When I first met with our 2017 Smordin Law Artist-in-Residence, Colleen Allen, she had so many fantastic suggestions of possible groups she could put together that we could have done … Continue Reading Kalabash: Caribbean Jazz October 27 at Mills Hardware
One of the most exciting parts of the festival-planning process is asking an artist to create our poster design. I’m so proud of the beautiful artwork that his been created … Continue Reading 2017 Poster Design by Kareem Ferreira
The Steel City Jazz Festival celebrates its fifth year this October! We’re switching back to a one-weekend format and bringing you some of our most exciting programming yet, including four … Continue Reading Fifth Annual Steel City Jazz Festival Dates Announced: Oct 24-29
The 4th annual Steel City Jazz Festival starts later today, so naturally now is a good time to take a momentary break from talking jazz to talk food instead. In case … Continue Reading Where To Eat Before the Show: 2016 Edition
Those of you who have followed the development of the festival over the past few years may have noticed two threads connecting each iteration to the other. The first might … Continue Reading Closing Weekend: The Jazz Connection Big Band & Scenic November 4th & 5th
I love listening to jazz, but I also love reading about jazz. I’ll read just about any jazz biography I can get my hands on, and I can’t get enough … Continue Reading Artists Talks: Mike Malone and Brownman Ali
Once I passed trick-or-treating age (the acceptable upper limit for trick-or-treating is twelve) I think that Thanksgiving slowly started to overtake Halloween in my heart. Maybe it’s because I began … Continue Reading SCJF Halloween Special: The Koopa Troop & The Orechin/Rosselli/Castelli Trio
Is year four too early to start reminiscing about earlier iterations of the festival? I’m going to risk it. Long long ago in 2013, when the Steel City Jazz Festival … Continue Reading Jazz Vocalists: The Aubrey Wilson Quartet & The Ault Sisters October 29th at Artword Artbar
We’ve asked bassist, composer and Steel City Jazz Festival-organizer Brad Cheeseman to share his thoughts on this very exciting show. Here’s Brad! In 2008, I went to the old Pepper … Continue Reading Lewis.Brown: An Evening with Rich Brown and Larnell Lewis October 28th
One of the highlights for me each year of the Steel City Jazz Festival is hearing music that the artists have composed themselves. Of course like any jazz fan I … Continue Reading Kite Trio & The Brad Cheeseman Trio October 27th
When the planning for the very first Steel City Jazz Festival began in 2012, I was very fortunate to have the help of Jazz Connection Big Band leader Simon Wheeldon … Continue Reading 2016 Smordin Law Artist-in-Residence: Mike Malone
I can remember how good it felt the first time I played music that actually made people get up and dance. I was in playing in a big band at … Continue Reading Alex Pangman & Her Alleycats November 2nd: Co-Presented with the Hammer Hoppers
School starts tomorrow, so even though summer technically has a few weeks left to go I know I’m not alone in thinking that fall is more or less here. I … Continue Reading 2016 SCJF Opening Night: Andrew Downing’s Otterville October 26
The 2015 Steel City Jazz Festival wrapped up yesterday; what an amazing two weeks! Thank you to all the musicians and listeners for making this little festival feel big and … Continue Reading See you next year!
Halloween hasn’t even come yet, so I know it’s offside to start talking about Christmas, but indulge me here for a second. On Christmas Eve, 1964 Wayne Shorter headed to … Continue Reading ‘Speak No Evil’ Live with the Chris Bruder Quintet October 29th
I’d say that Halloween is the holiday most associated with getting up to no good (although St Patrick’s day might give it a run for its money), so I think … Continue Reading The Jazz Connection Big Band Devil’s Night Bonanza October 30th