Thursday night at 6, repeated Sunday at 5 on “THE SCENE” on WZUM - “June” was busting out all over, but the jazz scene in late summer in Pittsburgh is Amazing!
The Ribbon Cutting of Con Alma in Shadyside led us to visit with the three folks behind the new jazz, food and drinks spot - Amy Marshall, Josh Ross and John Shannon. We talked about the adventure of putting this new venture on the scene.
The film “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” continues to be in production in the Pittsburgh area, with shooting still ongoing - and music being recorded with area musicians and also composed and arranged by saxophonist Branford Marsalis. He stopped into the club Wofies Pub on Wednesday July 31 for the final night of the Funk Factory Jam Sessions in the Market Square venue, and we got to chat with him.
Other notable things on the Scene include Herb Alpert and Lani Davis coming to MCG Jazz August 6-7, vocalist Sachal Vasandani with the MCG Jazz Orchestra at Fallingwater in September, and a Pittsburgh return by jazz piano and accordion great Sonny Barbato on August 11.
And about the August Jazz Scene - the Pittsburgh Jazz Days of Summer are August 17-25 with now more than 50 jazz dates during the week - and for the month of August, we count more than 220 gigs!
All on the radio on WZUM!
Scott Hanley and John Shannon at Con Alma, David Roth
Scott Hanley, Branford Marsalis, by Michelle Kienholz
