alive again on stage as Pizzarelli pays tribute to the endless compilation of Sinatra smashes with performances of “The Way You Look Tonight”, “You Make Me Feel So Young”, “Kick Out of You”, “I Don’t Know Why I Love You Like I Do”, “Witchcraft”, “Wee Small Hours”, “Nice and Easy”, “One For My Baby”, and the wonderful “World On a String”.
On the Mead Theatre stage, John will re-create the memories that Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra engendered with their classic hits, and you’ll find yourself cheering as you enjoy the magical memories created by an evening with John Pizzarelli.
Tickets for Pizzarelli Plays Sinatra and Nat King Cole range from $23 to $78 and are available at Ticket Center Stage (937) 228-3630 or online at www.daytonperformingarts.org. Senior, teacher and student discounts are available at the box office. For more information or to order subscriptions, including flexible subscription types that include performances by Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Opera and Dayton Ballet, visit www.daytonperformingarts.org.