Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Bucky Pizzarelli: Flashes: A Lifetime in Words and Music

Bucky Pizzarelli: Flashes: A Lifetime in Words and Music

By Joel Roberts
November 8, 2004
View read count

Bucky Pizzarelli: Flashes: A Lifetime in Words and Music

Veteran guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli's latest is a master class in the art of the popular American song as interpreted by someone who's spent a lifetime perfecting the language of swing.

Combining solo guitar and spoken reminiscences, Pizzarelli retraces his long career through exquisite renditions of standards associated with colleagues and mentors like Henry Mancini, Richard Rodgers, Benny Goodman, Bing Crosby and Frank Sinatra. He also proves his dexterity beyond straight swing by tackling a trio of early jazz tunes by Bix Beiderbecke, a Beatles tune and even two contemporary classical pieces.

Pizzarelli's technique on his seven-string guitar is flawless and his inventiveness in livening up familiar material is laudable. If there's a complaint here it's that many of the songs are simply too short, several clocking in at less than two minutes. The best numbers are the longer ones, like his take on "Willow Weep for Me" and a medley of Henry Mancini tunes, which let Pizzarelli stretch out and showcase his considerable improvisational flair. The brief spoken introductions are also more distraction than revelation and should have been pared down to leave more room for what Pizzarelli does best: play his guitar.

Track Listing

1 Bucky Introduction to Richard Rodgers 0:18
2 This Nearly Was Mine 2:17
3 You Are Too Beautiful 2:30
4 Bucky Introduction to the Three Suns Theme Song 0:31
5 Twilight Time 1:57
6 Bucky Introduction to Mockingbird 0:12
7 Mockingbird 2:21
8 Bucky Introduction to Ann Ronell 0:27
9 Willow Weep for Me 4:04
10 Bucky Introduction to Henry Mancini 0:23
11 Mancini Medley: Breakfast at Tiffany's/Dreamsville/Mr. Lucky/Moon River 5:24
12 Bucky Introduction to Bix Beiderbecke 0:42
13 In the Dark 3:19
14 Flashes 3:12
15 Bucky Introduction to Dick Ables 2:01
16 Out of This World 2:07
17 Sleepin' Bee 3:17
18 Last Night When We Were Young 1:40
19 Bucky Introduction to Frank Sinatra 0:10
20 Why Shouldn't I? 1:37
21 Bucky Introduction to Johnny Mandel 0:43
22 The Shadow of Your Smile 2:25
23 Bucky Introduction to Bing Crosby 0:05
24 Pennies from Heaven 3:53
25 Bucky Introduction to Down Memory Lane 0:10
26 Down Memory Lane 1:13
27 Bucky Introduction to Noel Coward 0:07
28 Sail Away 2:00
29 Bucky Introduction to the Beatles 0:18
30 Medley: Yesterdays/Yesterday 2:35
31 Bucky Introduction to Eastwood Lane 0:12
32 Land of the Loon 2:26
33 Lonesome Lake 2:18
34 Bucky Introduction to More Than You Know 0:07
35 More Than You Know 2:52
36 Bucky Introduction to Benny Goodman 1:23
37 Fandanguillo 4:23
38 Second Movement from Guitar Concerto in D 3:25
39 Bucky Signing Off 0:04

Personnel

Bucky Pizzarelli

guitar

Bucky Pizzarelli - guitar

Album information

Title: Flashes: A Lifetime in Words and Music | Year Released: 2004 | Record Label: Arbors Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

Tonight at Noon
< Previous

Mother Tongue
Next >

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.