Vocalist Jessica Lee mixes entrepreneurship and music to encourage social and artistic progress.
A chance…
Pittsburgh's Own Regional Notables of Jazz
PITTSBURGH 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.
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All Blog Posts Tagged 'harrison' (35)
Carl McVicker, Sr. - Westinghouse High School - Teacher to the Stars
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on November 16, 2012 at 7:30pm — 3 Comments
The State of Jazz Venues
In 2009, I published my book A History of African American Jazz and Bluesthat discusses the reasons why the innovators of jazz and blues – Africans in America make paultry…
Added by Diva JC on March 16, 2012 at 10:09pm — No Comments
Fans lobby to keep jazz on WDUQ
Sale of WDUQ raises concerns that the format could change
Sunday, March 06, 2011
What would Pittsburgh sound like without jazz on the radio?
"It shoots a hole in the soul of Pittsburgh," said local jazz musician Nelson Harrison. "You knock WDUQ off and we have…
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on March 7, 2011 at 1:52pm — 28 Comments
And All That Jazz
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on January 15, 2011 at 2:32am — No Comments
Interval at Ava Lounge: Monday night Jam Sessions approaches 4th year.
Jazz finds a new home at Ava Lounge
Monday, August 13, 2007
Sitting in a chair just outside the entrance of the Ava Lounge, Garland Rose is reminded of the old days when clubs dotted the streets of East Liberty and the energy and sounds of trumpets and trombones, saxophones and drums filled the air in a joyful…
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on January 15, 2011 at 2:28am — No Comments
Band salutes Walt Harper in Highland Park concert
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on January 15, 2011 at 2:22am — No Comments
Goodfellows: Grandparents instill spirit of voluntarism, gratitude
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on January 8, 2011 at 11:21pm — 1 Comment
The Business of the Blues
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on September 25, 2010 at 3:30am — No Comments
Detroit International Jazz Festival - 2010
I attended the Detroit International Jazz fest again. It was billed as "the largest free jazz fest in north America". I posted a note on the Host hotel bulletin board requesting to meet any Pgh. attendees. No response. I`ll keep trying as I attend fests around the world. Let the music play! Joe McCormick(Hephzibah,Ga.)
Added by Joe McCormick on September 12, 2010 at 7:30pm — 3 Comments
Obituary: Maisha Baton / Nurturing poet, playwright, therapist and teacher
Dr. Maisha Baton [July 2, 1938 - Dec. 27, 2009]
Friday, January 01, 2010
By Diana Nelson Jones, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A poet, playwright, therapist and teacher, Maisha Baton had the gift of making connections that nurtured a host of artists and activists. The only female to perform with the Centre Avenue Poets Theater workshop -- and the last of them -- Dr. Baton died Sunday. She was 71.
Diagnosed with lung cancer in February, she spent her… Continue
Friday, January 01, 2010
By Diana Nelson Jones, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
A poet, playwright, therapist and teacher, Maisha Baton had the gift of making connections that nurtured a host of artists and activists. The only female to perform with the Centre Avenue Poets Theater workshop -- and the last of them -- Dr. Baton died Sunday. She was 71.
Diagnosed with lung cancer in February, she spent her… Continue
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on January 2, 2010 at 10:06pm — 1 Comment
Pianist Extraordinaire John D'Amico joined the ancestors on January 1, 2010
"It is with great sadness that I tell you my dear friend of 45 years, John Damico, passed away this morning at 11:35 AM. John was a giant of a person, a man of great faith and tenacity who fought a good fight with cancer these past 5 years. His suffering is over now, and I know he is at peace with his Lord.
I spoke with Donna just a little while ago - she said the funeral will likely be at Slater's in Greentree, but didn't know when. Our prayers are with Donna, the boys, and… Continue
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on January 2, 2010 at 9:55pm — 5 Comments
Kenny Fisher plays with the angels; Pittsburgh jazz icon passes at 69
The New Pittsburgh Courier
Written by Christian Morrow - Courier Staff Writer
Thursday, 05 November 2009 13:12
Kenny Fisher didn’t talk much, but his saxophone spoke volumes to those lucky enough to have heard him play. “Fish,” as his friends called him, was one of the last links to Pittsburgh’s heyday as a jazz mecca—he knew everyone and played everywhere; the Loendi Club, the Hurricane and the old Crawford Grill. On Oct. 25, after a lengthy battle with cancer,… Continue
Written by Christian Morrow - Courier Staff Writer
Thursday, 05 November 2009 13:12
Kenny Fisher didn’t talk much, but his saxophone spoke volumes to those lucky enough to have heard him play. “Fish,” as his friends called him, was one of the last links to Pittsburgh’s heyday as a jazz mecca—he knew everyone and played everywhere; the Loendi Club, the Hurricane and the old Crawford Grill. On Oct. 25, after a lengthy battle with cancer,… Continue
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on November 6, 2009 at 6:26am — No Comments
Sean Jones Resurrects Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra
By Rick Nowlin, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Lake Fong/Post-Gazette
Trumpeter Sean Jones: "It's important for me to let Pittsburgh know, 'This is your orchestra.' "
One might call the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra the "house band" for Heinz Hall.
Sean Jones is trying to make the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra the "house band" for the August Wilson Center for African American… Continue
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on October 8, 2009 at 3:14am — 1 Comment
WHO PAYS PERFORMANCE ROYALTIES AND WHO DOESN'T?
August 4, 2009
Radio Free America
By NANCY SINATRA
Los Angeles
WHEN I hear great American standards on the radio, I think of all the songwriters, artists and musicians whom my father, brother and I have worked with over the years. It reminds me that every recording has two parts, the composition and the performance. It also reminds me how many wonderful artists and musicians have not been paid fairly for their work.
Songwriters and publishers are… Continue
Radio Free America
By NANCY SINATRA
Los Angeles
WHEN I hear great American standards on the radio, I think of all the songwriters, artists and musicians whom my father, brother and I have worked with over the years. It reminds me that every recording has two parts, the composition and the performance. It also reminds me how many wonderful artists and musicians have not been paid fairly for their work.
Songwriters and publishers are… Continue
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on August 4, 2009 at 10:00pm — 2 Comments
OUR BRAINS on MUSIC: THE SCIENCE *
NEW YORK TIMES
June 30, 2009
Television Review | 'Nova: Musical Minds'
By MIKE HALE
“Musical Minds,” the season premiere of “Nova” on PBS, is based on the neurologist Oliver Sacks’s most recent book, “Musicophilia,” a collection of case studies of people whose brains have unusual relationships to music, cases in which, as Dr. Sacks puts it, “music gets them going to an extraordinary degree.” A one-hour program can’t approach the depth and texture of… Continue
June 30, 2009
Television Review | 'Nova: Musical Minds'
By MIKE HALE
“Musical Minds,” the season premiere of “Nova” on PBS, is based on the neurologist Oliver Sacks’s most recent book, “Musicophilia,” a collection of case studies of people whose brains have unusual relationships to music, cases in which, as Dr. Sacks puts it, “music gets them going to an extraordinary degree.” A one-hour program can’t approach the depth and texture of… Continue
MEMBERSHIP ISSUE REQUIRING IMMEDIATE ATTENTION
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on May 1, 2009 at 4:02am — 7 Comments
A Jones for Music - SEAN JONES
Printed from the Pittsburgh City Paper website: http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws
POSTED ON APRIL 16, 2009:
http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.wshttp://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A61874
By Mike Shanley
"Caravan" is the kind of song that can start a fire at a jam session. Over the years, drummers have played the Duke Ellington tune with a pile-driving rhythm, the… Continue
POSTED ON APRIL 16, 2009:
http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.wshttp://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A61874
By Mike Shanley
"Caravan" is the kind of song that can start a fire at a jam session. Over the years, drummers have played the Duke Ellington tune with a pile-driving rhythm, the… Continue
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on April 17, 2009 at 6:22am — 3 Comments
IF YOU ARE A JAZZ FAN, YOU HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY A PITTSBURGHER.
In an era of world music, it is imperative that America's most important cultural contribution to the world… Jazz music… be preserved, taught, expounded, developed and commemorated. We have dedicated ourselves toward to recreating a physical and virtual context within which the above purpose can be fulfilled in Pittsburgh, one of the most fertile breeding grounds for icons of the culture. A state-of-the-art space of… Continue
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on April 8, 2009 at 3:00am — 8 Comments
'Betto Debuts at IAJE Convention in NYC
'Betto Debuts at IAJE Convention Trombonist Nelson Harrison Unveils His Icon At
Web/Tech News Posted: 2007-01-11
SOURCE: imajinnWEST
San Francisco Bay design firm, imajinnWEST and Pittsburgh native, Dr. Nelson Harrison have given 'birth' and the coming out party is the International Association of Jazz Educators' Convention in NY this week. 'Betto is the alter ego designed by Principle Djinn Carl Lewis and spawned by the veteran trombonist of the Count… Continue
Web/Tech News Posted: 2007-01-11
SOURCE: imajinnWEST
San Francisco Bay design firm, imajinnWEST and Pittsburgh native, Dr. Nelson Harrison have given 'birth' and the coming out party is the International Association of Jazz Educators' Convention in NY this week. 'Betto is the alter ego designed by Principle Djinn Carl Lewis and spawned by the veteran trombonist of the Count… Continue
Added by Bettoman on April 7, 2009 at 12:40am — No Comments
The Next Page: Pittsburgh's jazz mystique -- the next generation steps up *
Dwayne Dolphin, Howie Alexander and Sean Jones -- three jazz artists tending the Pittsburgh flame
Sunday, April 05, 2009
By Steve Hallock
Stacy Innerst
The house band at CJ's in the Strip District had just finished off a rousing "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" to whoops from the packed room at a recent Thursday night jam session. Roger Humphries turned over his drum set to a reedy kid named Joey Sailor as the musicians launched Miles Davis' "So… Continue
Added by Dr. Nelson Harrison on April 5, 2009 at 8:39pm — 2 Comments
Latest Blog Posts
- Carl McVicker, Sr. - Westinghouse High School - Teacher to the Stars
- The State of Jazz Venues
- Fans lobby to keep jazz on WDUQ
- And All That Jazz
- Interval at Ava Lounge: Monday night Jam Sessions approaches 4th year.
- Band salutes Walt Harper in Highland Park concert
- Goodfellows: Grandparents instill spirit of voluntarism, gratitude
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- Fans lobby to keep jazz on WDUQ
- THE WESTINGHOUSE HIGH SCHOOL WALL OF FAME - 2007
- IAJE FILES FOR BANKRUPTCY - CANCELS 2009 CONVENTION
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- Carl McVicker, Sr. - Westinghouse High School - Teacher to the Stars
- The State of Jazz Venues
- Band salutes Walt Harper in Highland Park concert
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