About the artist
John Pizzarelli Trio Featuring bassist Mike Karn and pianist Isaiah J. Thompson
John Pizzarelli is one of the most beloved figures in contemporary jazz — a guitarist, vocalist, and bandleader who has spent his career keeping the Great American Songbook alive and swinging.
He came by it honestly. His father, the late guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, was a frequent sideman for Tony Bennett — appearing on Bennett recordings going back to the 1960s. John eventually got his own moment in that orbit, accompanying Bennett on a radio broadcast alongside pianist Ralph Sharon and bassist Jay Leonhart. The admiration went both ways. Bennett showed up in the audience for a number of Pizzarelli's performances — and on two occasions, he picked up a pencil and sketched his likeness.
One of those sketches became the cover of Dear Mr. Bennett — Pizzarelli's deeply personal new tribute album, rendered during an engagement at Feinstein's nightclub at New York's Loews Regency hotel.
Released in March 2026 via Green Hill Music, Dear Mr. Bennett is both a loving farewell and a joyful celebration — arriving just ahead of Bennett's landmark August 3rd centennial. A five-song EP follows on August 7th to mark the occasion. Together, the releases honor the seven-decade songbook of one of the greatest voices of the last century, delivered with the lively swing, soulful balladry, and warm musicianship that defines the John Pizzarelli Trio.
"Tony's artistry was just so magnificent," Pizzarelli says. "And he was able to continually reinvent himself."
The trio — with bassist Mike Karn and pianist Isaiah J. Thompson — has built something special over the last six years. On stage, they're equally at home in scintillating jazz, pop elegance, and breathtaking ballads. They're touring this repertoire worldwide throughout 2026 and into 2027.
Dear Mr. Bennett adds Tony Bennett to a distinguished list of musical icons Pizzarelli has honored over his career: Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Sir Paul McCartney, Richard Rodgers, and Duke Ellington among them. Bennett, though, was more than an influence — he was a friend. A New Yorker who could be spotted on a street corner as easily as on a concert stage.
"In Manhattan, you'd run into him on the street," Pizzarelli recalls with a chuckle. "He was such a New Yorker, and he was just a very open and kind person."
This is an intimate evening of world-class jazz — music rooted in American tradition, played by three musicians at the very top of their craft.
Learn more about John Pizzarelli at johnpizzarelli.com
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