Interview with bebop guitarist and Django fan, John Pisano

gitpicker · August 2020

Hi guys! This is not gypsy jazz per say BUT I thought some of you would enjoy these. John Pisano is a HUGE Django fan and plays with Joe Pass on the legendary For Django album. Hopefully it's ok to share this here.

This is an interview I did recently with John where he tells us a lot of great stories about his life and career. He does mention Django and the influence he had on him as a young man. This is part of the history of jazz guitar. There are three parts.

Enjoy!

Doug Martin

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP0vzn1hCZw&t=542s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LDmkd5Jdyg&t=145s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tojzl7XlOyY

swiessler · August 2020

What a fascinating oral history of jazz guitar. I've seen some of Mr. Pisano's excellent playing with Joe Pass and others.(video)Thanks for posting this Doug!

Buco · August 2020

He very well could be a number one jazz sideman of all time, his contribution to music is just astounding. I first heard of him through my jazz guitar teacher in early 2000s. When he mentioned the name I said oh I haven't heard of him. His reply was maybe you haven't heard of him but you've heard him, because he's on soooo many records. At the time I almost bought Eastman Pisano but I had budget for either that or my GJ guitar so the latter won. Pisano Eastman was one of the best jazz boxes I've tried, it felt so good to play.

Man so what great stories in there, John is a good story teller. Thanks for doing this and posting here!

gitpicker · August 2020

John is a real character and at 89 years old, still sharp as a tack! What an inspiration!

pmg · August 2020

Great interview Doug! Nice to have a knowledgeable and talented jazz guitar player interview one of our living greats.

I have played with John a couple of times while attending NAMM - most notably when Eastman first introduced his John Pisano model guitar many years ago. Word of this new guitar spread around NAMM causing many well known players to stop by and check it out. John was in his element and playing back-up to those who wanted to try one out. Justifiably proud over what Eastman had created to bear his name.

It is nice to be reminded that there was a time when you could make a decent living playing jazz guitar :-)

BillDaCostaWilliams · August 2020

John accompanying Joe Pass on an acoustic version of Anouman:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tCHlbaHjnU

scot · August 2020

I have been visiting old musicians in the American south and in France since the 70s and those have been some of the best experiences of my life. I have found that without exception, people who played music all their lives are always very interesting people. I doesn't matter what kind of music they played, either. I have talked to elderly musicians who played blues, fiddle music, polkas, cajun music, klezmer, accordion etc. All of them had great tales to tell and something to teach me.

Thanks for sharing this, Doug.

gitpicker · August 2020

https://www.djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/103152#Comment_103152

I totally agree Scot, so much to learn from the living legends. Always a privileged to seek out these guys while they're still alive. Living history for sure!