Mr. Pizzarelli is a whiz kid on the jazz guitar, an amiable crooner and stand-up clown and mimic whose musical chops are matched by his onstage charm.

Hal Horowitz of American Songwriter commented that Cooder's "working class messages are enhanced by sharp musical chops".

The Beatles honed their musical chops playing at low-rent clubs in the German's city's famed red-light district.

College Music Journal also praised Before Braille's sound, attesting that its "musical chops" would give the band lasting power after the rest of the emo movement had long past.

Rock Sound magazine reviewed the EP in 2010, saying "there's no doubting this band's musical chops" and giving it 8/10.

Corinne of PlugIn Music gave the album a mixed review, saying "Star shows on "Beauty Killer" that he has the musical chops to make a half-decent album.

Although some of the best musicians don't act very well, and some of the best actors have more attitude than musical chops, it's a lively experiment that combines heartache, humor and powerful songs.

That is why he proposed that the follow-up to "Lullaby" be "Shimmer," a ballad about racial tolerance and self-love that shows off Mr. Mullins's voice and his musical chops.

Ms. Natwick, hardly known for her musical chops, gamely admitted at the time that she was "no Merman."

He soon moved to Ocean City, Maryland and set to work developing his own musical chops by playing local gigs with another Jersey boy, guitar player Joe Boris of the jam band One-Eyed Jack.