RAMSEY LEWIS AND JOHN PIZZARELLI STRAIGHTEN UP AND FLY RIGHT: THE NAT KING COLE TRIBUTE JANUARY 12-13, 8PM & 10:30PM
Nat King Cole broke the pop barrier with his smoky, smooth vocals, stringing along a huge number of solid hits right after his first, “Straighten Up And Fly Right,” soared up the charts in 1943. As a singer, he was called “the best friend a song ever had,” but he was essentially a jazz performer at heart. RAMSEY LEWIS and JOHN PIZZARELLI have crafted a tribute to the titan of fifties vocal pop, from his hits along with those singular tracks of sophisticated cool jazz that have influenced their own careers. John Pizzarelli, the world-renowned jazz guitarist and singer, was called “Hip with a wink” by Town & Country, “madly creative” by the Los Angeles Times and “the genial genius of the guitar” by The Toronto Star. Mr. Pizzarelli with his wife, singer/actress Jessica Molaskey, and his father, guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, were labeled “the First Family of Cool” by the San Francisco Chronicle and “the von Trapps on Martinis” by The New Yorker. According to The New York Times, “the Pizzarelli-Molaskey duo is as good as it gets in any entertainment medium.”
Composer, pianist and jazz legend Ramsey Lewis has been referred to as “the great performer,” a title reflecting his performance style and musical selections which display his early gospel playing and classical training along with his love of jazz and other musical forms. A native Chicagoan, Mr. Lewis represents the great diversity of music for which Chicago is noted. Ramsey Lewis first captivated fans with his first album, Ramsey Lewis and the Gentlemen of Swing, by the Ramsey Lewis Trio in 1956. By 1965, he was one of the nation’s most successful jazz pianists, topping the charts with “The In Crowd,” “Hang On Sloopy” and “Wade In The Water.” He has three Grammy Awards and seven gold records to his credit. He received the industry award for the 2006 Stellar Award for Best Gospel Instrumental Album, With One Voice presented in January 2007. He was also the recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Award in January 2007. Mr. Lewis has also received four honorary doctorate degrees and numerous other accolades. n