Live Jazz in Pittsburgh
Back to All Events

Pitt Jazz Seminar and Concerts


  • Carnegie Music Hall Pittsburgh, PA 15213 (map)

The 47th Annual Pitt Jazz Seminar and Concert will be a tribute to the late Geri Allen, former director of Pitt’s Jazz Studies program, who passed away in June 2017. 

Starts Monday, October 30 at noon

Monday, October 30
Noon  •  William Pitt Union Lower Lounge
Enjoy the big band sound of the 22-piece Pitt Jazz Ensemble, directed by Ralph Guzzi.

OPEN JAZZ JAM SESSION

Tuesday, October 31
8 p.m.  •  William Pitt Union Ballroom
All University students are welcome to perform.

EVENING JAZZ PRESENTATIONS

Wednesday, November 1
6:30 p.m.  •  Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Performance: A Tribute to Her Teaching
Recent and past students of Geri Allen

Wednesday, November 1
7 p.m.  •  Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
History Seminar: A Teacher’s Love, A Teacher’s Legacy: A Conversation with Geri Allen’s Students
Farah Jasmine Griffin, William B. Ransford Professor of English and Comparative
Literature and African American Studies, Columbia University

Thursday, November 2
6 p.m.  •  Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Artist Seminar: Q & A with Nicholas Payton
Nicholas Payton

Thursday, November 2
7:30 p.m.  •  Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Artist Seminar: Geri Allen’s Band of 10 Years Kenny Davis and Maurice Chestnut

Friday, November 3
7 p.m.  •  Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Business Seminar: Opening Portals to the World of Jazz
Mount V. Allen III, brother of Geri Allen, Director of Operations, SFJAZZ

DAYTIME SEMINARS

Friday, November 3
2 p.m.  •  Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Artist Seminar: Learning How to Learn
Victor Lewis

Friday, November 3
4 p.m.  •  Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Artist Seminar: Jazz and the Art of Listening
Stefon Harris

Friday, November 3
5 p.m.  •  Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Artist Seminar: Journey to Success
Tia Fuller

Saturday, November 4
11 a.m.  •  Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Artist Seminar: Why Am I Here? 
S. Epatha Merkerson

Saturday, November 4
1 p.m.  •  Frick Fine Arts Auditorium
Artist Seminar: The Evolution of the Jazz Guitar
Kurt Rosenwinkel

COMMUNITY OUTREACH

Saturday, November 4
11 a.m.  •  Hill House Association
Senior Community Services Center,
2038 Bedford Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Artist Seminar: Impressions and Intuitions
Ravi Coltrane, Kassa Overall, and Maurice Chestnut

47TH ANNUAL JAZZ CONCERT

Saturday, November 4
7:30 p.m.  •  Carnegie Music Hall

Guest artists this year's concert include: Maurice Chestnut, tap dancer; Ravi Coltrane, saxophone; Kenny Davis, bass; Tia Fuller, saxophone; Stefon Harris, vibraphone; Victor Lewis, drums; Kassa Overall, drums; Nicholas Payton, piano/trumpet; and Kurt Rosenwinkel, guitar. Film, stage, and television actress S. Epatha Merkerson will host.

Tickets are available through the University of Pittsburgh Stages Box Office, by calling 412-624-7529, or visiting music.pitt.edu/tickets.

Later Event: November 2
Roger Humphries Jam Session