Night of Negri Guitarist performs with symphony
The Butler County Symphony Orchestra presents an evening of jazz with acclaimed guitarist Joe Negri and his trio at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Butler Intermediate High School auditorium.
Featured selections will include “Ragomania,” “A Salute to Irving Berlin” and Duke Ellington’s “Martin Luther King.”
New for this concert, musical director Matthew Kraemer will give a pre-concert lecture from 6:30 to 7 p.m. to discuss the music to be played that evening.
Negri has performed with artists such as Johnny Mathis, Tony Bennett, Andy Williams, Eartha Kitt, Johnny Costa, Yo-Yo Ma and Wynton, Branford and Ellis Marsalis.
Negri’s career has spanned several decades, and he has performed in every aspect of the music business.
He appears frequently as a guest with the Pittsburgh Symphony and the Pittsburgh Symphony Pops. He is also featured on the PSO’s “Cinema Serenade” recording with Itzhak Perlman and John Williams.
Negri frequently appeared as “Handyman Negri” on PBS’ “Mister Rogers Neighborhood.”
He also has distinguished himself as a composer with “The Crossing,” premiered by The River City Brass Band, and his jazz choral work “The Mass of Hope.”
His recordings include “Mass of Hope” and a Brazilian jazz CD called “Afternoon in Rio.” In 2007, he added a holiday CD “Guitars for Christmas” and his latest studio venture “Uptown Elegance.”
Negri continues to be active in the studio. He has recorded with singer Michael Feinstein and is currently working on his own recording project. He also shares his knowledge and experience of jazz guitar through his teaching at the University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne University, and his alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University.
His awards and honors most recently include “Established Artist of the Year” by the The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, the Mellon Jazz Community Award, and the “Elsie Award.” Duquesne recently presented him with an honorary doctorate in music.
Concert tickets are $18 in advance or $20 at the door. Student tickets are $5. Tickets are available at the symphony office, 259 S. Main St.
For more information, call 724-283-1402 or visit www.butlersymphony.org.
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