...Title
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.”
...Body
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, ...
Click here for full text