PROGRESSIVE MUSIC COMPANY

AFRO-AMERICAN MUSIC INSTITUTE CELEBRATES 36 YEARS

BOYS CHOIR AFRICA SHIRTS
 
 
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/building-today-for-tomorrow/x/267428

 Pain Relief Beyond Belief

                         http://www.komehsaessentials.com/                              

 

PITTSBURGH JAZZ

 

From Blakey to Brown, Como to Costa, Eckstine to Eldridge, Galbraith to Garner, Harris to Hines, Horne to Hyman, Jamal to Jefferson, Kelly to Klook; Mancini to Marmarosa, May to Mitchell, Negri to Nestico, Parlan to Ponder, Reed to Ruther, Strayhorn to Sullivan, Turk to Turrentine, Wade to Williams… the forthcoming publication Treasury of Pittsburgh Jazz Connections by Dr. Nelson Harrison and Dr. Ralph Proctor, Jr. will document the legacy of one of the world’s greatest jazz capitals.

 

Do you want to know who Dizzy Gillespie  idolized? Did you ever wonder who inspired Kenny Clarke and Art Blakey? Who was the pianist that mentored Monk, Bud Powell, Tad Dameron, Elmo Hope, Sarah Vaughan and Mel Torme? Who was Art Tatum’s idol and Nat Cole’s mentor? What musical quartet pioneered the concept adopted later by the Modern Jazz Quartet? Were you ever curious to know who taught saxophone to Stanley Turrentine or who taught piano to Ahmad Jamal? What community music school trained Robert McFerrin, Sr. for his history-making debut with the Metropolitan Opera? What virtually unknown pianist was a significant influence on young John Coltrane, Shirley Scott, McCoy Tyner, Bobby Timmons and Ray Bryant when he moved to Philadelphia from Pittsburgh in the 1940s?  Would you be surprised to know that Erroll Garner attended classes at the Julliard School of Music in New York and was at the top of his class in writing and arranging proficiency?

 

Some answers  can be gleaned from the postings on the Pittsburgh Jazz Network.

 

For almost 100 years the Pittsburgh region has been a metacenter of jazz originality that is second to no other in the history of jazz.  One of the best kept secrets in jazz folklore, the Pittsburgh Jazz Legacy has heretofore remained mythical.  We have dubbed it “the greatest story never told” since it has not been represented in writing before now in such a way as to be accessible to anyone seeking to know more about it.  When it was happening, little did we know how priceless the memories would become when the times were gone.

 

Today jazz is still king in Pittsburgh, with events, performances and activities happening all the time. The Pittsburgh Jazz Network is dedicated to celebrating and showcasing the places, artists and fans that carry on the legacy of Pittsburgh's jazz heritage.

 

WELCOME!

 

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Duke Ellington is first African-American and the first musician to solo on U.S. circulating coin

    MARY LOU WILLIAMS     

            INTERVIEW

       In Her Own Words
Hey Folks,
I'm surprised that George Benson is not mentioned much on"Favorite Pittsburgh Musicians"?! Yeah, he's done a lot of pop songs - but he remains a BMF on Jazz guitar. And a good scat singer. He was awesome in concert in Paris with Al Jarreau!! What's the word on Benson in Pittsburgh? From my digs in Paris he remains a monster.
Ciao for now.
Moe Seager
Paris

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Dear Moe:
George gets almost no jazz airplay in Pittsburgh. He does get quite a bit though on Sirius satelite station 72 - classic jazz, which is, in my opinion, the best jazz station in the history of the world. His show with Al Jarreau was panned as lackluster and his performances usually leave the jazz fans disappointed.
Travis Klein
Kevin,
A Benson fan! Yeah. My reference to a great show by Georgie and Al Jarreau took place a few years ago. I heard that their recent tour wasn't too hot - by either artist. Right, Benson gets almost no play in Pittsburgh, rarely mentioned with the Pgh. greats. I saw Georgie give a concert in Pittsburgh in about 1982 at the Stanley Theater. He did a lengthy ON BROADWAY, broking into improv riffs and skatting all up and down Broadway!! Like Donny Hathaway, who composed and played brilliant fusions of r&b to jazz, Benson did the same, his music a bridge to jazz, inspiring a lot of newcomer fans. Thanks for the lead on the jazz station. I'll listen to it. I'm a fan of WBGO Newark.
Hi Moe,
You bring up a good point.We all focus on the current and long time Pittsburgh resident musicians, but we forgot to mention the jazz history innovators like Earl Hines, Mary Lou Williams, Billy Strayhorn, Ahmad Jamal, Joe Harris, and George Benson.

I'll never forget George's inspiring concert at Heinz Hall a few years ago when he mentioned he was a student at Connelley High School (that's where my dad, Joe, taught).

George captured the heart and soul of the world of show business and music business, and showed us how dreams really do come true with hard work with his big hit "On Broadway."

George could really play his guitar, scat, and sing.

Thanks for pointing out that fact.

And yes, Pittsburgh has such a wonderful history with jazz.

It's important that we keep the jazz tradition alive- So that means support and attend The Jazz Workshop, Inc. at the Carnegie-Library of Pittsburgh- Homewood each Sat. starting on Sept. 20th at 1 PM-4:30 PM.

I look forward to seeing you there.

Ed Skirtich
Artistic Director/Jazz Workshop, Inc.
ejskirtich@comcast.net
(412) 422-4149 (H)
(412) 841-8046 (C)
Ed,

I like your strong, straight ahead points of view. This blog topic is gonna morgh to
Bring-On-Benson homecoming bash.
I live in Paris -I'll stop in at the Workshop next time in the Burgh this winter.
Benson was a big influence on me back in the day, and I'm glad you mention him, he was the sound to groove to, no doubt and of course, Pittsburgh born and bred..... I hope you can make good on that promise, Moe, because the Workshop is worth the trip! Hope to run into you again in East Liberty....
David,
When I was in the Peabody High School band, tenor sax, a few of us were allowed to break off and practice jazz. Benson was our model of Pittsburgh jazz players on the scene - and making it! When George broke out with his pop ballad album in 1979 we liked it and knew he had succeded in making some money!, as Herbie Hancock,Roy Ayers, Joe Zawinal, Randy Crawford-"Street Life" and Bobby Womack singing for Wilton Felder and Joe Sample -the Jazz Crusaders had done. I remember lots of old head jazz men putting down everybody who did "crossover" and fusion. Hey, virtually All of us are
art rich-money poor. Bravo for those who can make some dough in the pop market. I get shunned from "purist" poets who are locked into academic traditions - reciting off the page before the inbred scene. That ends up as White Stand Up Partys in the Kitchen. Nobody is dissing Steve Coleman and Roy Hargrove for playing with Hip-Hop acts. Here in France, in the U.S., I've done many jazz-poetry concerts the producers bill as Rap, HipHop, Word, Blues, you name it. The people, especially the kids, like it! We demonstrate how Jazz is a natural structure for the Sugar Hill roots of Rap, for all Word styles. Remember - when Max Roach, Davis,Gillespie,Parker and Coltrane came out with BeBop beginning in 1947, the (then) Big Band players thought Bop was "noise".
Yes, I'm eager to drop by the Jazz Workshop next time I'm in the Burgh. You artists are grooming tomorrows jazz generation!
Hi David and Moe,
Thanks a lot for those encouraging remarks on Jazz Workshop, Inc.

I've seen a lot of progress during my time as Artistic Director of Jazz Workshop, Inc.

I'm looking forward to starting year 4 as Artistic Director of Jazz Workshop, Inc.

Registration for Jazz Workshop, Inc. is this Saturday September 20th at 1 PM- 4:30 PM.

You can come and sign up for music lessons and the jazz ensemble.

Please continue to pass the word out on The Jazz Workshop, Inc.
Please feel free to give me a phone call.

Here's my contact info.

Ed Skirtich
Artistic Director/Jazz Workshop, Inc.
(412) 422-4149 (H)
(412) 841-8046 (C)
Ed,
I wish you an artistically meaningful year 4 at the helm of the Jazz Workshop. You and your colleagues are Jazz roots feeding the young saplings, our next generation of Pittsburgh jazz musicians.
Moe
I listed "Favorite Pittsburgh Musicians" that perform locally and with whom I've played, or at least met at a gig. George is a guitar icon, a world reknown jazz ambassador, and an obvious favorite of everybody in Pittsburgh.
Ken
Ken,
I follow your take on 'listing" favorites, people I actually play(ed) with, and great artists I'll never know but listen to. I'm gonna learn how to arrange my "Friends" list so that my true friends are up front, on screen, deserved of exposure from newcomers, the curious. As a poet who jazz-poems I'm very fortunate to be accepted and joined on stage, in the studio by artists who thrill me,who excite listeners. My career began in Pittsburgh, age 19, with kindness from Spyder Rondinelli who invited me to hang with his awesome crew that included Eric Klaus, Kenny Blake, Vince Genova, Dave Larocca and others. Little did they know- at a table listening to them I was getting an education, laying down my first jazz-poem compositions. In Paris and Newark I was graciously welcomed into the scene of a 2-man Jazz-Poet tour-de-force, Amiri Baraka and Max Roach. Amiri and Max introduced me to my music soul mate, St. Louis virtuoso trumpeter, Rasul Siddik, the co-founder of our project, Blue Note Metaphor. Rasul brought me on with David Murray, John Betsch, Sabir Mateen and Roy "Taz" Campbell. That I play in New York, Pittsburgh and elsewhere is Thanks to the customary generosity of the Jazz artist community.
George Benson is most certainly a hometown favorite. His sold-out concert with Al Jarreau and the Pittsburgh Symphony was totally outstanding. Afterwards he made it over to the Crawford on the Square and hung out as he always does. I don't know why his name isn't listed more but there is certainly no one who plays more guitar then he. He also has never failed to honor his hometown and his old friends whenever he is here whether he is performing or not. I also tip my hat to him for something very special he did at the Heinz Hall concert as he took his bows. He acknowledged his friends, Bashir Ansari and Richard Harris, whom he started out with, by name from the stage. That is the character of a true giant who never fails to acknowledge his roots. Right on George!!!
Nelson Harrison, George Benson and Ahmed Jamal fans,
I wish I'd have been at the Benson Symphony concert! Hanging out with him later at the Crawford Grill - as cool as when I got to watch the "Great One', Roberto Clemente at batting practice at Forbes Field in 1970. Yes, George has a history of thanking his mother,friends and influences directly from the concert stage. On the Stanley stage in the early 80's, George told us what soul singers turned him on, how as a youngster he followed Pittsburgh radio stations WAMO and WZUM. He explained, his singing career was inspired by several artists and that he was then working on a vocal range sung by Bobby Hatfield, the tenor/falsetto voice of the Righteous Brothers.

Benson's not unique among approachable "star" Pittsburgh artists. At the I.A.J.E. conference, NYC-2006, Nelson Harrison's friend-band mate , Ahmed Jamal, greeted my band member drummer, Ichiro Inoe, after Ichiro and French creole singer Mina Sagossi finished their concert aimed at promoting Mina in the jazz world. One hour of conversation resulted in Jamal recommending play dates for Mina and Ichiro to his Japan venues as he was soon on a tour of Japan. Ahmed and I a shared warm memories and recent news of Pittsburgh artists. We also shared news - when will the Hill, North Side and East Liberty get renovated, affordable to NEIGHBORHOOD people as home owners, club operators,and business folk? He was as "down home" as Benson. All the while, press and French govt. dignitaries impatiently waiting on Ahmed to continue with press ops to be aired in Paris. Our own hasty photos, "Quick, where's my camera?!", of Jamal and us - keepsake treasure. Ahmed is a sell out artist in Paris, last here in June, 2008. Some of us in the audience, eager to give him a nod, he nods back. Like Bobby Hatfield and Bill Medley, who were given their stage names by an enthused audience member in Georgia, these artists are righteous brothers.

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