John Pisano

by Scott YanowThere have been few jazz musicians as modest and self-effacing as John Pisano, an excellent guitarist who has often been quite happy to be in the background. He started playing guitar when he was 14 and, after performing in an Air Force band (1952-1955), he gained some recognition as Jim Hall's replacement in the popular Chico Hamilton quintet (1956-1958). Pisano settled in Los Angeles and became a well-respected studio musician who, among other assignments, recorded duets with Billy Bean, played in the Joe Pass quartet (recording the legendary For Django album), worked with Peggy Lee (1960-1969), and was a member of Herb Alpert's Tijuana Brass (1965-1969). Pisano had a reunion with Joe Pass (touring with him from 1989 until Pass' death in 1994), sticking almost exclusively to rhythm guitar. A collection of collaborations with various associates (Among Friends) was released on Pablo in 1995. Starting in the '90s, he performed with singer Jeanne Pisano (his wife) in a group called the Flying Pisanos.