Pittsburgh's Own Regional Notables of Jazz
AFRO-AMERICAN MUSIC INSTITUTE CELEBRATES 36 YEARS
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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.
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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
Dizzy Gillespie 1990 Documentary
Comment
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Comment by Bob Garvin on February 18, 2020 at 8:02pm
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I had 78 RPM recordings by Diz in college in the 40s, but first saw him live in the early 50s at the Midway Lounge on Penn Avenue. The Deuces Wild with Reid Jaynes, Flo Cassinelli, et.al. alternated with Dizzy's group that night It was great fun to be able to joke around with him when he did a Jazz on the River gig. A moment I'll never forget was when the Georgetown Dutch in was forced to give me their last room, which happened to be the penthouse on the top floor because of my guaranteed reservation. When I returned to the lobby, I was surprised to see Dizzy all alone, leaning up against the wall, surrounded by instrument cases. He was playing at Blues Alley that night and of course, I was going. "Are you staying here, too, Dizzy", I asked him. In his well-known deadpan fashion, He replied: "No, you took the last room." Now, he didn't know that even though it happened to be true. Then I offered to share the penthouse with him, but that was too much to hope for. The manager must have gone to find rooms for the entire band. Oopapada, Dizzy
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Comment by evd on February 18, 2020 at 10:50am
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- The virtuoso in his own words. Great footage. Highly recommended. 100+ likes.
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The virtuoso in his own words. Great footage. 100+ likes.
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