Star-Ledger: NJSO POPS concerts one of weekend’s ‘7 best things’

The Star-Ledger names the NJSO’s holiday pops concerts starring Grammy-nominated guitarist and singer John Pizzarelli one of “The 7 best things to do in New Jersey this weekend”:

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Holiday Concerts - Celebrate the songs of the season in grand style at “Home for the Holidays,” the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra’s Pops concerts this weekend. Not content to just back carols and traditional songs alone, the NJSO will be joined by singer and guitarist John Pizzarelli in standards such as “Let it Snow” and “White Christmas.” The New Jersey High School Holiday Chorus, comprised of top teen vocalists and the Salvation Army Montclair Citadel Band are also on board. Thomas Wilkins conducts performances tomorrow at 8 p.m. at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and Sunday at 3 p.m. at the State Theatre, njsymphony.org

In a recent interview with The Star-Ledger, concert headliner John Pizzarelli showed his New Jersey roots ahead of this weekend’s holiday concerts.

[Star-Ledger] You live in New York now, but I assume New Jersey is still frequently on your mind.

[Pizzarelli] I was upstate the other day playing tennis with my wife. Someone was barbecuing and immediately I thought about how it smelled like my grandfather’s backyard in Waldwick on a summer evening. In the city there are some really good apartments with fireplaces. When you walk home on winter or fall nights and smell those fires, it reminds me of the fall nights I would shoot hoops with my brother. And then, of course, there is what I call “The Glories of Taylor Ham.” There’s nothing like having a Taylor ham and egg sandwich. You can’t get it anywhere else in the world. I did a concert at the Surflight Theatre on Long Beach Island and remember telling the kid in front of me, “Someday you’re going to be in San Francisco with the girl you wanna marry. She’s gonna tell you how great San Francisco is and you’ll say, “When you get a chance someday, you’re gonna meet me in New Jersey and I’m gonna take you to a diner to have a Taylor ham and egg sandwich. And that’s going to change the whole ballgame.”

Read the full Q&A at nj.com.

Previewing the pops concerts, Broadway World writes:

Pizzarelli brings his Signature Sound to timeless holiday standards like “Let it Snow” and “White Christmas,” supported by the NJSO and his band-pianist Larry Fuller, bassist Martin Pizzarelli and drummer Tony Tedesco. The Salvation Army Montclair Citadel Band performs “Farandole” from Bizet’s L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2 and holiday favorites.

The New Jersey High School Holiday Chorus joins the NJSO in songs of the season, including “We Need a Little Christmas,” “The Best Christmas of All” and “Star Carol” and “Angel’s Carol.” The ensemble, created especially for these NJSO holiday concerts, brings together some of the best young-adult choral artists from across the state. Members of this select ensemble have been selected for prestigious honors choirs including the NAfME All-National, All-Eastern and All-State Choruses, among others.

Read the full article at broadwayworld.com.