Pittsburgh's Own Regional Notables of Jazz
Roger Humphries
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!
MARY LOU WILLIAMS
INTERVIEW
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Posted on August 23, 2012 at 4:05pm 0 Comments 1 Like
CITY OF ASYLUM/PITTSBURGH PRESENTS
ITS 8TH ANNUAL FREE JAZZ POETRY CONCERT
Featuring
The Oliver Lake Steel Quartet with Meshell Ndegeocello
& 4-time slam champ, Patricia Smith
Jazz-Poetry is a great concert and a unique event that has begun to attract international attention. The Concert brings poets…
Continue Posted on August 23, 2012 at 3:55pm 0 Comments 1 Like
http://www.prefixmag.com/news/is-the-riaa-dying-a-slow-painful-death/681
67/
Is The RIAA Dying A Slow Painful Death?
7:32 p.m. . August 20, 2012 . by Sasha Geffen
If you've ever silently wished death upon the Recording Industry
Association of America, your prayers may be poised to come true. The
anti-piracy giant that went after torrenters with…
Posted on May 28, 2012 at 3:47pm 7 Comments 4 Likes
Chuck Austin
Founder and President of the African American Jazz Preservation Society of Pittsburgh, an executive board member of the Pittsburgh Musician's Union, and a member of the Pittsburgh Jazz Hall of Fame, Chuck Austin was a versatile musician as well as a strong advocate for the preservation of jazz history. He was even honored by The City of Pittsburgh when February 8, 2011 was proclaimed to be Chuck Austin Day.
Pittsburgh musician Chuck Austin passed away 5:35am on May…
Continue Posted on January 27, 2012 at 4:10am 0 Comments 1 Like
John Levy, a bassist and pioneering talent manager whose roster included some of the biggest names in jazz, notably Nancy Wilson, Joe Williams, Cannonball Adderley and Wes Montgomery, died on Friday at his home in Altadena, Calif. He was 99.…
Posted on October 18, 2011 at 2:26am 0 Comments 2 Likes
Hi everyone!! The first weekend in November is one of the musical highlights of the year when the University of Pittsburgh presents the internationally acclaimed Jazz seminar and concert.
This is a unique event because no other college or university does this IN THE WORLD.
Here is the press release for the event this year.
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One of the region’s premier jazz events celebrates 41 years this…
Posted on September 6, 2011 at 12:23am 0 Comments 0 Likes
For the past few months I have been away from the Jazz Network. I have not posted comments, photos, videos or events.
I have been making observations however at events and talking with music fans and musicians. People have been asking me why I left the network. It's personal. Our lives take strange twists and turns and that is what I have been experiencing. No ill fellings directed toward anyone.
When commenting about the turmoil in the Pittsburgh market…
Continue Posted on September 6, 2011 at 12:00am 0 Comments 0 Likes
2011 Each One Teach One 3rd Music and Radio Conference
Sponsored by: New Pittsburgh Courier, Soul-Patrol.com, Arts Greenhouse, Umoja African Arts,
Black Music Education Project
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Conference Coordinator, 412-506-0206
Kevin Amos is assembling together once again a dynamic group of folks from international, local and national levels that he has been associated with throughout his 31 years in broadcasting and the arts.…
Barbara Ray said… Kevin:
I was looking at Southside Jerry's page and low and behold there was my Uncle.. they put parenthesis in his name (SMOKEY) his voice is still smooth like that..
Kevin Hurst, Sr. said…
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