Pittsburgh Jazz Musicians
The lists on this page are not comprehensive and mostly serve to inspire
further research and exploration into the Carnegie
Library of Pittsburgh, Music Department's collection.
Also, saying that an artist is a "Pittsburgh musician" might mean various
things:
- he or she was born here but raised elsewhere (e.g., Paul Chambers)
- was born elsewhere but raised here (e.g., Mary Lou Williams)
- is from a Pittsburgh suburb or exurb (e.g., Vinnie Colaiuta or Slide
Hampton)
- attended college here (e.g., Geri Allen or Guy Klucevsek)
- lived here for just a short while (e.g., Lena Horne), and so on.
But all of the artists listed here have contributed to Pittsburgh's reputation
as one of the most important cities in the history of jazz.
Internationally Known Pittsburgh Jazz
Musicians
More Pittsburgh Jazz Musicians
Further Research
Internationally Known*
Pittsburgh Jazz Musicians
Accordion
Guy Klucevsek (1947- )
Bass
Mickey Bass (1943- )
Ray Brown (1926-2002)
Paul Chambers (1935-1969)
Sonny Dallas (1931-2007)
Dwayne Dolphin (1963- )
John Heard (1938- )
David Izenzon (1932-1979)
Carl Pruitt (1918-1977)
Wyatt Ruther (1923-1999)
Eddie Safranski (1914?-1974)
Composers/Arrangers
Henry Mancini (1924-1994)
Billy May (1916-2004)
Sammy Nestico (1924- )
Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967)
Drums
Allen Blairman (1940- )
Art Blakey (1919-1990)
Cecil Brooks III (1959- )
Kenny Clarke (1914-1985)
Vinnie Colaiuta (1956- )
Beaver Harris (1936-1991)
Joe Harris (1926- )
Roger Humphries (1944- )
J. C. Moses (1936-1977)
Jeff "Tain" Watts (1960- )
Guitar
George Benson (1943- )
Ray Crawford (1924-1997)
Barry Galbraith (1919-1983)
Jimmy Ponder (1946- )
James "Blood" Ulmer (1942- ) |
Piano/Organ/Keyboards
Geri Allen (1957- )
Sonny Clark (1931-1963)
Johnny Costa (1922-1996)
Erroll Garner (1921-1977)
Darrell Grant (1962- )
Earl "Fatha" Hines (1903-1983)
Ahmad Jamal (1930- )
Dodo Marmarosa (1925-2002)
Horace Parlan (1931- )
Shirley Scott (1934-2002)
Mickey Tucker (1941- )
Mary Lou
Williams (1910-1981)
Reeds (oboe, Eng. horn, clarinet, soprano saxes, etc.)
Bob Cooper (1925-1993)
Paul McCandless (1947- )
Saxophone
Nathan Davis (1937- )
Joe Eldridge (1908-1952)
Steve Grossman (1951- )
Eric Kloss (1949- )
Babe Russin (1911-1984)
Stanley Turrentine (1934-2000)
Trombone
Slide Hampton (1932- )
Grover Mitchell (1930-2003)
Trumpet
Al Aarons (1932- )
Roy Eldridge (1911-1989)
Tommy Turrentine (1928-1997)
Vibraphone
Steve Nelson (1954- )
Vocals
Billy Eckstine (1914-1993)
Lena Horne (1917-2010)
Eddie Jefferson (1918-1979)
Dakota Staton (1931-2007)
Maxine Sullivan (1911-1987) |
*The criteria used here to determine whether a jazz musician listed above
is "internationally known" is whether he or she receives an entry in either
Leonard Feather and Ira Gitler's Biographical
Encyclopedia of Jazz or the New
Grove Dictionary of Jazz, 2nd ed., edited by Barry Kernfeld (also available
online through library-provided databases under the title Oxford
Music Online).
More Pittsburgh Jazz Musicians
| Lilly Abreu - vocals
Max Adkins - arranger, conductor
Howie Alexander - piano
Don Aliquo, Jr. - saxophone
Don Aliquo, Sr. - saxophone
Scott Anderson - piano
Bashir Ansari - vocals
Carl Arter - piano, saxophone
Jay Ashby - trombone
Marty Ashby - guitar, producer, promoter
Chuck Austin - trumpet, historian
George Bacasa - flute, saxophone
Donna Bailey - vocals
Sheryl Bailey - guitar
Eugenie Baird
- vocals
Kay
Marie Baird - vocals
Ann Baker (a.k.a. Ann Hathaway) - vocals
Chelsea Baratz - saxophone
Roger Barbour - trumpet
Edward "Rabbit" Barnes - vibraphone
Ron Bartol - guitar
Donald L. Bates - trombone
Jeanne Baxter - vocals
Charles Bell - piano
Poogie Bell - drums
Benny Benack, Sr. - trumpet
Benny Benack, Jr. - clarinet, saxophone
Benny Benack III - trumpet
Flip Benack - drums
H. B. Bennett - drums
Dick Berosky - drums
Harold Betters - trombone
Jerry Betters - drums, vocals
J. Spencer Bey - keyboard
Keith Bishop - saxophone
Kenny Blake - saxophone
James (Jimmy) R. Blakemore - drums
Andy Bianco - guitar
Bobby Boswell - bass
Alvin (Lou) Brock - organ, vocals
Cecil Brooks II - drums
Dick Brosky - drums
Dave Brown - guitar
Leroy Brown - saxophone
David Budway - piano
Maureen Budway - vocals
Benny Burton - clarinet
Harry Bush - bass
Jerry Byrd - guitar
Wendell Byrd - organ
Tony Campbell - sax
Chris Capizzi - piano
Bobby Cardillo - piano
Harry Cardillo - piano
Bill Carmichael - trumpet
Gene Casciola - saxophone
Flo Cassinelli - saxophone
Delano "Volcano" Choy - trumpet
Kevin Clark - trombone
Hershey Cohen - piano, trumpet
Paul Cohen - piano
Danny Conn - trumpet
Janice Coppola - clarinet
Andrew Cosentino - trumpet
Jay Cosentino - trombone
Paul Cosentino - clarinet
Etta Cox - vocals
Murray Crewe - trombone
Ray Crummie - piano
Frank Cunimondo - piano
John D'Amico - piano
Roger Dannenberg - trumpet
Craig Davis - piano
Daniel Davisson - banjo
Roger Day - tuba
Eric DeFade - flute, saxophone
Ray DeFade - saxophone
Luther DeJarunett - guitar
Jimmy DeJulio - bass
Don DePaolis - piano
Nick Dialoiso - saxophone
Leon Dorsey - bass
Al Dowe - trombone
Douglas Drown - promoter, writer
Elmer "Buddy" (or "Bunny") Drown - saxophone
Beverly Durso - piano
Brian Edwards - drums
Alice Eisner - vocals
Jerome Eisner - clarinet, saxophone
Richard Engel - guitar
Tim Eyermann - saxophone
Marty Faloon - guitar
Matt Ferrante - saxophone
Lisa Yvonne Ferraro - vocals
Jerry Fielding - composer, conductor
Judy Figel - vocals
Kenny Fisher - saxophone
Daryl Fleming - guitar
Kenan Foley - drums
Raynard Ford - flute
Ed Friedenberger - saxophone
Emmett Frisbee - piano
Ron Fudoli - bass
Gerry Gagnon - trombone, tuba
Rick Gallagher - piano
Carlo Galluzzo - saxophone
Linton Garner - piano
Victor Garzotto - piano
Randy Gelispie - drums
Reva George - vocals
Lenny Glick - piano
Richie Goods - bass
Ian Gordon - trumpet
Sylvester Goshay - drums
Bill Greco - bass
Bert Green - saxophone
George Green - saxophone
Greg Grenek - saxophone
Lee Gross - saxophone
Hal Grossman - trumpet
Ralph Guzzi - trumpet
Colter Harper - guitar
Ernie Harper - piano
Nate Harper - saxophone
Walt Harper - piano
Dr. Nelson Harrison - trombone, piano
Steve Hawk - trumpet
Gerald Haymon - guitar
Marion "Boonie" Hazel - trumpet
Bill Heid - organ, piano
George Heid - drums
Len Hendry - trumpet
Royce Hetrick - trumpet
Cliff Hill - bass
Lisa Hindmarsh - vocals
Jason Hollar - bass
LeRoy Holmes - arranger
Campbell "Scotty" Hood - bass
George "Fess" Hornsby - piano
Mike Houlis - bass
Kevin Howard - piano
Ghost Howell - bass
Reid Hoyson - drums
Paul Hubinon - trumpet
John Hughes - piano
Greg Humphries - drums
Sam Hurt - trombone
Tiny Irvin - vocals
Billy James - drums
Lynda Jamison - vocals
Reid Jaynes - piano
Timothy Jenkins - piano
Curtis Johnson - saxophone
Eric Johnson - guitar
James Johnson, Jr. - piano
James Johnson III - drums
Bobby Jones - organ
Bobby Jones, Jr. - saxophone
George Jones - percussion
Sean Jones - trumpet
Hill Jordan - trombone
Marva Josie - vocals
Ken Karsh - guitar
Marcus Kelly - bass
Lee Kelton - trumpet, bandleader
Kenia - vocals
Joe Kennedy, Jr. - violin
Joe Kennedy III - piano
Noreen Kennedy - vocals
Will Kimball - trombone
Howard Kimbo - saxophone
Cal King - guitar
Carl King - trombone
Robbie Klein - saxophone
Mark Koch - guitar
John Korpiel - drums
Mike Kosmala - trombone
Mark Kotishion - piano
Ken Kovach - bass
Billy Kuhn - drums
Dr. Jeffrey Kuhn - bass
Ralph Kunkle - bass |
Shawnee Lake - vocals
Dave LaRocca - bass
Gene Laus - trumpet
Max Leake - piano
Harold Lee - drums
Jessica Lee - vocals
Pat Leone - guitar, vocals
Elise Letourneau - vocals
Douglas Levine - piano
Bert Logan - drums
Nick Lomakin - clarinet
Jerry Lucarelli - piano
Louis Lucarelli - vibes
Gene Ludwig - organ
Greg Lutz - saxophone
Jennie Luvv - vocals
Craig Madge - saxophone
Frank Malla - trombone
Jeff Mangone - bass
Louise Mann - piano, vocals
Lisa Marinacci - vocals
Lynn Marino - vocals
Mike Marracino - trumpet
Danny Mastri - bass
Rick Matt - saxophone
Ernie Matteo - saxophone, clarinet
Jay Matula - drums
Peter Matz - piano, composer, arranger
Skip McAuliffe - trumpet
Ernest McCarty - bass
Rodney McCoy - violin
Terry McCoy - drums
Tommy McDaniel - bass
Marshall McDonald - saxophone, flute, clarinet
Larry "Butch" McGee - guitar
Bass McMahon - bass
Carl McVicker, Jr. - bass
Tom Meston - saxophone
Don Mincher - bass
James "Honey Boy" Minor - drums
Ravish Momin - drums
Reni Monteverde - piano
James Moore - trumpet
Joe Moran - percussion
Al Morell - saxophone
Jon Morris - trombone
Tracy Mortimore - bass
John "Squirrel" Mosley - trumpet, flute
Tony Mowod - vibraphone, DJ, historian
Rich Muckle - drums
Richard Munoz - bass, trombone
Carl Murphy - drums
Art Nance - flute, saxophone
Kim Nazarian - vocals
Bobby Negri - piano
Joe Negri - guitar
Skip Nelson - vocals
Tommy Noll - drums
Clarence Oden - flute, saxophone
Ben Opie - saxophone
Milt Orkin - trombone
John Orsini - saxophone
Richard Paul - cornet
Dave Pellow - bass
James Pellow - saxophone
Michael Pellow - guitar
Carlos Peña - guitar, vibraphone
Mark Perna - bass
Carl Peticca - drums
Kenny Powell - flute, saxophone
Bill Price - drums
Fred Pryor - drums
Jimmy Pupa - trumpet
Randy Purcell - trombone
Bill Purse - guitar
John Rampolla - drums
Bobby Rawsthorne - drums
Burd "Buzzy" Renn - saxophone
Coleman Richardson - saxophone
Bob Riddle - trombone
Pola Roberts - drums
Tom Roberts - piano
Janice Robinson - trombone
Lee Robinson - saxophone
Lenny Rogers - drums
Clem Rolin - trombone
Spider Rondinelli - drums
Vince Ruffini - saxophone
Jevon Rushton - drums
Eddie Russ - piano
George W. Russell, Jr. - piano
Ray Russell - bass
Lori Russo - vocals
Ray Ryan - drums
Rodger Ryan - drums
Mike Sakash - saxophone
David Sanford - composer/conductor
Jimmy Sapienza - vocals
Henry Sciullo - drums
John Schmidt - drums
Lou Schreiber - clarinet, piano
Al Secen - vibraphone
Tommy Sewell - bass
Henry Shapiro - guitar
Vladimir Simosko - reeds, percussion
Alan Skwarla - trumpet
John Smith - drums
Will Smith - bongos
Willie Gonzales Smith - percussion
Erin Snyder - cello
Mark Snyder - trombone
Chuck Spatafore - drums
Scipio Spencer - piano
Arnold Stagger, Sr. - bass
Brian Stahurski - bass
Sandy Staley - vocals
Keith Stebler - piano
Lou Stellute - saxophone
Tim Stevens - vocals
Eugene Stovall - vocals
Mark Strickland - guitar
Jeff Stringer - bass
Richard Strong - drums
Justin Surdyn - trumpet
Eric Susoeff - guitar
Hosea Taylor - saxophone
Mike Taylor - bass
Edwin Thomas - bass
Ronnie Thomas - bass
Dave Thompson - drums
George Thompson - saxophone
Paul Thompson - bass
David Throckmorton - drums
Gary Tole - trombone
Ken Toman - drums
Mike Tomaro - saxophone
Teenie Trent - piano
Steve Trettel - drums
Ron Tucker - drums
Tommy Turk - trombone
Horace Turner - piano, trumpet
Chauncey Upson - saxophone
Johnny Vance - bass
Bruce Wallace - bass
Joe Wallace - bass
Virgil Walters - bass
Harry Walton - piano
Jon
Walton - saxophone
Delores Ware - vocals
Cecil "Cecilio Valdez" Washington - percussion
Joe Waslousky - drums
"Deacon" Dan Wasson - bass
Olga Watkins - vocals
Reggie Watkins - trombone
Deb Weible - drums
Tom Wendt - drums
Joe
Westray - guitar, electraharp, organ
Thay Whiteley - saxophone
Edgar Willis - bass
Jay Willis - saxophone
Dr. John H. Wilson - arranger
Leroy Wofford - vocals, drums
Donald Woods - trombone, trumpet
Jacob Yoffee - saxophone
Harold Young - saxophone
Lenny Young - oboe
Ruby Younge - organ |
Pittsburgh Jazz Music Groups
21st Century Swing Band
Algo Latino
Balcony Big Band
Beam
Beethoven Bebops
Boilermaker Jazz Band
Burgh Big Band
Cadillac Jazz
Cap Gun Quartet
Carnegie-Mellon University Jazz Ensemble
Cavaliers of Rhythm
Charles Wallace
Cool Breeze
[Duquesne University's] Catch 22
Debonaires
Deuces
Wild
The Dodge Kids
Gypsy
Iron City Six
Jazz East
Jimmy Sapienza's Five Guys Named Moe
Leisure Monkey
Manchester Craftsmen's Guild Orchestra
Modern Times
Opek
Pittsburgh Jazz Allstars
Pittsburgh Jazz Giants
Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra
Pittsburgh Steelers Jazz Group
Professional Men in Jazz
Real Silk Band
RH Factor
Royalist Jazz Quintet
Salsamba
Silhouettes
Silvertones
Soirée
Symphony Jazz Quartet
Syria Shrine Band
Thoth Trio
Three Rivers Jazz Orchestra
Trinity Jazz Orchestra
Trio Bravo
Trio Grandé
Tuesday Night Big Band
University of Pittsburgh Jazz Ensemble
Watershed 5tet
Will Hitchcock's Big Dream Band
(Group names that simply contain artist names plus the type of group
such as the Ahmad Jamal Trio or Roger Humphries Big Band are not listed.)
Further Research
Research on the above individuals and groups is a multi-faceted process
and might involve using:
- the library Catalog
to search for books, scores, compact discs, LPs, and a few cassettes
(but please note that not all library catalog records list all performers
on a recording)
- the Tom
Lord Jazz Discography, now also available as part of our free online
databases
- files
of newspaper and magazine clippings
- the index of the Oral History of Music in Pittsburgh (OHMP)
collection
- listening stations to utilize the reference LP and CD collections
(kept specifically as an archive of Pittsburgh music) and the Pittsburgh
LP Collection
- librarian Carlos Peña's Pittsburgh
Jazz Records and Beyond, 1950-1985
- Dave Goodrich's book Key
to the City: A Guide to Pittsburgh Music, History, Entertainment & More!
which, amongst many other things, lists concert engagements by jazz
musicians in Pittsburgh between 1928-1954
Further web research should start with the Pittsburgh
Jazz Society and the African
American Jazz Preservation Society of Pittsburgh. Many currently active
Pittsburgh jazz musicians can be found on trombonist and jazz historian
Nelson Harrison's Pittsburgh Jazz
Network.
The Manchester Craftsmen's Guild
hosts performances, produces live recordings, and provides educational
programs to promote Pittsburgh jazz.
Questions, comments or additions may be e-mailed to the Music
Department.
Finally, music librarians are eager to assist you in your research. Don't
hesitate to ask.