The combination of jazz and guitar, whether in a group setting or duo, has frequently been associated with swing. This stretches back further than
Django Reinhardt and
Stéphane Grappelli to players like guitarist
Eddie Lang and violist
Joe Venuti in the 1920s; the tradition, however, also moves forward in time, including work by
Stuff Smith with guitarist
Herb Ellis in 1963 and numerous recordings by groups put together by
Tony Rice and
David Grisman beginning in the '70s. Despite the long history, the guitar/fiddle combination is nonetheless a rare one in jazz, which makes the issue of
Blue Too by guitarist
John Pizzarelli and violinist
Aaron Weinstein a real treat. As a duo recording,
Pizzarelli and
Weinstein have kept
Blue Too's arrangements simple and intimate. The material, both new and old, pays tribute to the swing tradition, allowing the duo to reach back to
George Van Eps' "I Wrote It for Joe," make a stop at
Cole Porter's "You Do Something to Me," and add to the tradition with the original title cut. While
Pizzarelli and
Weinstein occasionally indulge in lengthy jams, as with
Walter Donaldson's "Little White Lies" (nearly seven minutes), most of these pieces run between two and four minutes. The music and tradition may be familiar on
Blue Too, but
Pizzarelli and
Weinstein's lead work and innovative backing deliver it with imagination. ~ Ronnie D. Lankford, Jr.