The Bucky Pizzarelli/Ed Laub Duo Returns to the Watchung Arts Center

A year after their 2014 sold-out performance at the Watchung Arts Center, Bucky Pizzarelli and Ed Laub are returning on Saturday, May 2 at 8PM for another performance in the “JaZZ in the Gallery” series.
The Bucky Pizzarelli and Ed Laub Duo have been performing for the past 13 years after a lifetime association as teacher/student. As a duo they perform for audiences all over the US and Canada in clubs, concert halls and jazz festivals.
The duo combines instrumental and vocal arrangements with an emphasis on the Great American Songbook as well as some of the classic 1930’s guitar duos made popular by Carl Kress/ Dick McDonough, Eddie Lang and George Smith. Their great friendship of over 45 years is evident in their sound and the way they interact together on stage.
Bucky Pizzarelli was born in Paterson, NJ in 1926. Piz is a world‐renowned jazz guitarist. His career spans over 70 years from the Vaughn Monroe Orchestra, to the Johnny Carson Tonight Show. Hundreds of jazz concerts worldwide, including White House performances with Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra, and Claude “Fiddler” Williams, for Presidents Reagan and Clinton, add to the list.
His numerous worldwide tours also included performances with practically every jazz legend, such as Stephane Grapelli, Slam Stewart, Tal Farlow, Rosemary Clooney, Zoot Sims, Benny Carter, Michael Feinstein and Charlie Byrd, to name a few. He has hundreds of jazz recordings with every major jazz great, including his own solo albums and work with his two sons, John and Martin Pizzarelli. He is on the soundtrack of Woody Allen’s Sweet and Lowdown and appeared on PBS with Les Paul and Tal Farlow as “The New Jersey Jazz Guitars” [Filmed at Rutgers University]. Winner of numerous prestigious awards, Bucky is one of the first NJ musicians to have two of his guitars, along with a recorded history of his lifetime in music, inducted into the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC. In 2011 Bucky was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame and in 2012 recorded with Paul McCartney on his latest Grammy Winning Album, “Kisses On The Bottom”.
Ed Laub is a locally renowned guitarist and vocalist whose style has been compared to a blend of Kenny Rankin, Chet Baker and James Taylor all being accompanied by Bucky Pizzarelli. Ed says, “That’s not bad company to be associated with. They were amongst the artists to whom I listened to and was most influenced by. I guess I would say I am honored with that comparison”. Because of Ed’s talent as an accompanist and the fact that he is one of the more accomplished 7 String guitarists, he is sought after by many of the top guitarists in the NYC metropolitan area to back them up and adds a pianistic style that makes a duo sound more like a trio. Focusing mostly on the American Songbook genre Ed also loves to perform the great Brazilian classics using a nylon 7-string guitar.
Thirteen years ago Ed became the steady partner to his teacher, hero and close friend, Bucky Pizzarelli. They now travel all over the metropolitan area and major cities in the US, playing in clubs, concert venues and jazz festivals. All About Jazz Magazine said, “Pizzarelli is the complete jazz musician and Laub complements him perfectly!”
Besides being the consummate rhythm guitarist and accompanist Ed is in demand as a vocalist and, when not working with Bucky, performs with such great artists as Gene Bertoncini, John Pizzarelli, Paul Meyers, Martin Pizzarelli, Howard Alden, Frank Vignola, Jay Leonhart, Russ Kassoff, Russell Malone, and Jack Wilkins. Ed also had the privilege of several guest appearances with his idol, the late Kenny Rankin.
For more information got to: www.edlaub.com www.7stringmusic.com
All seats for this performance are priced at $25. They are expected to sell out quickly so be sure to purchase your ticket in advance at watchungartscenter.eventbrite.com. Advance sale tickets may also be purchased in person or by mailing a check to the Watchung Arts Center, 18 Stirling Road, Watchung, NJ 07069.
The Watchung Arts Center is a multi-disciplinary performing arts facility serving Watchung, the surrounding communities and the Tri-State Area. To obtain more information about upcoming performances, classes and workshops or monthly art exhibitions, please visit WatchungArts.org or call 908-753-0190