Pizzarelli revives McCartney obscurities

Paul McCartney will forever be identified with The Beatles, but jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli has attempted on a new album to revive some of the legend's lesser known solo tracks.

Pizzarelli, a popular guitarist known both for his own songs and collaborations with other artists, said the ex-Beatle himself came up with the idea for the album, "Midnight McCartney," which will come out on September 11.

"'It might be interesting for you to do a few of my songs that are lesser known than some of the others,'" Pizzarelli quoted McCartney as telling him in a letter.

"'I realize this may be a little immodest, if not pushy,'" he wrote, saying he hoped to hear his songs in a "'mellow jazz style.'"

Pizzarelli, explaining the album in a statement, said that he interpreted McCartney's compositions by adding elements that the jazz guitarist had not employed before such as backing vocals, handclapping and more horns than usual.

Songs on the album include "My Valentine," from McCartney's 2012 album "Kisses on the Bottom," which was in itself a jazz project by the former Beatle.

Other tracks include the sexually charged 1972 song "Hi, Hi, Hi," which McCartney performed with his rock side project Wings.

"I had that song on my iPod and I knew I couldn't sing the words so we made it work as a B.B. King-ish instrumental or even Wes Montgomery meets the blues," Pizzarelli wrote.

Pizzarelli, 55, is known for his versions of jazz standards as well as his takes on music legends such as The Beatles, Nat "King" Cole and Billie Holiday.

He is the son of another celebrated jazz guitarist, Bucky Pizzarelli, who at age 89 contributed on "Midnight McCartney."
Source: AFP