CHANGE Comes to Pitt

We’re really going to be shaking things up,” Nicole Mitchell says. She is referring to the University of Pittsburgh’s Jazz Seminar and Concert, a 49-year tradition that was started by late saxophonist Nathan Davis, who founded Pitt’s jazz program. Each fall, musicians—who over the years have included Art Blakey, Donald Byrd, and Terri Lyne Carrington—have come to Pitt to present seminars on topics ranging from their particular instrument to the music industry in general. While the talks are geared toward music students, each one is open to the public and free.

Arguably the most significant part of the event comes during the Saturday night concert at Carnegie Music Hall, across the street from the campus. During Davis’ tenure, the show felt like a blowing session, similar to Jazz at the Philharmonic. With regular guests like bassist Abraham Laboriel and drummer Idris Muhammed providing the rhythmic foundation, an array of horn players—Joe Lovano, Johnny Griffin, Benny Golson, Jon Faddis, Lew Soloff—took part in a meeting of the minds. Davis, on tenor and soprano saxophone, stepped up his game in the presence of his peers. Always an exciting show, the concert was very much steeped in tradition, which was fine with the Pittsburgh jazz audience.

This summer, Mitchell was named the William S. Dietrich II Endowed Chair in Jazz Studies, a position that had previously been held by Davis until 2013, when he retired from his role; pianist Geri Allen took over until her untimely death in 2017. It’s late July when Mitchell mentions her vision for this year’s seminar. She laughs casually because, at the