Thanksgiving week is a time for homecomings - and Jeff “Tain” Watts is coming home - a little bit later - December 6th to join with fellow Pittsburgher Dwayne Dolphin at the New Hazlett Theater, December 6th for Kente Arts along with Orrin Evans (piano) Fred Wesley (trombone). We share a chat with Jeff from a while ago on how he first met Dwayne when coming back to Pittsburgh for a visit along with college classmates Tony Campbell and Don Aliquo, Jr.
This weekend, it’s a Kelly Strayhorn Theater celebration of namesakes Gene Kelly and Billy Strayhorn - we return with our chat with Musical Director Hugo Cruz and the theater’s Mingsi Ma for Suite Life on what is the 110th Birthday weekend for Pittsburgh’s Billy Strayhorn.
Also the Kelly / Strayhorn celebration reminds us of two years ago with the world premier of the musical play “Billy Strayhorn: Something to Live For.” The leading role in that production was played by vocalist and Broadway star Darius de Haas (who’s also the nephew of the late singer/pianist Andy Bey and son of Geraldine (Bey) de Haas, of the Bey Sisters). We share a Strayhorn tune from Darius de Haas to close the show.
The Scene - Thursday night at six, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday afternoon at 5 on WZUM.
Jeff “Tain” Watts
Hugo Cruz
