Biography
John Pisano stood out among jazz guitarists for his quiet humility and reluctance to seek the spotlight, even as his playing earned consistent respect. He first picked up the instrument at age 14, then served in an Air Force band from 1952 to 1955. Recognition arrived when he stepped into Jim Hall’s chair in the Chico Hamilton quintet, remaining from 1956 through 1958. After settling in Los Angeles he built a steady career as a studio musician, contributing duets alongside Billy Bean, joining the Joe Pass quartet for the landmark album For Django, accompanying Peggy Lee between 1960 and 1969, and performing with Herb Alpert’s Tijuana Brass from 1965 to 1969. In 1989 he rejoined Joe Pass for a tour that continued until Pass’s death in 1994, concentrating almost entirely on rhythm guitar. Pablo issued Among Friends, a set of sessions with longtime colleagues, in 1995. Beginning in the 1990s he appeared regularly with his wife, singer Jeanne Pisano, in the ensemble known as the Flying Pisanos. John Pisano passed away on May 2, 2024, at the age of 93.
Albums