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JOHN PIZZARELLI: With a Song in My Heart [Telarc CD-83676]
Pizzarelli swings Rodgers, and how! Break out the superlatives, and order extras for your most deserving friends.

The accomplished John Pizzarelli has delved into the musical theatre songbook from time to time, especially when prodded by his equally talented singer-of-a-wife Jessica Molaskey. He has recorded a couple of dozen solo albums thus far, hitting just about every base except show tunes. Arlen might be a logical place to start, or Gershwin perhaps. Pizzarelli has instead chosen Richard Rodgers, mostly though not exclusively with Hart, and we get what is easily one of the most sparklingly flavorful CDs in years.

"With a Song in My Heart," which serves as the title tune for this collection, was one of Rodgers' very favorites among his work and it is not difficult to understand why. He was to write more memorable and more successful songs over the years, to be sure, but the man had been emulating Kern since his Broadway debut as a 16-year-old, in 1919. By 1929 he had his own burgeoning bag of song hits, filled with "Manhattan," "Mountain Greenery," "The Blue Room," "My Heart Stood Still," "Thou Swell," "You Took Advantage of Me"; but "With a Song in My Heart" was the first Rodgers tune that soared on melodic lines so pure as Kern. Mr. Pizzarelli adds his scatting, as is his habit, making this jazzy albums of "songs in his heart" irresistible from the start.

For those who feel that the Rodgers of Rodgers & Hart was a very different composer than the Rodgers of Rodgers & Hammerstein, this CD provides further ammunition. The three Oscar songs included here, "Happy Talk," "I Have Dreamed" and "You've Got to Be Carefully Taught," are clearly cut from a difficult musical cloth. Different, but equally enjoyable.

With such an enormous catalogue to choose from, Pizzarelli has made some wise selections. Sure, we'd gladly listen to his take on any Rodgers songs, even if he saw fit to restrict himself to the biggest hits. But no, he has avoided "Bewitched," "Lover" and "Blue Moon," digging his way through to less obvious treasures. With only 12 songs — and only nine of them from Mr. Hart — he has favored us with "Nobody's Heart," "It's Easy to Remember" and "She Was Too Good to Me." Three stunningly good songs that are typically overlooked, and what a perfect job Pizzarelli does on them!

Pizzarelli is accompanied by his usual gang, Larry Fuller on piano, Tony Tedesco on drums and brother Martin Pizzarelli on bass. Ol' man Bucky Pizzarelli guests on "Easy to Remember," Cesar Camargo Mariano on "Happy Talk," and the basic combo is supplemented on half the tracks by what they call the Swing Seven, with swingin' special charts by Don Sebesky.

John Pizzarelli sings the music of Richard Rodgers, although not enough of it for our tastes. We shan't invoke the name Ella Fitzgerald, but she managed to work her way through 25 from the Rodgers & Hart songbook. Let us hope that Mr. P. returns for more, and it might even "enter his mind" to invite Mrs. P. into the studio with him next time. Continued...