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

Bob Cranshaw, Bassist From Jazz to Pop to Broadway, Dies at 83

Photo
Bob Cranshaw Credit Jack Vartoogian/Getty Images

Bob Cranshaw, a versatile bassist heard in Broadway pit bands, on television and on thousands of jazz recordings — but probably best known as a longtime anchor in bands led by the eminent saxophonist Sonny Rol... — died on Nov. 2 at his home in Manhattan. He was 83.

The cause was cancer, said Karyn Scott-Harden, his stepdaughter.

Mr. Cranshaw, who had a bedrock authority with rhythm and a keen ear for harmony, appears on more than a few jazz albums regarded as classics, including the trumpeter Lee Morgan’s “The Sidewinder and the saxophonist Joe Henderson’s “Inner Urge.” His first with Mr. Rollins, in 1962, was “The Bridge,” another classic; his last was “Holding the Stage: Road Shows, Vol. 4,” a compilation released this year.

“He was impeccable,” Mr. Rollins said in a recent interview. “And he had a steady gig with me, but Bob also played with probably every musician in New York. I mean, that might be a slight exaggeration. But it attests to his versatility, and to the fact that he was a great bass player.”

Mr. Cranshaw worked closely for decades with Local 802 of the American Federation of Musicians, which elected him to its executive board in 2012. He had experience with the life of a session musician, contributing to countless jingles and film scores and to albums by pop artists like Paul Simon.

He was also a member of the first “Saturday Night Live” band and held prominent positions in the bands on several late-night talk shows, notably those of Dick Cavett and Merv Griffin. As the house bassist for the Children’s Television Workshop, he can be heard on many songs featured on “Sesame Street,” including the show’s original theme song.

Melbourne Robert Cranshaw was born on Dec. 3, 1932, in Chicago. He grew up in the nearby suburb of Evanston, Ill., to Stanly Cranshaw, a choir director, and the former Evelyn Brown.

He played bass in his high school orchestra and, after serving in the Army in Korea, returned to Chicago and became a presence on the local jazz scene.

He first met Mr. Rollins in 1959, in a highly public setting: the inaugural Playboy Jazz Festival, at the Chicago Stadium. Mr. Rollins needed a last-minute substitute bassist, and Mr. Cranshaw made a favorable impression. He moved to New York soon afterward, and was quickly in demand.

In addition to Ms. Scott-Harden, Mr. Cranshaw is survived by his wife of 39 years, Bobbi; another stepdaughter, Stacey Stearns; three children from his first marriage, Myra Grissom, Kim Cranshaw and Cheryl Blue; and seven grandchildren. His first two marriages ended in divorce.

Mr. Cranshaw injured his back in a car accident in the early 1970s, leading him to switch to electric bass, on which he developed a ripe and swinging style. “He made the electric bass sound very much like an acoustic bass,” said Mr. Rollins, who still endured criticism for featuring the instrument in his bands.

“I couldn’t always get Bob when I wanted him,” Mr. Rollins added, citing the high demand for Mr. Cranshaw’s services and his occasional reluctance to go on tour. “I would have liked to get him more than I was actually able to work with him. But whenever I could, I did.”

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