Philadelphia (June 26, 2009) – Philadelphia jazz greats Jymie Merritt, a hard bop double bassist, and soul jazz keyboardist Trudy Pitts will be honored with awards from the Philadelphia Jazz Heritage Project when jazz aficionados gather to celebrate the city’s rich musical legacy at Philadelphia Jazz Fest 2009 being held at the University of the Arts on July 12, 2009.

Each will be celebrated with a video tribute then take the stage for a performance – first Merritt with his quintet then Pitts solo. Following the performances, Merritt, an alumnus of the Philadelphia Conservatory of Music (now the University of the Arts), and Pitts, a University of the Arts alumna and faculty member in the School of Music, will participate in an on-stage interview with event emcee J. Michael Harrison, host of WRTI’s jazz show, “The Bridge.”

A native Philadelphian, Merritt credits his success to early gigs with Hassan Ibn and jam sessions – often at his own house with his mother as hostess – with such local notables at the time as Jimmy Heath, Philly Joe Jones, John Coltrane, Red Garland, Jimmy Smith, John Dennis and Benny Golson. Other early experiences included gigs with the Jimmy Campbell Quintet and Ernie Hopkins Quartet. He is perhaps best known for his years touring and recording as an acoustic bassist with Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers (1958 – 1962).

Also a native Philadelphian, Pitts began playing piano at 6 and studied at Philadelphia’s Musical Academy, Temple University and Juilliard, among other institutions. A sensation on the Hammond organ and piano, she often plays alongside her husband, drummer Bill Carney a.k.a. “Mr. C.” The two met in Philadelphia in the 1950s when Carney recruited Pitts to play organ in his group the Hi-Tones, which included a young saxophonist named John Coltrane. She has played with greats like Ben Webster, Gene Ammons and Sonny Stitt, and recorded four albums for Prestige, appearing with Willis Jackson, Pat Martino, and later Rahsaan Roland Kirk. On September 15, 2006, Pitts became the first jazz artist to play a concert on the 7,000-pipe organ in Verizon Hall at Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center.

Sponsored by allaboutjazz.com and the University of the Arts, Jazz Fest 2009 will also include screenings of the documentaries “Brownie Speaks,” about the legacy of late jazz trumpeter Clifford Brown, produced and directed by University of the Arts Professor of Piano and Jazz Studies Don Glanden; and “Icons Among Us: jazz in the present tense,” which explores the music and divergent influences shaping jazz at the beginning of the 21st century. Professional and University of the Arts jazz ensembles will perform intermittently throughout the event.

The Philadelphia Jazz Heritage Project was founded in 2007. Its goal is to provide an organizational coordinating hub to document, facilitate and promote the evolving legacy of jazz music and musicians in the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley region, from its earliest roots to the present. The University of the Arts, which includes one of the world’s largest and most distinguished jazz programs, has partnered with PJHP to advance common goals.

Philadelphia Jazz Fair 2009 – Free and open to the public
July 12, 2009, 1 – 5:30 p.m
Caplan Center for the Performing Arts @ University of the Arts (211 Broad St., Philadelphia)

Schedule
1 – Opening Remarks Philadelphia Jazz Heritage Project – Caplan Recital Hall
1:10 – The University of the Arts Student Jazz Quartet

• Adam Siegel, AJ Luca, Ryan Kuhns, Anwar Marshall – Caplan Recital Hall

1:10 – *Film Screening: Icons Among Us (106 minutes) - Connelly Auditorium
1:30 – Film Screening: Brownie Speaks (86 minutes) - Caplan Recital Hall
3:10 – Performances – Caplan Recital Hall

• John Blake, Steve Beskrone, Jim Miller
• Don Glanden Quartet featuring Micah Jones, Fred Biondi, Mike Pracher

3:30 – Philadelphia Jazz Heritage Award Presentation: Jymie Merritt

• Jymie Merritt Video Tribute
• Introduction by Charles Fambrough
• Performance by Jymie Merritt Quintet

Philadelphia Jazz Heritage Award Presentation: Trudy Pitts

• Trudy Pitts Video Tribute
• Introduction by Tim Warfield
• Solo piano performance: Trudy Pitts

4:30 – J. Michael Harrison: Conversation with Jymie and Trudy
5:15 – Concluding remarks

* "Icons Among Us" will run concurrently with UArts Jazz Quartet and "Brownie Speaks."

Attendees are encouraged to visit the information table in the Caplan lobby to receive literature about Philadelphia Jazz Heritage Project member organizations and other news about jazz initiatives in Philadelphia.

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