World on a String: A Musical Memoir - Hardcover (ONLINE ORDER ONLY)

by John Pizzarelli (Author), Joseph Cosgriff (Author), Jonathan Schwartz (Foreword by)

Behind the scenes in the life of a musician--an exuberant, entertaining memoir from jazz guitarist, singer, and raconteur John Pizzarelli

John Pizzarelli, the son of jazz guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, is a connoisseur of American song who grew up among the legends of jazz. From teenage explorations of rock music to life on the road with his father, he worked his way from gigs in tiny clubs to opening for Frank Sinatra during his final international tour. Now Pizzarelli performs in festivals and top venues across the United States and the world, and he shares his unique journey in this revealing, charming, and heartwarming memoir.

• Includes firsthand stories of famous jazz greats and popular music icons including Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Rosemary Clooney, Benny Goodman, Joe Pass, James Taylor, and Paul McCartney
• Reveals what it was like to grow up among great musicians and storytellers and shares the day-to-day experiences of a touring musician's life
• Includes thirty-five terrific photographs that take you inside John Pizzarelli's life and music
• Part of the Wiley-Lincoln Center alliance

Absorbing, upbeat, funny, and down to earth, World on a String is an irresistible celebration of music and life that will appeal to John Pizzarelli's large and growing following.

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In "World on a String," John Pizzarelli, the son of guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli, shows his rare storytelling gift as he tells the engaging, moving, and often hilarious tale of a life filled from the start with music and joy. A connoisseur of the American songbook and the rich history of jazz, John received his first banjo and guitar lessons from two uncles, professional musicians who had taught his father to play, and he grew up surrounded by talented musicians who knew how to spin a yarn. Benny Goodman, Les Paul, and many other jazz greats were regular visitors to his home, and it's been a fantastic musical journey ever since.

Absorbing, upbeat, and down to earth, "World on a String "perfectly captures John's warm and funny tone as he tells the story of a musical life well lived. He conveys the thrill he felt when, during a break between sets at a New York jazz club, he was offered his first recording contract, and he recalls the heady days when he and his trio opened for John's musical hero, the legendary Frank Sinatra, during Sinatra's final world tour. John shares stories about working with music greats from Tony Bennett and Rosemary Clooney to James Taylor and Paul McCartney, and he takes you behind the scenes at the weekly radio program he hosts with his wife, singer Jessica Molaskey.

Filled with dozens of rare personal photos from John's life and career as well as John's priceless inside information on how he's come to incorporate distinct guitar and string combinations with various amplifiers and microphones to help him get his signature sound, "World on a String "is an absorbing and deliciously entertaining celebration of life, family, and music.

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Praise for "World on a String"

"John Pizzarelli has the gift of gab in more ways than one. A great storyteller, he can spin the tiniest anecdote about the musician's life into a sidesplitting absurdist yarn."
--Stephen Holden, "The" "New York Times"

"They say great musicians should play, not talk. John Pizzarelli is the exception. His book is as breezy, melodic, and lyrical as one of his concerts, and he captures both the love and laughter of a life in music with virtuosic skill."
--Mitch Albom, author of "The Time Keeper" and "Tuesdays with Morrie"

"John Pizzarelli is one of the most entertaining performers you'll ever see on a stage. He's perfection: a musician, a singer, a comedian. And now with "World on a String," it turns out that John's a perfect author, too. You're going to love it."
--Regis Philbin, television host

""World on a String" is engaging, well written, heartfelt, and insightful. I'm impressed by John's recall and by the way he can recreate a moment and convey a warm sense of all these characters. I love that he even included Paul Lynde!
--Michael Feinstein, performer and composer

Author Biography

JOHN PIZZARELLI has enjoyed a more than thirty-year career as a jazz guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter. His syndicated radio program, "Radio Deluxe with John Pizzarelli," cohosted with his wife, Jessica Molaskey, airs in more than one hundred markets. He began his recording career in 1980 and has appeared on more than two hundred record albums, twenty-five as a singer and leader. His performance highlights include headlining concerts at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl, and New Year's Eve at the Kennedy Center, opening for Frank Sinatra's World Tour in 1993, accompanying Paul McCartney as part of an iTunes live streaming concert in February 2012, and an annual month-long engagement with his wife, Jessica, at New York's Cafe Carlyle.

JOSEPH COSGRIFF is a writer, songwriter, and speaker who lives in New York City.