The Pizzarelli family treasured musical gatherings at home from the time the patriarch was just starting to play guitar, where he learned a lot from his two uncles about playing rhythm guitar. Long an accomplished sideman, soloist, and bandleader,
Bucky Pizzarelli has performed and recorded with his sons
John and
Martin on a number of occasions over the years, while
John has had
Martin as the bassist in his group for a number of years. But this is the first family recording date with all three present and not a larger supporting cast, except for drummer
Tony Tedesco, who is so well known to them he is considered family. But this time around, it is
John playing electric lead guitar, with his father sticking to playing acoustic rhythm guitar. The songs selected date back many decades to the early days of the swing era and earlier. The breezy treatment of "Alabamy Bound" suggest a train barreling down the tracks, while a wave of nostalgia is awash in the swinging setting of "In the Good Old Summertime" and the upbeat western swing setting of "Red Wing." The one new composition is "Night on Garrett Mountain," an extended blues evidently conjured up during the recording session. It's obvious that the many jam sessions held at Uncle Pete's paid numerous musical dividends, with the listener reaping the rewards. ~ Ken Dryden