From Scott Hanley -
Working from my home studio for much of my on-air work for WZUM is pretty standard. But after having been under the weather for a couple of weeks (yeah, probably, but no tests), coming out from under the fog of illness and reconciling with where we are at led to a pretty major spring cleaning. And a job of rescue to recordings that have sat fallow for too long.
Before I came to Pittsburgh in 1995 to manage WDUQ, I worked at (and in some cases, managed) stations in Michigan, Omaha/Council Bluffs and Beaumont, TX. Much of that was work in journalism, programming and technology, but a lot of it also had connections to community and jazz.
Put that into 40 plus years in media and associations with jazz artists led me to many friendships that have lasted a lifetime.
On the jazz side, I also produced concerts and was involved with clubs, theaters and jazz societies in many parts of the country, so getting to spend time with notable artists like Ramsey Lewis, Lou Donaldson, Susannah McCorkle, Art Farmer, Woody Herman, Dave Brubeck, Mark Murphy, Ahmad Jamal, Ray Brown, Gene Harris, Joanne, Brackeen, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Houston Person and Etta Jones, Tommy Flanagan, Donald Byrd, Woody Herman and legions more, plus working closely with more “local” artists who I always tried to help keep active.
On top of all of that, I was, personally, pretty active as classical and jazz singer, especially before I came to Pittsburgh. But my time with NPR and other responsibilities in Pittsburgh led to me step back from that, and by the late 90’s, unless it was me sitting in with Roger Humphries, Frank Cunimondo or Joe Negri at a random event, you’d have never heard me (or, maybe at the Public Radio Conference Talent Shows, which I emceed for a few years back in the day).
Gene Bertoncini and Scott Hanley at Jazz at Lincoln Center, January 2020
So, the mix of the most recent Jazz Congress at Jazz at Lincoln Center in January, plus being cooped up with Covid-19 had me clearing out computer files and record shelves - and to Gene Bertoncini.
Gene is a world-renowned jazz guitarist, a prime advocate for the nylon-string classical guitar in jazz, a former member of the Tonight Show Orchestra in the 60’s when it was still in New York, and a friend of mine since the late 1980’s. He had come to Grand Rapids, Michigan back when I was program director for the NPR and Jazz station, there - and we recorded his lunchtime concert, there, and also joined him for an event at a fellow alumnus of Notre Dame who often had house parties with visiting jazz artists.
So, catching up with Gene in January of 2020, first at the Knickerbocker in Manhattan, then at the conference, was impetus to get things back on track, for me - and here on WZUM - with what is something very special, very intimate, about music and especially about jazz.
So, for much of this hour, it’s me and Gene. But, mostly, Gene.
Music and and appreciation -
The Scene - Thursdays at 6pm, Friday at Saturdays at noon, Sundays at 5pm on WZUM.