World on a String: A Musical Memoir

by John Pizzarelli, Joseph Cosgriff, Jonathan Schwartz (Foreword by)

Overview

Behind the scenes in the life of a musician—an exuberant, entertaining memoir from jazz guitarist, singer, and raconteur John Pizzarelli

John Pizzarelli, the son of jazz guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, is a connoisseur of American song who grew up among the legends of jazz. From teenage explorations of rock music to life on the road with his father, he worked his way from gigs in tiny clubs to opening for Frank Sinatra during his final international tour. Now Pizzarelli performs in festivals and top venues across the United States and the world, and he shares his unique journey in this revealing, charming, and heartwarming memoir.

• Includes firsthand stories of famous jazz greats and popular music icons including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Benny Goodman, Joe Pass, James Taylor, and Paul McCartney
• Reveals what it was like to grow up among great musicians and storytellers and shares the day-to-day experiences of a touring musician's life
• Includes thirty-five terrific photographs that take you inside John Pizzarelli's life and music
• Part of the Wiley-Lincoln Center alliance

Absorbing, upbeat, funny, and down to earth, World on a String is an irresistible celebration of music and life that will appeal to John Pizzarelli's large and growing following.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781118062975
Publisher:	TURNER PUB CO
Publication date:	10/01/2012
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	304
Product dimensions:	6.40(w) x 9.40(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

JOHN PIZZARELLI has enjoyed a more than thirty-year career as a jazz guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. His syndicated radio program, Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli, cohosted with his wife, Jessica Molaskey, airs in more than one hundred markets. He began his recording career in 1980 and has appeared on more than two hundred record albums, twenty-five as a singer and leader. His performance highlights include headlining concerts at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl, and New Year’s Eve at the Kennedy Center, opening for Frank Sinatra’s World Tour in 1993, accompanying Paul McCartney as part of an iTunes live streaming concert in February 2012, and an annual month-long engagement with his wife, Jessica, at New York’s Café Carlyle. 

JOSEPH COSGRIFF is a writer, songwriter, and speaker who lives in New York City. 

Table of Contents

Foreword by Jonathan Schwartz xi

Acknowledgments xv

Preface xvii

1 When I Was a Little Boy 1

2 Rock and Roll High School 15

3 Travels with Bucky 29

How I Met My Mother 49

4 Sing, Sing, Sing 53

5 The King of Swing: Benny 75

My Mother’s Eggplant 88

6 Raised on Radio 91

7 On the Road 111

8 Counting My Blessings: Loving Rosie 123

9 Come Fly with Me: My Travels with Mr. Sinatra 145

10 Team Dream 167

11 On Broadway 177

12 On the Road (Again) 193

13 Let Me off Uptown (but with a Stop at 76th and Madison) 207

This Old Guitar 223

14 The Long and Winding Country Road: James Taylor and Paul McCartney 225

Finale: The Best Is Yet to Come 239

My Favorite Things 245

FAQ 251

Discography 263

Index 267

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"John Pizzarelli has the gift of gab in more ways than one. A great storyteller, he can spin the tiniest anecdote about the musician's life into a sidesplitting absurdist yarn."
—Stephen Holden, The New York Times

"They say great musicians should play, not talk. John Pizzarelli is the exception. His book is as breezy, melodic, and lyrical as one of his concerts, and he captures both the love and laughter of a life in music with virtuosic skill."
—Mitch Albom, author of The Time Keeper and Tuesdays with Morrie

"John Pizzarelli is one of the most entertaining performers you'll ever see on a stage. He's perfection: a musician, a singer, a comedian. And now with World on a String, it turns out that John's a perfect author, too. You're going to love it."
—Regis Philbin, television host

"World on a String is engaging, well written, heartfelt, and insightful. I'm impressed by John's recall and by the way he can recreate a moment and convey a warm sense of all these characters. I love that he even included Paul Lynde!"
—Michael Feinstein, performer and composer

Editorial Reviews

* "The only other thing that need be said about World on a String is that sitting alone reading it, I found myself erupting in laughter at least a dozen times." (Playbill.com, December 2012)

From the Publisher