Last Saturday marked the last night of “regular operations” at the original location of Con Alma on Ellsworth Avenue after four years of highly lauded music, food and beverage. We were on hand at the beginning, and for this last “regular” night for the music - and the memories.
We share a visit with chef and co-owner Josh Ross, plus conversations with two of the three performers that night - organist Cliff Barnes and drummer James Johnson III.
We’ll also share some new music from Con Alma’s music curator, John Shannon. John, Cliff and James are just back from Europe - and the musical experience is something to hear and hear about.
Cliff Barnes, John Shannon and James Johnson III at the last “regular” night at Con Alma, Ellsworth with Scott Boni sitting in on “Caravan” on alto sax
From the 2019 opening of Con Alma “Shadyside” - Aimee Marshall, Josh Ross, John Shannon
John, Cliff and James have a new record that they recorded in France this summer, but it won’t be out for a little while. Some of the the brightest new stars on the Pittsburgh Scene don’t yet have their own releases, but we do have projects that they’ve been on recently to share, including James Johnson III with bassist Anton DeFade and pianist and organist Cliff Barnes with Marcus Miller.
John Shannon’s newest release came out in July - the band Waking Vision has one called The Breathing Earth, featuring John’s guitar along with Martin Valihora - drums and Peter Slavov - upright bass. We check out a track called “Raindance.”
Trumpeter John D’Earth is featured at Con Alma Ellsworth and Downtown this weekend - his brand new release is called Coin of the Realm - and we play a track called Dust that features JC Kuhl on Tenor sax and Daniel Clarke, Piano. John is a well known jazz player who’s worked with Emily Remler, Miles Davis and Buddy Rich. He’s also been on records by Dave Matthews and Bruce Hornsby.
We also share music from Jason Kush and his new release (he’s at Hartwood Acres on a double bill with John Scofield at the end of July), Roger Humphries and the RH Factor - opening the Reservoir of Jazz series in Highland Park Sunday afternoon August 5th - also, Deanna Witkowski - who is in New York now, but returning to Pittsburgh for her turn at the Reservoir of Jazz on August 13th.
And we recognize pianist Oliver Jones - the former student of Daisy Peterson Sweeney (Oscar’s elder sister and teacher). Oliver was just inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame. I spent a lot of time with him in the 1980’s and 90’s - and recorded a few duo tracks with him back in the day. A phenomenal pianist who spent almost two decades with Jamaican calypso singer Kenny Hamilton in Puerto Rico - he later came back to Canada to work in Montreal with Charlie Biddle in 1980 - and Oliver became the first artist on the Justin’ Time record label. If you’ve never heard Oliver Jones before, you should!
Scott Hanley
The Scene Thursday night at 6, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday at 5 on WZUM.