Jazz Police - Benny Green and Bucky Pizzarelli: At Kuumbwa (June 15) and Yoshi’s (June 16-17)

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Wednesday, 17 March 2010

Benny Green and Bucky Pizzarelli: At Kuumbwa (June 15) and Yoshi’s (June 16-17)

Written by Andrea Canter, Contributing Editor

Monday, 15 June 2009

Benny Green and Bucky Pizzarelli © Andera Canter

They had never met professionally but their debut as a duo last summer in Minneapolis might be remembered as one of the most successful blind dates in recent jazz history. Two masters of swing, two generations apart, guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli and pianist Benny Green, were brought together by Dakota Jazz Club owner Lowell Pickett in August 2008. The night was so inspiring that Pickett quickly rebooked the pair to record live in late September, successfully recapturing the magic of their first meeting. The result, Benny and Bucky: Live at the Dakota, was released last week. And in northern California, jazz fans have several opportunities to enjoy the music live this week: in Santa Cruz at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center (June 15^th) and in Oakland at Yoshi’s (June 16-17). [Click here for a review of the first Dakota show.]

“Benny Green could be the monster pianist of the 21^st century.” Thus prophesized no less than the incomparable Joanne Brackeen in describing the Oscar Peterson protégé.

Benny Green © Andera Canter

Now 44, Green followed his lineage (dad was a jazz saxophonist), playing with Eddie Henderson as a teenager before joining Betty Carter, then Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers, and then Freddie Hubbard. In 1993 Oscar Peterson chose Green as the first recipient of the City of Toronto's Glen Gould International Protégé Prize in Music. Shortly thereafter, Green replaced Gene Harris in Ray Brown's Trio, working with the veteran bassist until 1997. From that point on, Benny resumed his freelance career, leading his own trios and performing solo piano. After recording for Criss Cross and Blue Note in the 1990s, Green moved to Telarc in 2000. His most recent releases are two duo sets with guitarist Russell Malone, with whom he tours when not busy with vocalist Belinda Underwood’s ensemble and his own solo efforts. Citing his key influences as Art Tatum, Erroll Garner, Hank Jones, Ahmad Jamal, Phineas Newborn, Bud Powell and Oscar Peterson, Green summarizes his approach to jazz as “…to just swing and have fun, and share those feelings with the audience … and if I'm able to convey that, then I feel like I'm doing something positive.” In addition to performing solo and with his own trio, Benny has recently toured as part of the Ray Brown Tribute band with Christian McBride and Greg Hutchinson.

Bucky Pizzarelli © Andera Canter

Bucky Pizzarelli is a veteran of nearly six decades of touring and studio sessions, one of the most popular swing guitarists. Exposed to music early through his uncles who were professional musicians, the New Jersey native became a self-taught master of the banjo and seven-string guitar. On staff of NBC from the early 50s (where he played with Doc Severinson’s band) and later with ABC, he also worked with the Three Sounds and toured with Benny Goodman. In the 1970s, he performed in duo with George Barnes and worked with Zoot Sims, Bud Freeman, and Stéphane Grappelli. Since the 1980s, he has often performed and recorded with son, guitarist/vocalist John Pizzarelli. He also has performed with this other musical offspring, bassist Martin Pizzarelli and classical guitarist Mary. Bucky plays classical guitar himself and is now Emeritus faculty of William Paterson College.

Benny and Bucky: Live at the Dakota (Dakota Live!) will be available at the Bay Area gigs this week. The recording is a delightful, alternately swinging and exquisite pas de deux culled from four sets over two nights, whittled down to eight sublime covers guaranteed to prompt toe-tapping, head nodding, and wide smiles. That the artists seem to enjoy each other as much as we enjoy their music only adds more grins.

Benny and Bucky perform on June 15^th (7 pm) at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center, located at 320-2 Cedar Street in Santa Cruz; www.kuumbwajazz.org. They move north to Oakland, performing at Yoshi’s at Jack London Square on June 16-17, 8 & 10 pm; www.yoshis.com.

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