The Jazz Scene in Pittsburgh continues to roll forward with 2 score and more live events each week - and in new and unexpected places. The Jazz Central Calendar works to keep track of it all!
We also catch up with Deanna Witkowski - pianist, composer, author and now, DR Deanna Witkowski after successfully defending her dissertation last month at the University of Pittsburgh. In a celebration of sorts - Deanna’s longtime New York City drummer Scott Latzky visits for two gigs this week - Saturday at 5:30 at Con Alma and Sunday at 3pm at St Paul’s Methodist Church, Allison Park - both with bassist Tony DePaolis, also visiting home from NYC. Deanna, Tony and Thomas Wendt will headline at the Greer Cabaret Lounge for Jazzlive Tuesday next week - May 21 from 5-7pm.
Deanna Witkowski
This week also marks the opening for the month and a half long run by Pittsburgh CLO at the Greer Cabaret Theater May 17 through June 30th in a new production of Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill starring Gabrielle Lee.
Last week, we celebrated the show with a visit to Billie Holiday’s 1956 Carnegie Hall performance in support of her autobiography, Lady Sings the Blues. We are please to note WZUM’s media sponsorship of the CLO production, including helping supply a soundtrack in the Cabaret Lounge for before the show (as long as live music isn’t playing!). We include a rare recording of a small group date by Ellington Orchestra great, saxophonist Johnny Hodges.
More live music abounds - with the weekend holding more than 30 events to choose from - including the continuation of Jazz Poetry Month at Alphabet City - and Tania Grubbs at Con Alma Sunday night …and Cuban Night with Hugo Cruz at Kingfly Spirits, Dwayne Dolphin at the Elsie Hillman Auditorium Sunday Afternoon, Tony Campbell’s Jazz Supper at City Winery in the strip celebrating Funk - and a lot more to choose from!
Jazz Poetry continues next Tuesday with Roger Humpries and the RH Factor taking the lead - and Roger has his River Boat Ride coming up at the end of June, too.
Benny Benack III
Meanwhile, the hometown of Jimmy Stewart and drummer Joe Saylor - Indiana, PA - has the return of the Westsylvania Jazz and Blues Festival, downtown all day Saturday May 25th - with a rich lineup from 11 am ‘til 9 at night - plus late night shows at indoor venues around Indiana. The night before, Friday May 24th - regional native and favorite Benny Benack III comes for a show at the Indiana Theater with another III - George Heid III on drums, Theron Brown - piano and Leon Boykins - bass.
We also remember the influential saxophonist David Sanborn who died May 12th of cancer at the age of 78. Influenced heavily by the great Memphis born alto player Hank Crawford, David Sanborn’s career was rich and deep. Considered a foundational part of what became “Smooth Jazz,” Sanborn can and did play in most every idiom - he was a part of the Paul Butterfield Blues Band in the late 1960’s - which meant he also played at Woodstock in 1969.
His alto sound saturated pop music in the 70’s and 80’s - with Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, David Bowie, Paul Simon, Carly Simon, Bob James, the Grateful Dead, the Eagles, Billy Joel, The Rolling Stones and much more. His work on the TV show Saturday Night Live led to collaboration with bassist and producer Marcus Miller -
And then there’s the Brecker Brothers - and so much more.
