Jazz Appreciation Month rolls on here in April in Pittsburgh - with many things to celebrate!
It includes a new tribute concert, remember the great Ahmad Jamal, Pittsburgh Native and legendary pianist, composer and bandleader, who passed two years ago this month - The Afro-American Music Institute presents a Tribute to Ahmad Jamal - at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theatre, East Liberty -
Dr James T Johnson, Jr - piano; Howard Alexander III - piano; Clifford Barnes - piano; Dr. Alton Merrell - piano; Benjamin May - bass; Dr. Nelson Harrison - brass; Hugo Cruz - percussion; Elie Kihonia -percussion; James Johnson III - drums. That concert will be at 4pm April 26th — details at the Jazz Central Calendar and at Kelly-strayhorn.org
That night - Sean Jones and the Baltimore Collective come to play for Kente Arts at the New Hazlett, April 26th at 7:30. Details for that at kente arts dot org and at WZUM
More coming up on that last full weekend in April - the NEA Jazz Masters concert will be at Kennedy Center on the 26th - we’ll have that available online on the WZUM homepage and also on the radio Sunday night at 8, just after the Billie Holiday series, No Regrets.
Sounds this hour to tie that all together - plus new releases from Reid Hoyson, Reggie Watkins and Max Leake, plus a recent one from pianist Alton Merrill, one of the featured players for the AAMI tribute to Ahmad Jamal on April 26th. Also, pianist Paul Giallorenzo - bringing his Chicago-based trio to Con Alma, Sunday April 27th.
Plus, our own on air celebration of Ahmad Jamal, plus Pittsburgh piano legends like Earl “Fatha” Hines, Mary Lou Williams and Erroll Garner -
Salsamba springs up - Latin Jazz Sounds for the Washington Jazz Society, April 23rd at the Loft Conference Center in Southpointe (Canonsburg) - George Jones, Eric Susoeff, Thomas Wendt, Paul Thompson, Eric DeFade. We also hear from Ellen Pieroni & the Encyclopedia of Soul - playing on tour at Con Alma, April 19.
The National Endowment for the Arts, in collaboration with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, honors the 2025 NEA Jazz Masters at a series of public events April 24-26, 2025, in Washington, DC. There will be a tribute concert Saturday April 26, which we’ll have on the WZUM.org website to view, and a broadcast on the air Sunday night April 27th just after the Billie Holiday Series, No Regrest. The 2025 award recipients are: Marshall Allen, Marilyn Crispell, Chucho Valdés, and the 2025 A.B. Spellman NEA Jazz Masters Award for Jazz Advocacy Gary Giddins.
Don Aliquo plays at VOMA in Johnstown April 19
There’s much more to see life in Pittsburgh during April, Jazz Appreciation Month - find it at the Jazz Central Calendar at WZUM dot org!
The Scene - Thursday night at 6, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday at 5 on WZUM.
Paquito D’Rivera