AWAACC Airs Highlights From 2023 Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival Online This Week

Relive the excitement of the 2023 Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival presented by Citizens (PIJF) when The August Wilson African American Cultural Center (AWAACC) airs a special 24-hour presentation featuring highlights from Highmark Stadium on Wednesday, January 24, through Thursday, January 25, 2024, at 7:00 pm. To enjoy a second look or catch the festival for the first time, tune in FREE to https://pittsburghjazzfest.

 

The broadcast also can be viewed on https://youtube.com/@pittsbughjazzfest, via Facebook Live at facebook.com/pittsburghintljazzfest and https://facebook.com/jazzcorner .

Enjoy performances by Gregory Porter, Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis,  Kurt Elling, Bob James, PJ Morton, José James, Gerald Albright, Orrin Evans, Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Keyon Harrold with Pharoahe Monch and Mumu Fresh, Nicholas Payton, Christie Dashiell, Chelsea Baratz and Howie Alexander, which took place at Highmark Stadium on September 16 and 17. 

 

“The 13th annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival presented by Citizens was one of our greatest, most diverse and exciting events,” said Janis Burley, AWAACC President and CEO. “We are thrilled to present highlights from almost every performance during this special 24-hour presentation, and we are proud to provide another opportunity to celebrate the music and share Pittsburgh's legacy of Jazz.”

 

Gregory Porter, who elegantly delivered his soulful and down-home songs about life, struggle and love and left the audience clamoring for more.Five-time Grammy-winning Minneapolis producers/songwriters keyboardist James Samuel Harris, III, aka Jimmy Jam, and bassist Terry Lewis, one of the most successful and influential producer/songwriter teams of all time, made PIJF a part of history when they performed their own music and songs in concert for the first time ever. Kurt Elling put his body and soul into singing, scatting and swinging and brought a provocative and protean force to his modern music. Bob James, who received the 2023 PIJF Luminary Award for his trailblazing work in jazz and jazz fusion and for being one of the most sampled jazz artists in the 50-year history of hip-hop, performed in an intimate trio setting that highlighted his intense, infectious and ingenious music. Literally the son of a preacher man, the New Orleans singer, songwriter and pianist, PJ Morton – who also played keyboards for Maroon 5, Erykah Badu and LL Cool J – offered up a Big Easy bouillabaisse of jazz, Afro-Cuban, blues, gospel and R&B that Pittsburghers consumed with gusto. Using his beautiful and bold baritone vocals in the service of reimagining the music of Erykah Badu, José James proved that he has the resonant resources to do her music justice.

 

Witness nine-time Grammy-nominated saxophonist/multi-instrumentalist Gerald Albright's sax appeal and see why he is one of the most engaging and show-stopping musicians in contemporary/smooth jazz. Pianist Orrin Evans, who hosted The Jazz Train also stepped up to the plate with his propulsive and poetic piano style to showcase his own unique, genre-challenging musical voice. Hear a wide range of sounds from the African musical Diaspora through the sizzling syncopations of Oscar Hernández and the Spanish Harlem Orchestra, powered by jazz and Afro-Cuban/Salsa dance rhythms from the Caribbean. Keyon Harrold encompassed the soul of jazz and swagger of hip-hop with special guests MC Pharoahe Monch and vocalist Mumu Fresh, who added her vivid and vibrant vocals to Harrold's moving and melodious mix. Nicholas Payton brought his soulful, syncopated spirit to the Highmark Stage. Christie Dashiell undoubtedly made new fans with her subtle, swinging sound when she hit the PIJF stage. Chelsea Baratz – the pride of Upper St. Clair High School, who played her first jam session at the Crawford Grill when she was 13 – delivered a homecoming concert full of her robust tenor sound and rich, tonal colors. A native of Wilkinsburg, PA, keyboardist Howie Alexander grew up in a home full of R&B, funk, blues and jazz, so it is no wonder that he kicked off the Highmark concerts with an excellent delivery of his soulful sonic survey of mainstream, fusion and contemporary jazz.

 

Join the August Wilson African American Cultural Center September 19-22, 2024, for the 14th Annual Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival with concerts at the AWAACC, Highmark Stadium and venues across the city.

 

For the second year, Pianist Orrin Evans will host The Jazz Train, an exciting ride and five days of music, fun, food and camaraderie at the PIJF. On September 19, The Jazz Train picks up fans at Amtrak stations in New York at 10:52 am, Newark at 11:09 am and Philadelphia at 12:42 pm, arriving in Pittsburgh by 8:00 pm in time to see the opening night concert at the AWAACC at 9:00 pm. The Jazz Train departs Pittsburgh on Monday morning, September 23. Travel tickets go on sale February 1. For tickets and more information, log on to https://pittsburghjazzfest.

 

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