John Pizzarelli Revisits the Tony Bennett Centennial with P.S. Mr. Bennett, a Five-Song EP out August 7, 2026 via Green Hill Music
World-renowned guitarist, vocalist, and Grammy Award-winning producer John Pizzarelli continues his year-long celebration of the great Tony Bennett with the release of P.S. Mr. Bennett via Green Hill Music. Releasing on August 7, right after Bennett’s centennial birthday on August 3, this five-song EP is a companion to Pizzarelli’s critically acclaimed full-length album Dear Mr. Bennett, which was released this past March to worldwide acclaim. To mark the occasion, Pizzarelli will return to Birdland Jazz Club for a five night run, August 4-8.
Joined once again by pianist Isaiah J. Thompson and bassist Mike Karn, Pizzarelli presents five more songs drawn from the Dear Mr. Bennett recording session, closely associated with the iconic vocalist’s seven-decade career. The EP opens with “Rags to Riches,” one of Bennett’s signature hits, and moves through the romantic ease of “Love Scene” and the brooding stillness of Duke Ellington’s “Solitude.” “I Wanna Be Around,” the Johnny Mercer classic Bennett helped make a standard, keeps things brisk, before the EP closes with a medley pairing “We’ll Be Together Again” and “The Touch of Your Lips.”
Dear Mr. Bennett has been warmly received since its release, with PopMatters noting that Pizzarelli is “the contemporary master of this instrumentation,” and DownBeat calling it “nostalgia at its freshest.” P.S. Mr. Bennett offers listeners five more tracks in that same spirit, a small but well-chosen set that rounds out the project’s vision.
Rarely has a performer in any genre matched the longevity, adaptability, and enduring popularity of Tony Bennett. Over a career spanning more than seven decades, Bennett continually reinvented himself while remaining rooted in the traditions that defined his artistry. After achieving success as a pop vocalist in the 1950s and ’60s and spending years in the shadow of contemporaries such as Frank Sinatra, Bennett gradually shifted away from commercial expectations to pursue the music that most inspired him, collaborating with artists including Bill Evans, George Barnes, and Ruby Braff. His commitment to artistic integrity ultimately fueled one of the most remarkable second acts in popular music, introducing him to new generations of listeners through collaborations that connected him with audiences far beyond the traditional jazz and vocal music worlds, from MTV-era fans to partnerships with artists such as Amy Winehouse and Lady Gaga.
For Pizzarelli, Bennett’s influence extended beyond the music itself. His connection to the singer spanned generations: Pizzarelli’s father, the esteemed guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, was a longtime collaborator who appeared on Bennett recordings including To My Wonderful One and I’ve Gotta Be Me. Years later, John would share the stage with Bennett himself during a radio broadcast alongside pianist Ralph Sharon and bassist Jay Leonhart, deepening a relationship that had already become part of the Pizzarelli family’s musical history.
That respect evolved into a genuine friendship. Bennett frequently attended Pizzarelli’s performances and twice captured the guitarist’s likeness in sketches. One of those drawings, created during an engagement at Feinstein’s at the Loews Regency in New York, now appears on the cover of Dear Mr. Bennett, lending a personal dimension to an album that celebrates not only Bennett’s artistry but also the lasting bond he shared with Pizzarelli.
P.S. Mr. Bennett completes the picture begun on Dear Mr. Bennett, offering these dazzling additional performances that underscore both the depth of Bennett’s catalog and the personal connection Pizzarelli brings to the music. Released in conjunction with Bennett’s centennial, the EP stands as a heartfelt salute to an artist whose influence continues to resonate with musicians and audiences alike.
P.S. Mr. Bennett will be available August 7, 2026 via Green Hill Music.
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Track Listing
- Rags To Riches (2:12)
- Love Scene (2:46)
- Solitude (4:05)
- I Wanna Be Around (2:01)
- We’ll Be Together Again / The Touch of Your Lips (4:14)
Credits
John Pizzarelli – Guitar & Vocals
Isaiah J. Thompson – Piano
Mike Karn – Bass
ABOUT GREEN HILL
Green Hill Productions, part of Sun Label Group (a subsidiary of Primary Wave Music), is a boutique record label currently celebrating over 30 years of creating top-quality lifestyle music for every mood. With over 1500 titles in its diverse catalog, Green Hill covers an amazing variety of genres and targeted themes including jazz, New Age, neoclassical, pop, rock, Celtic, Christmas, chillout, bluegrass, Cajun, easy listening, nature, piano, romance, relaxation, oldies, beach, western, world, patriotic, big band, and classic crooners, to name a few. In addition, Green Hill produces and distributes recordings on such performers as Olivia Newton-John, Paul Anka, Frankie Valli, Pat Metheny, Melissa Manchester, Steve Porcaro, Brenna Whitaker, John Pizzarelli, Dara Tucker, David Arkenstone, Beegie Adair, Jim Brickman, Jack Jezzro, The Piano Guys, Celtic Thunder, Luke McMaster, Deep Wave and more.