Mel Bay Bucky Pizzarelli Master Jazz Guitar: Solo Collection
John "Bucky" Pizzarelli is an internationally renowned man of music. His instrument of choice is the guitar, and his style is jazz. For more than half a century, "Bucky," as he is affectionately known, has been a part of the fraternity of musicians who have kept mainstream and traditional jazz alive. The list of big bands and vocalists with whom Bucky has performed and recorded reads like a veritable Who's Who of Jazz. He joined Vaughn Monroe's band while still in high school and later played with studio bands at the major networks. There he distinguished himself as one of the best rhythm guitarists in the business. Not contented with studio work alone, he jammed with and accompanied the best in the pop and jazz world including George Barnes, Stephane Grappelli, Slam Stewart, Zoot Sims, Flip Phillips, and his songs Martin and John Pizzarelli. Dedicated to swing and American popular song, Bucky is one of the most sought-after guitarists in the business, and continues to enchant audiences worldwide. Playing guitar in a Columbia, South Carolina neighborhood band as a young boy was only the beginning for Jerry Sims. After graduating from high school in 1972 and touring with the Swingin' Medallions, a nationally recognized band of the late '60s and early '70s, Sims' dedication to the guitar led him to pursue a musical education at the Berklee College of Music. Upon graduation from Berklee in 1979, he returned to South Carolina and opened Sims Music Inc., now a leading music retail and education center in the state. Over the years, Sims has taught many students who have gone on to become successful musicians in the industry, including Mark Bryan of Hootie and the Blowfish. In 1982 after several years of studying, teaching, and performing on the six-string guitar, Sims heard Bucky Pizzarelli play a seven-string variant. The encounter inspired a new beginning for Sims, who consequently made several trips to New York to consult with the acknowledged seven-string master. Sims strengthened his seven-string chops by transcribing many of the recorded solos by Pizzarelli and pioneering seven-string jazz guitarist George Van Eps. His hard work paid off in 1997 when he was selected by the Ibanez Guitar Company to represent their new AF207 archtop seven-string jazz guitar. Sims was also a featured artist on Ibanez' promotional video Seventh Heaven, which included Steve Vai and John Petrucci. Ibanez also chose Sims to represent the company at the winter 1998 National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) convention in Los Angeles, California. Sims has several projects in the works with Mel Bay Publications, including a seven-string chord book.  Guitarist Richard Maxwell performs throughout the southeastern United States. His articles, transcriptions and music engraving work have appeared in Just Jazz Guitar magazine and Mel Bay books. Most recently he transcribed works for the Mel Bay book, Bucky Pizzarelli Master Jazz Guitar. Locally he performs with vocalist Mary Ann Hurst and with the Jazz Guitar Summit, a five guitar jazz orchestra which has been featured in concerts with Bucky Pizzarelli, Jimmy Bruno, Frank Vignola and Rick Stone. Richard plays a custom built Comins 7-string archtop guitar, Yamaha GC-70 Classical guitar, and uses Comins amps.