John Pizzarelli

The son of swing guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli was born in Paterson, New Jersey. He started on guitar when he was six and played trumpet through his college years. He attended Don Bosco Preparatory High School, an all-boys Catholic school. In his teens, he performed with Benny Goodman, Les Paul, Zoot Sims, Slam Stewart, and Clark Terry.

He attended the University of Tampa and William Patterson College, though he has said that his most important teacher was his father from 1980–1990. During the 1980s, he established himself as a jazz guitarist and a vocalist. He released his debut solo album, I'm Hip (Please Don't Tell My Father), in 1983.

During the 1990s, he played in a trio with Ray Kennedy and Martin Pizzarelli, his younger brother. In 1993, the trio was the opening act for Frank Sinatra. Four years later, Pizzarelli starred in Dream, a Broadway show devoted to the music of Johnny Mercer. He has named Nat King Cole as the inspiration for his career and honors that influence in the albums Dear Mr. Cole (BMG, 1994) and P.S. Mr. Cole (RCA, 1999). He has also recorded tribute albums to Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Richard Rodgers, and Paul McCartney. He and his father accompanied Annie Ross on her album To Lady with Love (Red Anchor, 2014), a tribute to Billie Holiday that Ross recorded when she was eighty-four.

He has hosted a national radio show, Radio Show Deluxe with John Pizzarelli, with his wife, singer and actress Jessica Molaskey. Other musicians he has worked with include George Shearing, Rosemary Clooney, Johnny Frigo, Buddy DeFranco, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, the Boston Pops Orchestra, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra.

As leader

• I'm Hip (Please Don't Tell My Father) (Stash, 1983)
• Hit That Jive Jack! (Stash, 1985)
• Sing! Sing! Sing! (Stash, 1987)
• My Blue Heaven (Chesky, 1990)
• All of Me (Novus, 1992)
• Naturally (Novus, 1993)
• New Standards (Novus, 1994)
• Dear Mr. Cole (Novus, 1994)
• After Hours (RCA, 1996)
• Let's Share Christmas (RCA, 1996)
• Our Love Is Here to Stay (RCA, 1997)
• Meets the Beatles (RCA, 1998)
• P.S. Mr. Cole (RCA, 1999)
• Kisses in the Rain (Telarc, 2000)
• Let There Be Love (Telarc, 2000)
• The Rare Delight of You (Telarc, 2002)
• Live at Birdland (Telarc, 2003)
• Bossa Nova (Telarc, 2004)
• Knowing You (Telarc, 2005)
• Just Friends (Mel Bay, 2006)
• Dear Mr. Sinatra (Telarc, 2006)
• With a Song in My Heart (Telarc, 2008)
• Rockin' in Rhythm: A Tribute to Duke Ellington (Telarc, 2010)
• Double Exposure (Telarc, 2012) with Tessa Souter
• John Pizzarelli Salutes Johnny Mercer – Live at Birdland (Vector, 2015)
• Midnight McCartney (Concord, 2015)

With Bucky Pizzarelli

• Nirvana, Bucky Pizzarelli (Delta, 1995)
• Contrasts (Arbors, 1999)
• Twogether (Victrola, 2001)
• Around the World in 80 Years, Bucky Pizzarelli (Victoria, 2006)
• Generations (Arbors, 2007)
• Sunday at Pete's, The Pizzarelli Boys (Challenge, 2007)
• Pizzarelli Party, Arbors All Stars (Arbors, 2009)
• Diggin' Up Bones, Bucky Pizzarelli (Arbors, 2009)
• Desert Island Dreamers, The Pizzarelli Boys (Arbors, 2010)
• Back in the Saddle Again, Bucky Pizarelli (Arbors, 2010)
• Passionate Guitars (2010)
• Family Fugue (Arbors, 2011)

With Jessica Molaskey

• Pentimento (Image, 2002)
• A Good Day (PS Classics, 2003)
• Make Believe (PS Classics, 2004)
• Sitting in Limbo (PS Classics, 2007)
• A Kiss to Build a Dream On (Arbors, 2008)

As sideman or guest

With Monty Alexander

• My America (Telarc, 2002)

With Harry Allen

• Are You Having Any Fun? (Audiophile, 1994)
• Tenors Anyone? (Slider, 2004)

With Sam Arlen

• Arlen Plays Arlen: The Timeless Tribute to Harold Arlen (Arbors, 2005)

With Debby Boone

• Reflections of Rosemary (Concord, 2005)

With Cheryl Bentyne

• The Book of Love (Telarc, 2006)

With Ray Brown

• Some of My Best Friends Are...Guitarists (Telarc, 2002)

With Rosemary Clooney

• Do You Miss New York? (Concord Jazz, 1993)
• Brazil (Concord Jazz, 2000)

With Kristin Chenoweth

• A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas (Sony, 2008)

With Buddy DeFranco

• Cookin' the Books (Arbors, 2004)

With Karen Egert

• That Thing Called Love (2007)

With Johnny Frigo

• Live from Studio A in New York City (Chesky, 1989)

With Sara Gazarek

• Blossom & Bee, (Palmetto, 2012)

With Stephane Grappelli

• Live at the Blue Note (Telarc, 1995)

With Skitch Henderson and Bucky Pizzarelli

• Legends (Arbors, 2003)

With Hilary Kole

• Haunted Heart

With Erich Kunzel

• Got Swing! (Telarc, 2002)
• Christmastime Is Here (Telarc, 2006)

With The Manhattan Transfer

• Vibrate (Telarc, 2004)

With Paul McCartney

• Kisses on the Bottom (Hear Music, 2012)

With Jane Monheit

• Home (2010)

With Donnie O'Brien

• Meets Manhattan Swing in a Basie Mood (Arbors, 2003)

With Curtis Stigers

• Real Emotional (Concord, 2007)

With James Taylor

• October Road (Sony, 2002)
• James Taylor at Christmas (Columbia, 2006)

With Aaron Weinstein

• A Handful of Stars (Arbors, 2005)