Thursday Night Jazz: Tony Campbell’s Alto Sax Madness (A Tribute to Richie Cole & Eric Kloss)

It’s the last Thursday Night Jazz concert of the summer! We’re going out with a bang as Pittsburgh Jazz Society’s Hall of Fame inductee Tony Campbell takes to the stage to honor the life and music of two great saxophonists: Eric Kloss and Richie Cole. 

Eric Kloss was born in Greenville in 1949, and when he sat in with legends at Pittsburgh’s Crawford Grill, “the 12-year-old alto player wasn’t going to get any breaks due to his age or his blindness” (JazzTimes). That was just the start of Eric Kloss’s career, which saw him collaborate with such legends as Chick Corea. Eric was also a frequent guest on Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood for over 25 years.

Richie Cole, the “keeper of the bebop flame” (WBGO), developed his own “alto madness” style in the 1970s and recorded over 50 albums. He spent his last years in Pittsburgh, where he was an elder in the jazz community until his death of natural causes in 2020.

Tony and an incredible lineup of Pittsburgh jazz legends will perform tracks from Eric and Richie’s extensive discographies, paying homage to these two heroes of the genre. 

Featured Musicians:

Tony Campbell: saxophone

Victor Garzotto: piano

Dwayne Dolphin: bass

Roger Humphries: drums

About the Artist:

Tony Campbell was inducted into the Pittsburgh Jazz Society’s Hall of Fame in 2010. His musical journey began in the Hill District in 1973. At the age of 13, Tony joined a band called The Deltones. In 1979, Tony attended Berklee College of Music and returned to Pittsburgh in 1982 to study at the University of Pittsburgh under Dr. Nathan Davis. At the age of 22, he recorded and toured with Roy Ayers, and in the same year, joined Roger Humphries and RH Factor. In 1990, Tony moved to New York City and joined Duke Ellington’s Sophisticated Ladies as lead alto saxophonist in a 10-piece orchestra for a 16-week tour of the US. In 2000, Tony came home and started teaching, joined the Roger Humphries Big Band, and became the lead alto player. He also started his own band, The Tony Campbell Band. Currently, Tony is performing, recording, producing, teaching, and holding jazz jam sessions that feature some of the best young up-and-coming talent in the Pittsburgh region. His mission is to keep the great American music of jazz alive forever, for all to enjoy and experience as he does. His latest recording, Blues, Ballads and Beyond, was produced in 2022 and is currently available on all streaming platforms and at Dorsey Records.

About Your Visit: 

The in-house restaurant, Cucina Alfabeto, is open for dinner from 5 to 10 p.m. Please visit OpenTable or call 412-435-1111 to make a reservation.