Pittsburg, PA
The Pittsburgh Jazz Fest 1964 – Mary Lou Williams and more – on the Scene — WZUM Jazz Pittsburgh
September 1964 – the Beatles played the Pittsburgh Civic Arena for their first and only show in the Steel City. Months earlier, a very major first happened in that same location, with echoes reverberating from 60 years ago now .
The lineup for the 2024 Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival will be announced April 30th for the September event. The idea of a Jazz Festival in Pittsburgh started much earlier – concerts June 19th and 20th 1964 at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena – with planning led by Mary Lou Williams that went on for several years.
We’ve not yet found a printed program or compressive report of that notable weekend, but through columns and articles from the Post-Gazette, the Pittsburgh Press and the New Pittsburgh Courier, a fuller picture of the notable weekend comes in to view – plus, a few stellar photos by the legendary Teenie Harris!
It was a very Pittsburgh focused event with a global ambition. “Hometown” headliners – the Mary Lou Williams trio (Larry Gales – bass, Percy Brice – drums), vocalist Dakota Staton and Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers; The Walt Harper Quartet, the Harold Betters Quartet with Benny Benack. Add in the (40 piece) Pittsburgh Jazz Festival Orchestra, directed by Melba Liston.
Other headliners included the Dave Brubeck Quartet, the Thelonious Monk Quartet (featuring Charlie Rouse), The Jimmy Smith Trio and a band led by trombonist Al Gray. Also, vocalists Joe Williams and Jimmy Rushing.
Also on the playbill, the Bernice Johnson Dancers and Comedian “Moms” Mabley. Plus Ruby Braff, Bud Freeman, Pee Wee Russell, Shorty Baker, Snookie Young, Percy Brice, and Ben Tucker.
A number of stories from the festival that caught our attention – a column by Carl Apone wrote about a “long awaited $20,000 improvement to the Civic Arena’s sound system” that would get its first real test from the Jazz Festival – to be followed by a concert by Nat King Cole for the Civic Light Opera season July 6, 1964. In that same column, Carl Apone noted that ticket sales were lagging just a week before the festival – sales of only $3,500 towards the $30,000 talent budget alone. Whatever happened next, total sales ended up at about $36,000. The “acid test” was the rehearsal for the Festival before doors opened on June 19, 1964 – for the biggest sound system in the region at the time.
Part of the positive net financials came from a cancellation – Sarah Vaughan was scheduled to attend – but cancelled shortly before the Festival. As noted in several articles , the $2,700 cancellation refund from the Sarah Vaughan booking was enough to swing the festival into a profit for the weekend. Making a profit helped lead to the return of the festival in 1965 with a 3 day event.
The sponsor of the event was the Catholic Youth Organization under the direction of the Rev. Michael Williams, with the encouragement of the leader of the Pittsburgh Diocese, Bishop John Wright. Governor William Scranton and former Governor David L. Lawrence served as honorary Chairmen. Mayor Joseph Barr issued a proclamation declaring “June is Jazz Month.”
The producers of the Festival were Mary Lou Williams and legendary festival promoter George Wein.
We’ll talk about the festival, and play some of the music that relates to it on The Scene – Also, a revisit to a chat with adoptive Pittsburgh jazz artist and author Deanna Witkowski – currently finalizing work on her PhD in Jazz Studies at Pitt – she did research on the importance of Mary Lou Williams’ Pittsburgh connections in getting the festival started.
Thursday night at six, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday afternoon at 5 on WZUM.
Pittsburg softball improved to 16-4 on the season by sweeping host Kansas City Piper 17-1 in five innings and 15-3 in six innings Saturday afternoon.
Breck Slaughter earned the win in both games. She allowed one run on two hits with 10 strikeouts and two walks over five innings during the opener. Then, she allowed one run on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks over three innings.
AnnaLynn Hudson pitched the last three innings of the day for the Purple Dragons.
Offensively, Pittsburg scored 17 runs on 20 hits during the opener and all nine Dragons reached the hit column. Kenleigh Warford led with four hits, Breck Slaughter and Micah Gomez each had three and Brecken Campbell, Brette Pasteur, Laney Trisler and Emily Shriver each had two. Slaughter, Trisler and Gomez each doubled twice and Pasteur and Shriver also recorded two-baggers. Brilee Mantooth homered. Gomez led the Dragons with four RBI, Campbell had three and Trisler, Mantooth and Shriver drove in two each.
The Dragons closed out their sweep with 15 runs on just 11 hits. Pasteur had a monster performance at the plate with four runs scored, three hits in three at-bats, two home runs and five RBI; she also worked a pair of walks and proved to be an utter pain for Piper pitchers Reagan Asbury and Harper Cordill.
Campbell also homered and finished with three hits for the Dragons. Slaughter and Shriver both finished with two hits and both seniors doubled.
Pittsburg won four games during the week and outscored Labette County, Independence and Piper by a combined 59-11. The Dragons return to Southeast Kansas League play on the road Monday against Independence; the Dragons beat the Bulldogs 14-1 in five innings last Thursday in Pittsburg.
The Dragons are looking to wrap up at least a share of the SEK League title.
Pittsburg 612 44 — 17 20 0
KC Piper 000 01 — 1 2 5
Breck Slaughter and Peyton Morey; Stella Utter and Ginny Garcia. W: Slaughter. L: Utter. 2B—PHS: Slaughter 2, Brette Pasteur, Emily Shriver, Laney Trisler 2, Micah Gomez 2; KCP: Faith Flournoy. HR—PHS: Brilee Mantooth.
——
Pittsburg 225 105 — 15 7 2
KC Piper 100 101 — 3 6 6
Breck Slaughter, AnnaLynn Hudson (4) and Peyton Morey; Reagan Asbury, Harper Cordill (5) and Faith Flournoy. W: Slaughter. L: Asbury. 2B—PHS: Slaughter. HR—PHs: Brecken Campbell, Brette Pasteur 2; KCP: Ginny Garcia.
This sports reporting is made possible, in part, by the Support Local Journalism Project Fund. Learn more at: southeastkansas.org/fund/support-local-journalism-project-fund/
Pittsburg, PA
Steelers insider just poured gasoline on the Aaron Rodgers fire following latest report of what he was doing in Pittsburgh
Aaron Rodgers was supposed to be in Pittsburgh over the weekend, with the thought that a deal would get done. One Steelers insider backs the report, but adds details that only compound a messy situation.
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
At this point, the events of the past two seasons between Aaron Rodgers and the Pittsburgh Steelers could probably be a book or movie. Everything from walks on the beach, to him throwing with DK Metcalf before signing, to someone capturing him driving a rental car into Pittsburgh has made waves.
This offseason was supposed to be different, and a decision from Rodgers was supposed to come much earlier. However, the Steelers remain in a holding pattern, and one that many believed would end over the weekend, after it was reported that Rodgers would be in town to sign a contract. Well, that seems to be true, but like much of this saga over the past two years, there seems to be a holdup.
Aaron Rodgers 2025 stats
- 3.4 TD to INT ratio.
- 3,322 passing yards.
- 65.7% completion percentage.
Aaron Rodgers visited Pittsburgh, but not the Steelers over the weekend
“Aaron Rodgers has been in town for a couple days, but the Steelers have not met with him yet and instead have been talking with his agent. Rodgers has stayed away from the team’s South Side facility while the three-day rookie minicamp has been going on.” – Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The news from Dulac comes on the heels of the report from 93.7 The Fan in Pittsburgh that Rodgers would be visiting the Steelers over the weekend, with the intention to sign his deal.
That report was backed up nationally by NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport, but some in Steelers media (Mark Kaboly) said that if Rodgers was going to be in town, that was news to the team.
Omar Khan said as much during a radio hit after the reports surfaced, saying that he didn’t know where Rodgers was, but that talks remained fluid. Of course, general managers, including Omar Khan, have been known to bend the truth, which seems to lie somewhere in the middle here.
The bottom line with Aaron Rodgers
It’s obvious to me that the Steelers and Rodgers are held up over money. I know that it was said to not be the case, but you don’t intentionally avoid meeting with a team and have your agent talk to them, just days after they use a tender that determines your 2026 salary, if you’re just going to sign.
I would be surprised if Rodgers doesn’t sign at this point, but it doesn’t change the monetary situation that needs to be worked out here.
Kennywood honored two longtime employees Saturday who together have worked at the park for a combined 100 years.
Larry Russ and Bobby Trygar started working at Kennywood in 1976.
Russ began his Kennywood career as a games employee, working at the Big Apple dart game. In 1980, Russ applied to the security team and has held positions there ever since, including roles as a corporal, lieutenant, chief, and captain, according to a press release provided by the park.
Trygar began his time at Kennywood by working in the Parkside Café. Since he joined Kennywood, he has helped to maintain some of the park’s most iconic attractions, including the Racer, Log Jammer, and Merry Go Round.
“This is something you dream about. It’s so amazing,” Trygar said. “One of the best things when I worked out here was when I met my wife on the Racer. I was the mechanic. It’s just a great feeling to come here every day, see smiles on people’s faces, it’s tremendous. It gives you that extra boost and happiness.”
“I was planning on going into the mill, like everyone else was during my era,” Russ said. “Of course, the mill shut down. My father told me, ‘You don’t want to [work at the mill]. This place isn’t going to be here that much longer,’ and he was right, so I stuck it out here. I got a full-time position in 1980, and the rest is history.”
The park also dedicated two benches in their honor.
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