John PIsano with Chico Hamilton

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

JP doesn't get a lot of press around here, except in discussions about his signature guitar. He was one of my favorites in the late '50s and '60s when I was struggling to become me. He was not a run of the mill studio or stage pro - he was an innovative and interesting musician who was often at his best in some out of the way groups and settings. I was just listening to Chico Hamilton's The Complete Studio Sessions 1957-58 while cleaning up after breakfast, and I realized that there probably aren't many on JGO who have heard much of PIsano's work with Hamilton.

This tune is from the soundtrack to the movie "Sweet Smell of Success", and it's one of my favorites. I think it's a stellar example of the kind of tight, difficult, but artful playing that PIsano did so well. His solo starts at 50 seconds in, but he's an integral part of the entire track. That's Fred Katz on cello, Paul Horn on reeds & flute, and Carson Smith on bass (plus Hamilton, of course). Curiously, there were two soundtrack albums from this movie - one with the music Elmer Bernstein composed for it and a second one with Chico Hamilton's tunes for it. Whoever posted this on YouTube obviously used the wrong album jacket for the video.

I couldn't find the original Hamilton album cover either. But here's one with all the music combined:



Hamilton also did the music for a Roman Polanski movie I recently learned about called Repulsion. I'd never heard of it until now. He obviously loved guitar - Gabor Szabo does a great job for him on this one.

[nyc chaz]

I've always been a big fan of John.Besides being a Grade A player he was a tremendously nice and gracious guy.

[wintermoon]

[wintermoon]

sure it's dubbed, but what fun!

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

sure it's dubbed, but what fun!

I'll bite - what's the connection? That tune (The Lonely Bull) was on Alpert's first album in the early '60s, with the Wrecking Crew behind him. But there are no credits - it could have been Glen Campbell, TT, HR, BK, etc. IIRC, JP played with Alpert in the late '60s - he wasn't on the Lonely Bull.

I'm also having a little trouble finding the fun.....

[wintermoon]

I'll bite - what's the connection? That tune (The Lonely Bull) was on Alpert's first album in the early '60s, with the Wrecking Crew behind him. But there are no credits - it could have been Glen Campbell, TT, HR, BK, etc. IIRC, JP played with Alpert in the late '60s - he wasn't on the Lonely Bull.

I'm also having a little trouble finding the fun.....

the connection is Pisano is playing, well miming. he was w/ Albert for years and said he made a fortune
part of the fun is the smoking hot woman dancing behind Herb @ 11:30 but to each his own....

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

the connection is Pisano is playing, well miming. he was w/ Albert for years and said he made a fortune
part of the fun is the smoking hot woman dancing behind Herb @ 11:30 but to each his own....

That's Pisano with the solid body (the guitar, not the woman...)??

[wintermoon]

That's Pisano with the solid body (the guitar, not the woman...)??

[JazzPadd]

Great post! Thanks for sharing.

Chico Hamilton had a wonderful taste in guitarists, and an eye / ear for up and coming players.

Among my favorite guitarists played in his band at some point, including Gabor Szabo, Howard Roberts and Jim Hall.

I knew about John Pisano from his association with Joe Pass, and really like his work on the Frank Potenza tribute For Joe.

Pisano’s understated playing on this tune gets me every time:

There’s something about a moderate tempo that brings out melodic playing, at least to my limited ears, where every note counts. His ad-lib is from 3:15. I like how he gets into the groove in the low register, climbing up to a high note that really sings.

[skykomishone]

Thanks for posting this thread.
He was a good guy! Another of the great jazz guitar players that have moved on this year. I was sad to hear of his passing, but happy to have crossed paths.