John Pizzarelli

This may be John Pizzarelli's second tribute album to Nat King Cole, but in truth almost everything the guitarist-singer does is a tip of the hat to Cole's piano trio days. Pizzarelli's is a solid swing guitarist and a fair singer, but his real strengths come in how he puts the two together. He changes things up too, putting his own stamp on the Nat Cole songbook. Pizzarelli strolls lovingly through "Meet Me at No Special Place," but he puts extra bite into it, almost making it a jaunty rhythm tune.