Pittsburgh has one of the richest jazz legacies in the world and we are proud to celebrate that along with presenting the world class jazz scene happening right now
LIVE pgh JAZZ
Sonny Rollins Tribute Ft. Erik Lawrence and the roger humphries trio
Don’t miss this tribute to the late Sonny Rollins!
Erik Lawrence - tenor sax
Dwayne Dolphin - bass
Max Leake - keys
Roger Humphries - drums
“Erik Lawrence began playing saxophone at five years old. He was a founding and longtime member of the multi Grammy winning, legendary Levon Helm Band, and recently toured 8 years with Little Feat. Along the way he has played with Tibetan masters Yungchen Lhamo and Nawhang Khechog, with master poets Robert Pinsky, Frank Messina, Donald Lev, John Sinclair, jazz masters Chico Hamilton, Sonny Sharrock, Henry Butler and legends including Aretha Franklin, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello and many others, winning two Grammys and two Platinum albums along the way.”
Artist Website: http://www.eriklawrencemusic.com
The Indestructible Sextet
Indestructible celebrates the music and legacy of The Jazz Messengers by performing compositions by Wayne Shorter, Lee Morgan, Curtis Fuller, Horace Silver, and others. The Jazz Messengers were a jazz combo for over thirty-five years, beginning in the early 1950s as a collective and ending when long-time leader and founding drummer Art Blakey passed away in 1990. Indestructible was founded by trombonist and bandleader Reggie Watkins in 2021 and features the region’s finest jazz musicians. This high-energy and relentlessly swinging group delivers blues-infused improvisations, masterful arrangements, and big band power.
Reggie Watkins - trombone
Jacob Hurlock - piano
James Moore - trumpet
Mike Tomaro - saxophone
Eli Naragon - bass
Jevon Rushton - drums
Dennis Garner & Tempo Noir
Experience an incredibly fun night at Con Alma with Tempo Noir!
Dennis Garner Jr. - drums
Chanell “CJ” Harris - vox
John Hall - bass
“Dennis Garner Jr. and the Tempo Noir Band represent a electrifying musical experience that not provides the audience with a melodic transcendent experience, but also a unique audience-inclusive performance. The rhythms and band harmonies take the audience on a journey from easy listening to a height of soul clapping and dancing.”
Late nite Jam Session with Tony Campbell
Every 3rd Saturday, the Con Alma stage comes alive with our monthly jazz jam session, led by Pittsburgh saxophone legend Tony Campbell.
Experience the energy of the city’s growing jazz scene as musicians of all levels join Tony and the house band for spontaneous, soulful sets.
Musicians — bring your “horn” and a standard!
Participating players receive 50% off the music charge.
Swing through. Sit in and celebrate our thriving jazz scene.
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House Band:
Tony Campbell - sax
TBA
Benny Benack 2
Benny Benack Jr. - sax, clarinet
Leon Boykins - bass
Max Leake - keys
David Glover - drums
“Benny Benack Jr. or BB2 has been a staple on the Pittsburgh Jazz scene for 50 years and the name Benny Benack spans 3 generations. From the first Pittsburgh Kool Jazz Festival with his father Benny Sr. to recording and playing jazz clubs in New York, Las Vegas, Ann Arbor and Hilton Head with son Benny 3, he and his band play in a style that borrows from that rich family tradition yet is all its own. From dixie to swing to straight-ahead and smooth jazz, we are dedicated to playing for the people. And remember, "It's our favorite club in town, grab a drink and sit right down, it's CON AL-MA."
Denzel Chismar-Oliver Quartet
Denzel Chismar-Oliver - bass
Michael Bernabe - keys
Adam Bleil - trumpet/EVI
James Johnson III - drums
“Pittsburgh-based bassist Denzel Chismar-Oliver attended Duquesne University and has been playing since age seven. He has recorded at top studios like Red Caiman and the Vault, and shared stages with artists such as Chantae Cann, Glenn Zaleski, and Jeff Bradshaw. Denzel has also performed at many events such as the Tri-C Jazz Festival, the Rubber City Jazz Festival, and the Strange Fruit Music Festival.”
Soup Session (Hip-Hop/Jazz)
James Johnson III - drums
Brother Renze - bass
Joey Garner III - percussion
Cliff Barnes - organ
Chris Coles - sax
Michael Bernabe - keys
Cam Chambers - vocals
“Soup Session is a Pittsburgh-based music collective featuring James Johnson III, Brother Renze, and Joey Garner III—and a rotating menu of new friends, blending innovative jazz and hip-hop. Soup Session is cookin' up a fresh sound for the Steel City.”
Throckmorton/Lintz/Barnes
David Throckmorton - drums
Ava Lintz - bass
Cliff Barnes - piano
“Drummer David Throckmorton and pianist Cliff Barnes have been playing together in various groups for 15 years. They have been co leading this piano trio the last few years with a variety of bass players.”
Mike Tomaro New Quartet
Join us for a fun night of as seasoned vet of the jazz scene saxophonist/arranger Mike Tomaro takes his band through jazz fusion music classics!
Mike Tomaro - sax
Kurt Lorence - bass
Michael Bernabe - keys
Hugo Cruz - drums
“Mike Tomaro recently retired as Jazz Studies Program Director at Duquesne University. He is an internationally-known composer/arranger/performer/jazz educator with over 300 published compositions, 5 nationally-released albums, and has performance and writing credits with dozens of jazz luminaries.”
Artist Website: https://www.miketomaro.com/
Pairing Series: The music of pharrell williams feat. cam chambers
Join us for our September Pairing Series! Cam Chambers plays the music of Pharrell Williams
Cam Chambers - drums/vocals
Band TBA
Jason Kush Quartet
Jason Kush - sax
Alton Merrell - piano
Leon Boykins - bass
Dave Glover - drums
“Dr. Jason Kush is an acclaimed who has performed as a leader, soloist, and ensemble member in a wide variety of musical settings in the United States, Europe, and Central and South America. Fluent in multiple genres, Kush is both a member of the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra and has performed seventeen seasons with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Kush’s most recent jazz album Finally Friday (MCG Jazz) received critical acclaim from reviewers in the US and Europe. Kush has recorded or performed recently with Maceo Parker, Arturo Sandoval, Eddie Daniels, Paquito D’Rivera, Benny Golson, Sean Jones, Christian McBride, Jeff “Tain” Watts, Freddie Cole, Tom Scott, Hubert Laws, Common, Patti Austin, Andrea Bocelli, and Hugh Jackman, among many others.”
Artist Website: http://www.jasonkush.com
Small Hours Trio
Margot Jezerc - vocals
Bryce Rabideau - mandolin
Jason Rafalak - bass
“Small Hours is a lively acoustic tribute to swing era greats such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Vocalist Margot Jezerc, mandolinist Bryce Rabideau, and upright bassist Jason Rafalak use their unconventional instrumentation to breathe new life into beloved songs and celebrate a century of American improvised music. The result is a technically tight, sonically inventive trio with a singular sound. When they’re not performing as Small Hours, Margot, Bryce, and Jason are often touring the country with the Pittsburgh-based folk band Buffalo Rose.”
Kelsey Jumper & Colter Harper
Kelsey Jumper - vocals/percussion
Colter Harper - guitar/percussion
“Kelsey Jumper + Colter Harper have worked in tandem since ‘22 building musical sets that celebrate American jazz, American folk and country music, Brazilian jazz and a junk drawer bursting with other things they like. They’ve been commissioned by The Carnegie Museum of Art to explore the intersection of country and soul music, and have developed two bodies of work (‘Opposites Abstract’ and ‘Planes, Trains, Automobiles, Busses, Bikes, and Inclines too!’) which include concerts, storytelling, video and physical installation in residency with The Pittsburgh Children’s Museum under the collective moniker ‘the cookie table’. They’ve presented at The Mattress Factory, Pittsburgh’s Honky Tonk, The Kelly Strayhorn Theater and The Duquesne Club and most recently crafted an evening of music by Brazilian composer, Caetano Veloso, reimagining 60 years of activism through songwriting for City of Asylum.”
A Night of New Orleans Music
Revon Andrews - trombone
Denzel Chismar-Oliver - bass
Orlando Gilbert - sax
Karen Shiraishi - piano
Ian Molinaro-Thompson - drums
“Pittsburgher and drummer Ian Molinaro-Thompson lived and worked in New Orleans for nearly a decade. After moving back to Pittsburgh last summer he has established himself as one of the best up and coming musicians in town. Returning to the Con Alma stage he will be accompanied by Denzel Chismar Oliver and 3 of his closest musical companions from New Orleans: Revon Andrews, Orlando Gilbert, and Karen Shiraishi.”
Grey/Throckmorton/MCH
Tony Grey - bass
Matthew Charles Heulitt - guitar
David Throckmorton - drums
“Grey-Throckmorton-Heulitt is a Pittsburgh-based jazz fusion trio with world-class players. Longtime Pittsburgh veteran David Throckmorton on drums (Maynard Ferguson, Dan Wilson, David Fiuczynski, Reb Beach), Matthew Charles Heulitt on guitar (Narada Michael Walden, Carlos Santana, Zigaboo Modeliste), and Tony Grey on bass (Hiromi, Bob James). This trio merges high-level playing with intimate improvisational dialogues and genre-crossing melodies full of depth and emotion.”
Boilermaker Jazz Band Ft. Special Guest Jake Handelman
Paul Cosentino - sax, clarinet, vocals
Jake Handelman - trombone
Antonio Croes - piano
Chris McGraw - bass
Richard Strong - drums
Paul Cosentino's Boilermaker Jazz Band Brings the Swing to the Cultural District. Special guest powerhouse trombonist Jake Handelman from NYC. Don't miss this!!!
Ken Karsh Trio
Don’t miss local guitar hero Ken Karsh and his fabulous trio!
Ken Karsh - guitar
Kurt Lorence - bass
Subha Das - drums
Colter Harper Quintet
Colter Harper - guitar
Leon Boykins - bass
Chris Coles - sax
Kelsey Jumper - vocals
James Johnson III - drums
“Colter Harper is guitarist and scholar whose book Jazz in the Hill: Nightlife and Narratives of a Pittsburgh Neighborhood (University Press of Mississippi, 2024) delves into the history of Pittsburgh jazz clubs as sites of entrepreneurialism, placemaking, labor organizing, and critical listening in the storied Hill District neighborhood. Colter is a versatile guitarist and composer who owes a great deal to Pittsburgh's musical community as well as his experiences traveling, performing, and studying in West Africa, Brazil, and Europe. This performance will bring together a group of luminaries for a night of originals and arrangements of Brazilian composer Caetano Veloso.”
Artist Website: http://www.colterharper.com
Steel City Calypso Ft. Chantal Joseph
Daniel Munier - steel pans
Subha Das - drums
Paul Thompson - bass
Greg Lutz - piano
Chantal Joseph - vocals
Con Alma All Stars with the Center of Life Jazz Program
John Bagnato - guitar
Reggie Watkins - trombone
Eli Alfieri - bass
Roger Humphries - drums
“The Center of Life Jazz Program for high school students has served Pittsburgh youth for 25 years. Program alumni have gone on to study music at Berklee, Temple, and Indiana Bloomington, and tour the world with musicians like Kenny Garrett and Marcus Miller. Roger Humphries and Reggie Watkins are icons of Pittsburgh’s jazz scene with international renown who have conducted masterclasses at the Center. The students will meet their mentors onstage at Con Alma in an unforgettable show.”
Aurora
Classic Jazz Fusion with Aurora!
Marty Ashby - gtr
Mike Tomaro - sax
Jeff Bush - trombone
Max Leake - piano
Hugo Cruz - drums
Winston Bell group
Winston Bell - sax
Alex Mijangos - bass
Eli Holland - keys
Marvin Irish - drums
Young lion Winston Bell returns to Con Alma!
Ava Lintz quartet
Ava Lintz - bass
Mike Hugo - guitar
Cliff Barnes - piano
James Johnson III - drums
Lou Stellute Quartet
Lou Stellute - tenor sax
Dwayne Dolphin - bass
Alton Merrell - piano
George Heid III - drums
Mode Indigo ft. Olya
Olya - vocals
Benjamin May — piano
Michael Gudbar - bass
Thomas Wendt - drums
Grace Elliott
Don’t miss rising jazz and r&b singer Grace Elliot as she returns to the Con Alma stage to lead her band.
Grace Elliott - vocals
Antonio Croes - piano
Chris McGraw - bass
George Heid III - drums
“Grace Elliott is a vocalist, songwriter, and bandleader. She loves to entertain, performing any kind of music that is meaningful and exciting. Her debut EP "When I Can Fly" is out now anywhere that you stream music. In addition to her self-led shows, she sings frequently with the Boilermaker Jazz band. She loves spreading her music to all different kinds of people and hopes you enjoy the music!”
Andrew Kirk’s DEEP DIVE
Drummer Andrew Kirk’s eclectic group Deep Dive returns to Con Alma!
Andrew Kirk - drums
Scott Boni - sax
Denzel Chismar-Oliver - bass
Justin Bechak - piano
“Andrew is a Pittsburgh-based jazz musician whose career began under the tutelage of the legendary Roger Humphries. His journey has taken him through Charlottesville, Philadelphia, Nashville, and a year performing on international cruise ships. He has performed in groups led by notable artists such as John D’Earth and Mike Boone, and has studied privately with masters including Greg Hutchinson, James Johnson III, and David Throckmorton.
In addition to performing regularly in the Pittsburgh jazz scene and leading his quintet, “Deep Dive,” Andrew has been a featured guest with the James Madison University and University of Virginia Jazz Ensembles. In April 2026, he gained national exposure as a member of the NFL Draft House Band, performing on the main stage for the duration of the event.
His premier album, The Space In Between, features John D’Earth and showcases a deep-rooted love for jazz with avant-garde influences. Whether on stage or in the studio, Andrew remains dedicated to his craft and to building meaningful connections with his audiences.”
Keefe Jackson - Jakob Heinemann Quartet
The Keefe Jackson - Jakob Heinemann Quartet presents an international collaboration between three cities, weaving together sounds from the musical communities of Oslo, Chicago and Los Angeles. The project consists of a core trio with Keefe Jackson (saxophones, bass clarinet), Adam Shead (drums), and Jakob Heinemann on bass, who released their debut album Stinger in August 2025 on Irritable Mystic Records. Augmenting this group is reedist Andre Royston, a rising star on Oslo’s thriving creative music scene. Stinger has received strong critical response, with All About Jazz praising the trio’s fluency and collective language, The Free Jazz Collective calling the album “glorious stuff” and placing Jackson firmly in the loft-era aesthetic tradition, and Dusted Magazine highlighting the group's emotionally compelling, nimble interplay. This quartet builds directly on that foundation, debuting a new book of compositions while maintaining the same collective spirit of improvisation.
Summer Cocktail Party: Music of Bruno Mars played by jevon Rushton Group
Weds Aug 26th
Summer Cocktail Party
Music of Bruno Mars
Jevon Rushton - drums
Howie Alexander - keys
Glyn Lloyd Jr. - bass
Diego Byrnes - guitar/vocals
$75 PP includes 2 Cocktails/Wines, Appetizers and Live Music performed by the Jevon Rushton Group
Ft. newly curated cocktails by bar manager Hannah Mckee
New late summer dishes by Chef Josh Ross
Liquor reps on hand for tastings
Open seating tickets as well as VIP stage side tables available.
Celebrate 7 years of Con Alma at this inaugural end of summer party in the heart of the cultural district!
Wakefield & Ruch
Jack Ruch - guitar
Adam Wakefield - piano
Jus James - bass
Will Loney - drums
Jack Ruch and Adam Wakefield are staples of the Nashville music scene. They can be seen at their local residencies or on stage as guests with Nashville legends such as Guthrie Trapp and Jimmy Hall. With Adam’s touring fanbase and Jack’s dedicated online guitar following, their next project, “For Her Love”, is highly anticipated. Jack’s first solo record features Ruch and Wakefield alongside their musical heroes Dennis Chambers and Gary Grainger, and also one of Blue Note’s newest signs, Baltimore trumpet phenom, Brandon Woody. With momentum from this release in May/June, the pair will be touring this summer in support.
Jason Kush Quartet - Oh!Jazz LIvestream
Jason Kush - sax
Max Leake - piano
Leon Boykins - bass
David Glover - drums
Check out our livestream platform partner Oh!Jazz
Rick DiMuzio TRIo
Rick DiMuzio - sax
Chris McGraw - bass
Tony Martucci - drums
“Rick DiMuzio is a highly gifted musician and also a double threat as a prolific composer
and an accomplished saxophonist. I’ve worked with Rick for 15 years and his boundless
creativity never ceases to amaze me. His saxophone solo on “Betty Fast” is a brilliant
“schooling” on how to navigate through the infamous Golson chord changes, while
”Beloved” encapsulates personal and universal emotions, showing Rick’s ability to share
with great depth how the power of music comforts, transports, awakens and heals.”
— Terri Lyne Carrington
Heidi Beatty
Heidi Beatty - vocals
Leon Boykins - bass
Mark Strickland - guitar
Subha Das - drums
Andean Jazz with Jazz de Barro
Jazz de Barro, the premier Andean jazz group from Ecuador, will tour in the
Northeast U.S. in August 2026.
The group is a winner of the 2025 IberMúsicas (Spain) travel grant which covers their round trip
airfare from Ecuador.
Jazz de Barro belongs to the thriving Andean Jazz scene in Ecuador, attracting attention world-
wide from music connoisseurs. Their original music combines a deep knowledge of jazz tradition
with a lived connection to the landscape of the Andes, with its infectious rhythms and sounds of
nature.
Saxophone/clarinet virtuosa Su Terry adds bird whistles and ocarinas to her usual instruments.
She's referred to as the "Superwoman of Jazz" (Hartford Courant) and as part of the New York
and Pennsylvania jazz scenes for decades, she is well-known to music lovers both nationally and
worldwide.
Lucas Bravo is an award-winning pianist in both classical and jazz genres, as well as an innova-
tive composer. He is equally comfortable on a 9-foot Steinway or an electric keyboard, and fre-
quently uses both simultaneously. He is the oldest son of the Bravo family of professional musi-
cians.
Acoustic and electric bassist Christian Torres performs with the Cuenca Symphony Orchestra
and other ensembles in classical, pop and jazz. He arranges the Jazz de Barro repertoire for their
joint concerts with the Cuenca Symphony and the Cuenca Philharmonia.
Drummer Raúl Molina from Quito is the founder of the popular group Jazz the Roots. He brings
his unique percussion concept to the very different repertoire of Jazz de Barro. He's a Berklee
graduate and one of the leaders in the Andean Jazz movement.
Dwayne Dolphin Fo'Tet
Dwayne Dolphin - bass
George Heid III - drums
Scott Boni - sax
James Moore - trumpet
Antonio Croes - piano
Bobby Selvaggio Quartet
Bobby Selvaggio - sax
Kevin Martinez - bass
Zakk Jones - guitar
Zaire Darden - drums
Bobby Selvaggio is a saxophonist, composer, and arranger from Ohio who just released a new record called “Red Rhinoceros”
Thomas Wendt Quartet
Thomas Wendt - drums
Paul Thompson - bass
Scott Boni - sax
Mike Hugo - guitar
Tony Campbell ft. Justin McCord
Don’t miss up and coming male jazz singer Justin McCord in his Con Alma debut with bandleader and Pittsburgh Jazz Hall of Famer Tony Campbell !
Tony Campbell - sax
Justin McCord - vocals
Band TBA
Don’t miss up and coming male jazz singer Justin McCord in his Con Alma debut with bandleader and Pittsburgh Jazz Hall of Famer Tony Campbell !
Reggie Watkins’ Rivers Quartet ft. Thomas Schinabeck
Reggie Watkins - trombone
Thomas Schinabeck - alto sax
Mike Bernabe - piano
Eli Naragon - bass
Jason Washington Jr - drums
Aurora (CLassic Jazz Fusion)
Don’t miss an incredible show of classic jazz fusion with Aurora!
Marty Ashby - guitar
Mike Tomaro - sax
Max Leak - piano
Kurt Lorence - bass
Hugo Cruz - drums
Jeff Bush - trombone
Tony DePaolis GRoup
Don’t miss this group led by Tony DePaolis back from NYC to present 2 sets of music at Con Alma…
Tony DePaolis - bass
Tom Wendt - drums
Alton Merrell - piano
Chris Coles - sax
plus special guest
Hugo Cruz & Caminos
Hugo Cruz returns to Con Alma! DOn’t miss an exciting night of latin jazz fusion all in one.
Hugo Cruz - percussio, drums, vocals
Band TBA
DePaolis/Alexander/Rushton
Tony DePaolis - bass
Howie Alexander - piano
Jevon Rushton - drums
Don’t miss this outstanding trio in what’s sure to be a night of great tunes and improvisations to remember!
Kathy Connor
Kathy Connor - vocals
Tony DePaolis - bass
Mark Strickland - guitar
Tom Wendt - drums
Cliff Barnes - piano