Bucky Pizzarelli Tribute Night with Frank diBussolo, Martin Pizzarelli, and Walt Bibinger

Many in Godfrey’s community recall that Bucky Pizzarelli graced our stage many times, accompanied by his good friend, Frank diBussolo. Please join us for this celebration!

This is a swingin’ and singin’ celebration of one of the true icons of Jazz Guitar – Bucky Pizzarelli, whose musical career spanned seven decades, strumming along with the likes of Benny Goodman and Frank Sinatra.

The trio playing to celebrate the life and music of the late Maestro features guitarists Frank diBussolo and Walt Bibinger, and Bucky’s son Martin Pizzarelli on upright bass. This show features Bucky’s favorite standards, some of his arrangements, and music from the many artists and songs of the American Songbook that he performed with.

A member of New Jersey’s first jazz family, Martin Pizzarelli’s own impressive career as a bass player spans several decades and includes dozens of record dates and hundreds of concerts around the globe in various formations, often accompanying his father.  Among his peers, he is considered one of the most swinging bassists on the scene and a “keeper of the flame” who masters the style like no one else today. For his work in the recording industry, he has been nominated eight times for The Grammy Award in various categories.

Frank diBussolo has been a professional musician since 1965. During this time he has worked with Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Diana Ross, Diane Carroll, Vicky Carr, Bob Hope, George Burns and Dom DeLouise and others. As a soloist he has been featured with the bands of Buddy Rich, Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Lester Lannin and more. He is a graduate of Widener University and the Combs College of Music where he earned the Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees. He has served on the faculties of Swarthmore College, Moravian College, Lehigh University and the Combs College of Music. Dr. DiBussolo has recorded extensively and can be heard on the Naxos, DBK and Lost World record labels. For his work in the recording industry, he has been nominated eight times for The Grammy Award in various catagories. He is published in Guitar Player, The Educator, and Just Jazz Guitar magazines, and in the Groves Dictionary.

The International Association of Jazz Record Collectors described guitarist Walt Bibinger’s playing as “…rooted in the traditions of Tal Farlow, Jim Hall, Wes Montgomery, Johnny Smith, and Joe Pass, but with a sound and style all his own…” Walt’s primary musical influence and mentor was the late Grammy Award-winning guitarist, Harry Leahey. He studied with Leahey from 1975 until the guitarist’s passing in 1990. Walt has performed up and down the East Coast in clubs, concerts, clinics, and festivals. These include The New Jersey Performing Arts Center(NJPAC), The Bergen Performing Arts Center, the Pocono’s legendary”Deer Head Inn”, The Delaware Water Gap’s “Celebration of the Arts Festival(COTA)”, Bethlehem, PA’s “MusicFest”, Peter’s Valley “Arts Festival”, Scranton, PA’s “Jazz Festival”, and the “Iridium” in NYC, as part of the Monday Night Les Paul Tribute Series. In addition to performing solo, in duos, and leading his own trio, Walt has appeared live with Bucky Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Bob Dorough,Jimmy McGriff, and Phil Woods, among many others. Walt is also busy with studio/session work, having performed on numerous CDs by artists of all genres.