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Proclamation honoring Pittsburgh's legendary jazz musician Roger L. Humphries and recognizing the premier of a documentary made in his honor entitled "Pass It On."
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WHEREAS, born on January 30, 1944, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Roger Humphries began playing drums at age three and a half, and began performing professionally at the age of 14; and
WHEREAS, lauded as a Pittsburgh jazz legend, Mr. Humphries has provided percussion assistance to countless legendary musical artists, including Stanley Turrentine, Ray Charles, Horace Silver, Richard "Grooves" Holmes and James Moody, just to name a few; and
WHEREAS, his performances have taken him to Europe and across our great nation, including appearances at Carnegie Music Hall, Village Gate and the Apollo Theatre in New York; the Bohemian Caverns in Los Angeles; Pep's Lounge in Philadelphia and Ronny Scott's in London, England; and
WHEREAS, after playing with various groups around the country, in 1972, Roger organized his own band, R.H. Factor, and in 1996, he assembled Roger Humphries' Big Band; an outstanding musical artist, his work can be heard on numerous albums, such as "Songs for My Father," "Love I Know Your Name" and "Don't Give Up"; and
WHEREAS, Mr. Humphries is well-known throughout his community for his work as a musical instructor at The Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) and at the University of Pittsburgh, as well as for his contributions as a teacher at the Slippery Rock University Summer Jazz workshops and the Mellon Jazz Masters Class and Concerts; and
WHEREAS, on February 22, 2014 at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild (MCG) on Pittsburgh's North Side, a documentary, entitled Pass It On, honoring the life of Roger Humphries will premier; directed and produced by Billy Jackson of NOMMO Productions, the documentary highlights Roger's humble personality and his commitment to ensuring that a musical tradition is passed on to young artists;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that Allegheny County Council does hereby honor Mr. Roger Humphries for his world-renowned talent and his steadfast and uncompromising commitment to jazz education. We are blessed to be able to honor Mr. Humphries, an authentic jazz hero, and we thank him for enriching our lives through music.