Dianne Reeves is looking forward to returning to Pittsburgh and serenading her fans during the Jazzlive International Festival on June 20.
“I’ve been there about two years ago. I like coming to Pittsburgh because the people in Pittsburgh show up for the concerts and they have a good time,” said Reeves who resides in Denver. “My fans can expect to hear their favorite songs and some new songs too.”
Presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, Pittsburgh Jazzlive International Festival will consist of three days of free jazz and jazz-influenced musical performances on outdoor stages, restaurants, galleries and coffee shops throughout the Steel City’s cultural district by local, national, international and emerging musicians.
“During the festival we celebrate some of the world’s most important Jazz musicians and an art form that has merged several cultures into one distinct style,” said Janis Burley Wilson, vice president of Education and Community Engagement and Director of Jazz Programs for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. “We are thrilled to host Grammy-Award winners, emerging talent and local favorites in the heart of Pittsburgh’s downtown Cultural District.”
The Pittsburgh Jazzlive International Festival is made possible with the support of various Pittsburgh-based companies including RK Mellon, UPMC, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, and MACY’s. This year’s bus transportation sponsor is megabus.com. The company brings about 35,000 people to Pittsburgh per month.
Coming off the release of her Concord Records debut, “Beautiful Life,” earlier this year, Reeves has a lot to offer her Pittsburgh fans.
“Beautiful Life” is a collection of 12 songs that Reeves holds near and dear to her musical heart. The songs include covers of Bob Marley’s “Waiting in Vein,” Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You,” Ani Di Franco’s “32 Flavors,” and Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams.” The record, which progresses from Jazz to Soul, includes two new songs, “Cold” and “Satiated.” She worked with world-class musicians like Esperanza Spaulding, vocalists Gregory Porter and Lalah Hathaway, and Reeves’ late cousin, the incomparable George Duke.
“I hope people like ‘Beautiul Life.’ I hope something resonates with them. I worked with some great musicians and I took songs that I like and gave them a Jazz sensibility,” she said. “I listen to all kinds of music and I enjoy singing all kinds of music. George taught me to trust myself and believe in what I do. When I worked with him I felt free.”
That love of all things musical came by way of her family: her father, who died when she was two years old, was a singer and her mother played trumpet. Reeves took piano and sang any chance she got. While in high school, she was singing with a big band at the Convention of the National Association of Jazz Educators. Her band won first place at the show and that is where Reeves met her mentor, trumpeter Clark Terry.
A year later, Reeves began studying music at the University of Colorado before moving to Los Angeles in 1976. While living in California, Reeves became interested in Latin American music and she began experimenting vocally with different kinds of music and made the conscious decision to pursue a full-time career as a singer.
“I knew that singing made me feel amazing and lifted. I didn’t know where it was going to take me,” she said.
Soon after, she met Eduardo del Barrio and toured with his group Caldera, and sang in Billy Childs’ Jazz Band Night Flight and then toured with Sergio Mendes before touring as lead singer with Harry Belafonte from 1983 to 1986.
“Harry was very generous and he showed me the ropes,” Reeves recalled. “I had my first opportunity traveling the world with Harry and I was able to develop my talent and practice.”
In 1987, Reeves became the first vocalist signed to the restructured Blue Note/EMI label. She has released 14 albums on the label.
Reeves has won four Grammy Awards for Best Jazz Vocal Performance for her music. She is the only musician to have won the Best Jazz Vocal Performance Grammy for three consecutive albums.
“Everyone is unique and there are no two people that are alike. You take that and refine it and master it and perfect it and it will lead you to have great things,” said Reeves who will be releasing another album at the end of 2015.
In addition to Reeves, other Jazzlive performers include Grammy-nominated trumpeter, composer and hometown educator Sean Jones will perform selections from his series “Jazz Meets Funk.” Jones will perform with local Jazz heavyweight Dwayne Dolphin and Fred Wesley who is best known for his work with the late great James Brown.
A tribute to Art Blakey will be performed by the Messenger Legacy featuring Ralph Peterson, Bobby Watson, Billy Pierce, Donald Brown, Brian Lynch and Reggie Workman. Other artists include Pittsburgh favorite Gregory Porter, Benny Benack, III, Snarky Puppy, Nancy Harris, Joe Locke and Raul Midon.
A free Jazz Crawl throughout the cultural district featuring 150 local and regional musicians at 25 locations kick starts this year’s Pittsburgh Jazzlive International Festival from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on June 20.
In collaboration with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust and Grey Area Productions, Big Sam’s Funky Nation performs late night jams at the REX on Pittsburgh’s South Side on June 21. Tickets to the show can be purchased by visiting the REX’s website at www.rextheater.com.
Jam sessions at locations throughout the cultural district will also take place at 10 p.m. on June 21-22.
Showcase Noir is an African-American designer market that highlights pottery, painting, jewelry, sculptures and fiber works available for sale by some of the world’s finest artisans. A special pop-up vinyl record store—Trust Vinyl—will be located at Ninth Street and Liberty Avenue. Coordinated by DJ Malls, visitors can vinyl records in this old-fashioned record store.
Presented by the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership, the outdoor Night Market features food, music, crafts, art, jewelry and clothing by some of Pittsburgh’s most creative and independent vendors.
(For more information on the fourth annual Pittsburgh Jazzlive International Festival, visit www.TrustArts.org/jazzlivefest.)
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