Joe Negri’s Birthday!
We celebrate the June 10th, 1926 birthdate - the 99th birthday of our guitar hero handyman, Joe Negri. A major fixture on television and in our music scene for many wonderful years - jazz bursting back on the scene is just one of the ways to celebrate Joe and music in Pittsburgh.
While he’s not performing in public anymore, he still loves his music.
This week, we celebrate Joe Negri, share some conversations and hear some music we’ve not shared often, and have a few more surprises, too!
Here’s a wonderful profile of Joe by Rich Kienzle from 10 years ago.
We hear music from the old Foster’s in Oakland with Joe and trumpeter Danny Conn - and Joe talks about them as the “Gemini Twins.”
We also hear Max Leake with a solo piano rendition of Joe’s composition, Awaken, now featured on Max’s new release, Threads on MCG Jazz Records.
Happy Birthday, Joe Negri! The Scene - Thursday at 6pm, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday afternoon at 5.
The story of how Joe and Bobby Negri met Gene and Fred Kelly in Pittsburgh
Joe Negri plays jazz in the WQEX TV studio with brother Bobby on piano, Danny Conn on trumpet, Don Aliquo on sax, Roger Ryan on drums, and Dave LaRocca on bass.