Inside Outside at the Pittsburgh Playhouse, Hugo Cruz and Celebrating Pittsburgh Jazz
Summer sounds are on, and so is 88.1 FM from Bethany West Virginia. All today, the ecosystem for summer jazz is in place - more than 200 events a month, and all of the Pittsburgh Jazz Channel’s station back on at full power, too!
One of the returning summer scenes is the second season of the Inside Outside Music Festival at the Pittsburgh Playhouse at Point Park, Downtown.
Much of the music for that series (which kicks off Saturday June 18th at 4) is jazz - including Hugo Cruz and Caminos and the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra. We hear music from both groups, and visit with Hugo Cruz to talk about what’s in store with his “Dance Party” approach.
We also visit with Pittsburgh Public Media’s Bob Brandenstein - Bob is treasurer of the 501c3 which owns WZUM - he’s also a former bank VP in Pittsburgh, also a multi-talented musician who loves jazz - and was turned to jazz by the late Ed Shiner (a teacher and arranger who influenced generations of Pittsburgh musical ears). We also talk about Pittsburgh’s jazz scene now that WZUM is firmly in it - and why listener support I such a big part of the future of jazz on WZUM.
So, yes, we’ve started pledge time!
Some great new thank you gifts, all with a Pittsburgh Connection, including collections of classic recording by Dakota Staton and Stanley Turrentine, plus a 2016 tribute CD to Erroll Garner featuring his last rhythm section of Ernest McCarty Jr and Jimmie Smith (with Noel Quintana and the late Geri Allen), and the new compilation disc of a new generation of Pittsburgh jazz stars from Con Alma.
Check it out on The Scene - - Thursday at 6pm, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday afternoon at 5.