As 2022 winds to a close, we are astounded at how quickly it passed by - and how resurgent the jazz scene proved to be.
If you look at the monthly calendar for Jazz Central, the number of live events was astounding. Also, a number of performers and composers with Pittsburgh connections had new recordings and projects out that were quite notable.
Add in the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, MCG Jazz, the Monroeville Jazz Festival, Kente Arts, BPEP Jazz the Uhuru series at the August Wilson Center, Alphabet City, a strong showing by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and many clubs and venues, the standard for live jazz, here, is firmly at an average of 200 events EVERY MONTH.
January - Brubeck Brothers - MCG Jazz; Orrin Evans - Pitt Jazz (there was also a pretty big storm around the 16th and 17th, so a few things got cancelled)
February - Cookers - Kente Arts; Deanna Witkowski Trio - Alphabet City
March - Paradise Blue/Theron Brown - MCG Jazz/City Theater; Wynton Marsalis and JALC - MCG Jazz; Ron Jackson - Con Alma; Dee Dee Bridgewater/Bill Charlap - MCG Jazz
April - Christian Sands - Greer Cabaret; Dr J and Pam Johnson - BNY Mellon JazzLive Legacy Award; Stephane Wrembel - Club Cafe; Michael Weiss ; Alphabet City; Vanessa Rubin - Kente Arts; Kat Edmondson - Club Cafe; Don Aliquo Sr - Sprezzatura
OK - clearly, too much in 2022 for one hour - glad we have a radio station so we can share a lot more in days and weeks to come!
The Scene - an hourlong radio show - Thursday night at 6, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday at 5 on WZUM
Don Aliquo, Sr
Pam and Dr James Johnson
Christian Sands
Vanessa Rubin
Stephane Wrembel
Orrin Evans
Dee Dee Bridgewater and Bill Charlap