I used to be about to make my first go to to the Pittsburgh Worldwide Jazz Pageant (PIJF), one of many main free jazz festivals within the nation. Nonetheless, there was some anxiousness on my half concerning the journey right down to Pittsburgh on the Jazz Prepare. This author was by no means about group journey and actions.
To my nice shock, the jazz patrons had been comfortably seated in a single automotive, making it very straightforward to fulfill pleasant jazz followers from North Carolina, New Hampshire, and Boston. All of them had made their method to New York Metropolis’s Moynihan Prepare Corridor at Penn Station, to board the Jazz Prepare that stopped for followers in Newark, NJ and Philadelphia. Pianist, Composer, and Huge Band Chief Orrin Evans coordinates the Jazz Prepare and its varied enjoyable actions. There have been performances by Recording Artist Ember, on Evans’ unbiased label Imani Data, and impromptu songs by Vocalists and Co-hosts of WBGO Jazz Radio, Lezlie Harrison and Multi-Grammy winner Janis Siegel. It proved to be an gratifying journey and having the creator of PIJF, Janis Burley, aboard was undoubtedly a plus.
The PIJF opened with its solely paid (sold-out) occasion, a celebration to honor Pittsburgh’s personal jazz icon George Benson, that includes South African Guitarist and Singer Jonathan Butler and Guitarist [artist in residence] Dan Wilson, held on the August Wilson African American Cultural Middle (AWAACC). It was my first time seeing Wilson carry out and realized that being my first time was my loss. He performs with the swift dexterity of Wes Montgomery and from there, he’s swinging in his personal creativity (try his album Issues Everlasting (2023). He and Butler are each religious followers and proteges of Benson. “He advised me to have my very own factor and I took that to coronary heart,” mentioned Butler. The 2 got here collectively on Benson’s “Affirmation,” “Down Right here on the Floor,” and “My Latin Brother.” They had been the dynamic duo with Butler inserting his South African rhythms and distinctive accented vocals to the combination. “A prophet has been honored tonight in his hometown,” mentioned Butler.
Mayor Ed Gainey accentuated the night by presenting competition founder and President/CEO of AWAACC Janis Burley with a proclamation stating, “Once you miss out on jazz, you miss out on the legacy of this nation. Thanks for placing Pittsburgh and jazz again on the map…”
After the live performance, patrons had been handled to a Style of Jazz Social gathering (scrumptious tastings from Pittsburgh’s famous eating places) and a fiery jam session that featured Pittsburgh legend tenor Saxophonist and Composer Kenny Blake with Pianist Theron Brown and Drummer Brian Edwards. Sarcastically, I wasn’t conscious of those cats, however that’s why I got here to PIJF for a brand new expertise. “I’m not native, I simply reside right here,” mentioned Blake. “I’m a functioning musician on this territory.” Blake, who graduated from Columbia College with 5 CDs to his credit score, demonstrated his fame as a tough bop jazz soulster with hittin’ R&B riffs.
The following day, beneath a brilliant late-summer solar, glowing faces alternated between two phases (prominently erected on Liberty Avenue at every finish of the block serving as bookends to the August Wilson African American Cultural Middle). Black tradition is embedded within the basis of reside black music, how apropos. Distributors scurrying, public radio in want of assist, meals vehicles from vegan to soul meals, and sushi catering to lengthy hungry strains.
Los Angeles native Michael Mayo made his debut at PIJF. He provided glowing originals like “About Your Love,” together with daring covers of such troublesome tunes as “Communicate No Evil” and “4.” He went solo with simply his trusty looper and viewers participation on “I Didn’t Know What Time Was.” His vocals are heat and blissful like a refreshing summer season rainstorm. His newest CD is “Fly” (Mack Avenue Music). Look out, the all-female band Be’la Dona got here with pulsating bounce up and shout Go Go, music nonstop pumping funk, child. The nine-piece ensemble included two keyboards and two drums for a fuller sound. A unit for 18 years, Drummer Sha’Received shared her all-girl band thought with good pal Candy Cherie, who cherished it, and right here we’re. The band members hail from the D.C., Maryland, Virginia (DMV) space. Up to now, Be’la Dona has launched three singles.
This 12 months, PIJF highlighted a misplaced historical past in jazz but additionally acknowledged and acknowledged Leon Hefflin, Sr., an excellent Black trailblazer in enterprise and entrepreneurship. Hefflin began, funded, and produced the primary giant outside jazz competition, the Cavalcade of Jazz, in Los Angeles’ Wrigley Area. It occurred yearly each summer season from 1945 to 1958, that includes among the biggest names in jazz, together with Nat King Cole, Lionel Hampton, Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Dizzy Gillespie, and The Worldwide Sweethearts of Rhythm.
Hefflin’s granddaughter, Deborah Swan, curated an exhibition of Cavalcade memorabilia and offered an insightful dialogue on the historical past of her grandfather and his Cavalcade of Jazz. She simply accomplished her e book “The Impresario: Leon Hefflin and the World’s First Annual Jazz Pageant” to be launched on October 25 with a e book launch and celebration in Los Angeles. To order your copy, electronic mail hefflinlegacy@gmail.com.
Sarcastically, Swan’s e book and analysis modified jazz historical past that till this level had been etched in stone. Each Norman Granz and George Wein have been acknowledged because the premier impresarios of jazz. However with Swan’s newly researched e book, her grandfather’s title and contribution will NOW should be acknowledged in any dialog (printed or in any other case) associated to jazz impresarios.
What, actually, you positive? Essentially the most anticipated act of the competition was Keith David, the well-versed, distinguished actor with over 400 roles to his credit score on stage, display screen, tv, voice-acting work, and interactive media.
“It’s [a] lengthy dream of mine to report a jazz album and carry out it reside,” mentioned David. Wearing a light-colored go well with and white gown shirt with open collar, he was able to get down performing such traveled requirements as Nat King Cole’s “Blue Gardenia,” “Be Mine Tonight,” “Rio De Janeiro Blues,” “No Regrets,” and “Right here’s to Life.” His rendition was heartfelt. He sang just a few Cole requirements however I want to hear him add some Sammy Davis, Jr. to his repertoire; there’s only a contact of Sammy in his voice. David has an unimaginable stage presence, a daring tenor that simply calls for consideration, as Richard Pryor mentioned, “the brother has finesse.” He pulls you into every tune with a jaunty introduction just like cats like Grady Tate, Nat, Lou Rawls, Bobby Brief, and Sinatra. His soon-to-be-released debut jazz album was produced by Grammy-winning producer Brian Bacchus.
David talked about on stage he has made a full 360-degree circle in his profession, having debuted in Pittsburgh at AWAACC in August Wilson’s performs “Seven Guitars” and “Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.”
NEA Jazz Grasp Dee Dee Bridgewater walked on stage to a livid standing ovation. She famous her set was a social commentary on right now’s political state of affairs. She roared on Nina Simone’s “Mississippi Goddam” (and he or she sang each phrase of it), heartstrings popped on Billy Taylor’s “I Want I Knew The way it Feels to be Free,” and Roberta Flack’s “Tryin Instances.” A riotous standing ovation pressured her into an encore together with her all-female trio of Pianist Carmen Staaf, Bassist Hannah Marks, and Cajon Drummer Shirazette Tinnin. They broke right into a excessive velocity rendition of “In comparison with What” adopted by one more crazed standing ovation. The youthful technology of established Vocalists, Jazzmeia Horn and Ekep Nkwelle, who delighted audiences earlier, had been current to see the NEA Jazz Grasp at work. Even David was readily available for the now historic efficiency of her debut PIJF look.
Each seat was taken, each area on the sidewalk was occupied as Christone “Kingfish” Ingram laid down his blues gospel that has been fascinating audiences since his teen years. The 26-year-old Clarksdale, Mississippi native, blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter is bringing a brand new viewers and youthful technology to the blues. The Grammy Award-winner referred to as Kingfish is revitalizing the sound of blues along with his personal experiences, having been mentored by the good blues guitarists and singers Buddy Man and Bobby Rush. His newest album is entitled “Onerous Street.”
The competition’s finale featured Singer-Songwriter Bilal, recognized for his falsetto excessive notes that dance in avant-garde and futurist soul. With seven albums launched to important acclaim, he displays the inventiveness of Prince, Marvin Gaye, David Bowie, and Miles Griffith. Like his assured predecessors, he presents no excuses or makes an attempt to explain his music to these not hip sufficient to get it. All through his present, a gaggle of younger folks, maybe of their 20s-30s, had been absorbed in each tune, singing alongside and dancing. On the finish of his intriguing efficiency, many of the viewers had disappeared. There are a lot of possible causes, however maybe they couldn’t observe his inventive tour.
Music isn’t a cookie-cutter manufactured product; it’s creativity, creative ideas that shake the muse of normality, extending the boundaries of so-called jazz in all instructions. Burley, throughout her 15 years on the helm of PIJF, has demonstrated her dedication to introducing artistic cross-genre artists to Pittsburgh, giving them a outstanding platform to precise themselves. Stay up for subsequent 12 months’s PIJF and the Jazz Prepare.
