Pittsburgh gears up to welcome enthusiasts during International Jazz Festival
Orrin Evans, a Philadelphia-based pianist, composer and bandleader, will perform during the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival.
The Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival runs from Thursday, Sept. 14 through Sunday, Sept. 17.
A number of musicians are slated to perform during the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival at Highmark Stadium.
Get ready to cut loose during the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, set for Sept. 14-17.
Musicians perform during a previous Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival.
Highmark Stadium will host a number of artists during the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival.
Burley Wilson
Ask any enthusiast why they like jazz music and you’re likely to learn that many find it relaxing and soothing, a fact that is borne out by science.
In fact, studies have shown that tension is reduced when the brain is producing alpha brain waves brought about by listening to smooth sounds of jazz. Perhaps that’s one of the reasons attendance at the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival continues to grow.
Janis Burley Wilson, chief executive officer of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, said the festival’s 2011 launch brought about 500 people. Over the last decade-plus, the number of attendees has climbed exponentially.
“When we used to close the streets for it, that number jumped to about 30,000, but when we moved it inside due to covid, we had to cap attendance at 10,000,” she said.
The four-day event will be held from Thursday, Sept. 14 through Sunday, Sept. 17, and will feature jazz talents like Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis, PJ Morton, Orrin Evans, Jose James and Kurt Elling/Charlie Hunter, along with Pittsburgh’s own Chelsea Baratz and Howie Alexander and more. Saturday and Sunday shows will be held at Highmark Stadium, while the August Wilson Center is home base for opening night and jam sessions.
This year’s event will also feature a salute to 50 years of hip-hop with Keyon Harrold and special guests Pharoahe Monch and Mumu Fresh, along with Selecta, who will spin hip-hop favorites and jazz classics at the Taste of Jazz Party on Friday at 9 p.m., at the August Wilson Center.
“The party is a Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival by Citizens tradition, and a highly anticipated party of the year. It’s our way to share a taste of different jazz styles, paired with delicious tastings from Pittsburgh’s hottest restaurants,” said Burley Wilson, adding that one ticket gives attendees access to three jazz “clubs,” 16 restaurants, Bacardi cocktails, Arsenal Cider beverages, and a crowd of people ready to celebrate.
“There is no question that jazz is the language of Pittsburgh, with many jazz greats like Ray Brown, Art Blakey, Billy Eckstine, ‘Fatha’ Hines, Ahmad Jamal, Stanley Turrentine and more who answered the Pittsburgh jazz call,” said Burley Wilson, adding that they not only spoke the language, but they also re-invented it, refined it and understood how jazz music connects people and the community.
Burley Wilson said that students and up-and-coming musicians are also invited. To encourage them to attend, the August Wilson Center is partnering with schools and universities to give out 400 free tickets to students. An additional 100 free tickets will be available to regional musicians.
“We want to nurture the next generation of audiences and artists,” she said.
Artist Orrin Evans presides
This year’s festival will feature a new event, which, at the time of this writing, has already sold out.
The Jazz Train will entertain guests from the minute they board an Amtrak train in New York, and will make stops Newark, N.J., and Philadelphia before arriving at the festival.
This year, guests will enjoy music from Philadelphia-based pianist, composer and bandleader Orrin Evans, who will also be performing at the Highmark stage and at the nighttime jazz sessions.
Evans recently released a CD called “The Red Door,” which was reviewed in Allaboutjazz.com and was declared a “masterful high point in a career that continues to climb.” Evans said his jazz career was influenced by a household that was centered around the arts.
“My father was a playwright and my mother an opera singer, so that affected my desire to perform, which began with acting and storytelling and then music,” he said.
He’s been a regular at the festival most years, and has enjoyed making connections and watching it grow.
During the event, Evans said he’ll be “all over the place.”
“I’ll be at the jam sessions with artists from my label; Jonathan Michel will be leading it and I’ll be at other events as well. It’s a busy time, but a different type of fun that I always look forward to,” he said.
While this year’s Jazz Train sold out, Burley Wilson said she expects it to return next year.
Ticket information
One-day passes for concerts at Highmark Stadium are $60 for general admission and $85 for VIP tickets. Two-day passes are $100 for general admission and $150 for VIP tickets. Tickets for the Taste of Jazz Party are $50. To learn more about the ever-evolving lineup, the schedule, ordering tickets and more, visit the website at https://pittsburghjazzfest.org/.