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Quiz about John Pizzarelli  Volume 1
Quiz about John Pizzarelli  Volume 1

John Pizzarelli : Volume 1 Trivia Quiz


Test your knowledge of one of the greatest contemporary jazz guitarists and vocalists.

A multiple-choice quiz by pizzifan. Estimated time: 6 mins.
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Author
pizzifan
Time
6 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
155,935
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
25
Difficulty
Tough
Avg Score
14 / 25
Plays
144
- -
Question 1 of 25
1. The John Pizzarelli Trio is modelled after that of Nat King Cole, featuring: Hint


Question 2 of 25
2. John Pizzarelli played trombone in his high school band.


Question 3 of 25
3. Which of these is NOT a name of one of John Pizzarelli's early bands? Hint


Question 4 of 25
4. John's brother and bassist is named... Hint


Question 5 of 25
5. The name of the Mahwah, New Jersey establishment where John Pizzarelli performed early in his career is... Hint


Question 6 of 25
6. John Pizzarelli's sister, Mary, played guitar on a record.


Question 7 of 25
7. The readers of which magazine voted John Pizzarelli Vocalist of the Year in 1999? Hint


Question 8 of 25
8. Which of these songstresses has John Pizzarelli never recorded with? Hint


Question 9 of 25
9. Moll is the name of John Pizzarelli's custom guitar maker.


Question 10 of 25
10. Which of these artists' "renditions" are not regularly featured in performances of John Pizzarelli's "I Like Jersey Best"? Hint


Question 11 of 25
11. John Pizzarelli stars in TV and radio commercials for which of the following casinos? Hint


Question 12 of 25
12. On which soap opera did the John Pizzarelli Trio appear as themselves? Hint


Question 13 of 25
13. Which baseball team is John Pizzarelli a longtime devotee of? Hint


Question 14 of 25
14. To whom is "John Pizzarelli Meets the Beatles" dedicated? Hint


Question 15 of 25
15. What was the name of the venue John Pizzarelli performed at on his concert DVD, "Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival/The Big Band"? Hint


Question 16 of 25
16. "Dream" was the 1997 Broadway production that John Pizzarelli starred in. It was a show dedicated to the work of which composer? Hint


Question 17 of 25
17. In 2002, John Pizzarelli was invited to play on an album with one of his '70s music idols. Who was it? Hint


Question 18 of 25
18. What city does John Pizzarelli Trio pianist Ray Kennedy hail from? Hint


Question 19 of 25
19. The photo of John Pizzarelli in the liner notes of his 1994 album "New Standards" is a recreation of a photo taken of which musician? Hint


Question 20 of 25
20. In 2002, the John Pizzarelli Trio were invited to perform as the Kennedy Center presented the Mark Twain Prize for humor to which of these funny men? Hint


Question 21 of 25
21. Which of these movies feature memorable, albeit brief, appearances by John Pizzarelli himself? Hint


Question 22 of 25
22. Which musician is John Pizzarelli's "Seven on Charlie" a tribute to? Hint


Question 23 of 25
23. The John Pizzarelli Trio opened for Frank Sinatra in which overseas country? Hint


Question 24 of 25
24. The Pizzarellis have a cabaret show called The First Family of Cool, which John jokingly refers to as "The Brady Bunch on Bourbon."


Question 25 of 25
25. The John Pizzarelli Trio celebrated their 10th anniversary by recording a double live CD at which famed NY jazz club? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. The John Pizzarelli Trio is modelled after that of Nat King Cole, featuring:

Answer: Piano, guitar and bass

Pizzarelli has said that his discovery of Nat Cole's music started in 1980. Not only did he enjoy the "full" sound of the trio, but it was the first time he heard a vocalist who had a style he could really
"latch on to."
2. John Pizzarelli played trombone in his high school band.

Answer: False

Pizzarelli played trumpet in the high school band. He attended Don Bosco Prep, a Catholic boys' high school in Ramsey, New Jersey.
3. Which of these is NOT a name of one of John Pizzarelli's early bands?

Answer: Alphabeta

He also played in a band called Omega.
4. John's brother and bassist is named...

Answer: Martin

Martin Pizzarelli is John's younger brother by three and a half years. He has played with the John Pizzarelli Trio for more than a decade, and will be releasing his first solo album in 2004.
5. The name of the Mahwah, New Jersey establishment where John Pizzarelli performed early in his career is...

Answer: Nobody's Inn

Nobody's Inn, widely believed to have inspired the Joyce Kilmer poem "The House with Nobody In It," closed its doors in 2002.
6. John Pizzarelli's sister, Mary, played guitar on a record.

Answer: True

Mary played guitar on father Bucky Pizzarelli's LP, "Guitar Quintet."
7. The readers of which magazine voted John Pizzarelli Vocalist of the Year in 1999?

Answer: Swing Journal

John Pizzarelli beat out the likes of Harry Connick Jr. and Tony Bennett to win the honor in the 40th Annual Readers' Poll.
8. Which of these songstresses has John Pizzarelli never recorded with?

Answer: Norah Jones

John Pizzarelli recorded "Brazil" with Rosemary Clooney, and also appears on Natalie Cole's "Stardust" and Rickie Lee Jones' "It's Like This."
9. Moll is the name of John Pizzarelli's custom guitar maker.

Answer: True

Bill Moll of Moll Custom Instruments in Springfield, Missouri builds John Pizzarelli's seven-string guitars.
10. Which of these artists' "renditions" are not regularly featured in performances of John Pizzarelli's "I Like Jersey Best"?

Answer: Rod Stewart

Joe Cosgriff's "I Like Jersey Best" is one of the John Pizzarelli Trio's most popular songs with live audiences, featuring Pizzarelli's humorous vocal impressions.
11. John Pizzarelli stars in TV and radio commercials for which of the following casinos?

Answer: Foxwoods

John Pizzarelli stars in the commercials for Foxwoods Casino in Mashantucket, Connecticut. The jingle "The Wonder of It All" was written by Joey Levine, who co-wrote the rock hit "Mony Mony."
12. On which soap opera did the John Pizzarelli Trio appear as themselves?

Answer: Melrose Place

The Trio appeared in the season six episode of Melrose Place called "The Light At The End of the Tumble." It originally aired 10/27/97. The Trio performed their song "Nina Never Knew" from the "Our Love is Here to Stay" album.
13. Which baseball team is John Pizzarelli a longtime devotee of?

Answer: Boston Red Sox

14. To whom is "John Pizzarelli Meets the Beatles" dedicated?

Answer: Linda McCartney

"The whole Beatles family had an effect on everybody -- they're sort of the musical royalty," Pizzarelli acknowledges. "She was such a part of what they were, and her relationship with Paul was so special. They were only apart three days in their entire lives together. We just wanted to say 'thank you' by dedicating part of the record to her memory." (John Pizzarelli on Artist Direct)
15. What was the name of the venue John Pizzarelli performed at on his concert DVD, "Live at the Montreal Jazz Festival/The Big Band"?

Answer: Club Soda

16. "Dream" was the 1997 Broadway production that John Pizzarelli starred in. It was a show dedicated to the work of which composer?

Answer: Johnny Mercer

John Pizzarelli starred with Margaret Whiting and Lesley Ann Warren in "Dream." It was also where he met his future wife, singer Jessica Molaskey.
17. In 2002, John Pizzarelli was invited to play on an album with one of his '70s music idols. Who was it?

Answer: James Taylor

Pizzarelli played guitar on James Taylor's Grammy-nominated "October Road."
18. What city does John Pizzarelli Trio pianist Ray Kennedy hail from?

Answer: St Louis, MO

Gifted pianist Ray Kennedy is an integral part of the trio's sound. His solo albums include "The Sound of St. Louis" and "I'm Beginning to See The Light".
19. The photo of John Pizzarelli in the liner notes of his 1994 album "New Standards" is a recreation of a photo taken of which musician?

Answer: Zoot Sims

"In 1955, Bill Claxton took a photograph of my friend Zoot Sims, sitting in a chair listening to a playback, smoking a cigarette and holding his saxophone across his lap as if it were a guitar. I asked Bill to recreate that photograph for Zoot's wife, Louise, and everyone liked it so much, we decided to include it in the booklet." - John Pizzarelli, "New Standards" liner notes.
20. In 2002, the John Pizzarelli Trio were invited to perform as the Kennedy Center presented the Mark Twain Prize for humor to which of these funny men?

Answer: Bob Newhart

The Trio were among a slate of prestigious performers and tributes from stars including Richard Belzer, Tim Conway, Jane Curtin, Kelsey Grammer, David Hyde Pierce, Suzanne Pleshette, Tom Poston, The Smothers Brothers, Julia Sweeney, Clark Terry, Fred Willard, and Steven Wright.
21. Which of these movies feature memorable, albeit brief, appearances by John Pizzarelli himself?

Answer: Two Family House and The Out of Towners

Pizzarelli is credited as "Julius LaRosa" in 2000's "Two Family House" and as "Bandleader" in 1999's "The Out of Towners".
22. Which musician is John Pizzarelli's "Seven on Charlie" a tribute to?

Answer: Charlie Christian

"Seven on Charlie," AKA "Onward Charlie Christian's Soldiers", is a tribute to guitar great Christian's record "Solo Flight". Pizzarelli's original song title was "Test Pilot."
23. The John Pizzarelli Trio opened for Frank Sinatra in which overseas country?

Answer: Germany

The trio opened for five of Sinatra's Germany dates in 1993, as well as about 12 concerts in the U.S. They also played at The Chairman of the Board's 80th birthday celebration. John Pizzarelli received critical acclaim as the host of the 2003 Radio City Music Hall extravaganza: "Sinatra: His Voice, His World, His Way."
24. The Pizzarellis have a cabaret show called The First Family of Cool, which John jokingly refers to as "The Brady Bunch on Bourbon."

Answer: False

The Pizzarellis do have a cabaret show called The First Family of Cool, featuring the Trio and special guests Bucky Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey, but John refers to the group as "Von Trapps on Martinis."
25. The John Pizzarelli Trio celebrated their 10th anniversary by recording a double live CD at which famed NY jazz club?

Answer: Birdland

Recorded at the famed New York City jazz club in the autumn of 2002, Pizzarelli mixes songs old and new into one seamless whole. George and Ira Gershwin rub shoulders with James Taylor, as he takes over the songs with his own casual confidence. The smoothness of his style belies prodigious chops. His between-song patter also shows him to have all of the qualities of a well-informed host who also knows how to tell a short and funny anecdote or two. Originals by both Pizzarelli and Kennedy add further diversity to a memorable night. --David Greenberger (source: Amazon.com)
Source: Author pizzifan

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor bullymom before going online.
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