The history of jazz in the Pittsburgh Region looms large as an important part of the history to know and learn from.

HAPPY 82nd BIRTHDAY, ROGER HUMPHRIES!

Roger is very busy on the scene, today - a bit more than a year ago - had the street where he lives renamed in his honor! (check out our program and a video on that at THIS LINK). He was also honored by the Andrew Mellon Foundation (New York) as a jazz legacy fellow - which has included accolades - and also two major grants to support him and his artistic vision!

We share a conversation with Roger and a sampling of his sounds - and where you can hear him this month, too - including Sunday, February 22nd at Con Alma for a show called Indestructible - organized by trombonist Reggie Watkins as a tribute to the legacy of Pittsburgh Jazz drummer Art Blakely.

Roger’s time on the road with Horace Silver, Stanley Turrentine, Ray Charles and more led to worldwide notice, then he came back to Pittsburgh to lead outstanding groups and teach at CAPA and Pitt.

REGGIE WATKINS and CHU BERRY

Wheeling native Reggie Watkins has become a potent force in the Pittsburgh Jazz firmament - and a while back, he did some discovery about another wheeling native, the iconic saxophonist Chu Berry. That research led to an article that can be found in WEELUNK, a publication about the heritage of Wheeling. Chu Berry was also active in the Pittsburgh scene early in his career - and had strong connections with Pittsburgh’s Little jazz - Trumpeter Roy Eldridge.

Reggie is playing all around Pittsburgh, often - and will be at Con Alma with his trio featuring drummer David Throckmorton and bassist Ava LIntz - Sunday February 8 at 5pm.

Roger, Reggie and Chu - Thursday night at 6, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday at 5 on WZUM.

Roger, Reggie and Chu - Pittsburgh Jazz Stories, and a Wheeling Connection, too!

Scott Hanley