Joe Negri
Joe Negri | |
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![]() Negri performing with Carnegie Mellon University in 2007 | |
Background information | |
Birth name | Joseph Harold Negri |
Born |
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | June 10, 1926
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician, educator |
Instruments | Guitar |
Years active | 1929–present |
Website |
www |
Joseph Harold Negri (born June 10, 1926) is an American jazz guitarist and educator.[1] He appeared on the 1959 children's television program Adventure Time.
Negri appeared, along with pianist and fellow Pennsylvanian Johnny Costa, on the 1954 TV series, 67 Melody Lane, hosted by Ken Griffin. They played two songs: "After You've Gone" and "Little Brown Jug" the latter accompanied by Griffin at the organ. He also recorded with the Three Suns.
He appeared as himself and as "Handyman Negri" in the Neighborhood of Make-Believe segments on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.[1] He has taught jazz guitar at Duquesne University,[1] University of Pittsburgh, and Carnegie Mellon University.
Biography
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Joe Negri began performing on radio at age three, playing the ukulele and singing. He joined the local musicians' union and began playing his first professional engagements. In the 1940s, he toured nationally and was featured with the Shep Fields Orchestra for several years. Then he entered the Army for two years.
After returning home, he performed locally with his brother, pianist Lonfellow Negri. He enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University. He concentrated on music composition and taught guitar to students, including Ralph Patt,[2] the inventor of major-thirds tuning;[3][4] Negri and Patt recorded in 1989.[5]
Negri spent the next twenty-two years working in television as music director. He met Fred Rogers and appeared as a regular, Handyman Negri, in the children's program Mister Rogers' Neighborhood for nearly 40 years.[1]
In 2010 he recorded an album with Michael Feinstein[1] and performed with him during the next year at the Newport Jazz Festival. Negri was the subject of an profile in the September 2010 issue of Vintage Guitar magazine. He has donated his works and other documentation related to his music to the University of Pittsburgh Archives.
Joe Negri archives
The Joe Negri archives consist of the collection of manuscripts, recordings, memorabilia, and original hand-written scores that document his life, work and influence. The collection was donated by Negri in 1999 to the Center for American Music within the University Library System (ULS) at the University of Pittsburgh. The donation became the 1,000th collection at the ULS to have an electronically accessible finding aid (i.e., a guide that describes the contents of an archival collection and creator).[6][7][8] The archives contains correspondence, commissioned commercial musical compositions, scores, recordings and television archival footage. His donation also included his college coursework, compositions written for the River City Brass Band, television scores, commercial jingles, and film work.[7][9] Companies that commissioned work from Negri included McDonald's, Alcoa, Kaufmann's, and Westinghouse.
Discography
- Mass of Hope (1997)
- Afternoon in Rio (MCG Jazz, July 1998)
- Guitars for Christmas (MCG Jazz, 2003)
- Uptown Elegance (MCG Jazz, 2004)
- Dream Dancing (MCG Jazz, 2010)
- Fly Me to the Moon, Michael Feinstein, featuring Joe Negri (2010)
Other works
- A Common Sense Approach to Improvisation for Guitar (Mel Bay, 2002)
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 Rose, Joel (August 9, 2010). "Joe Negri: From handyman to jazz guitarist". All Things Considered. NPR, National Public Radio. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
- ↑ Patt, Ralph (14 April 2008). "Biography". Patt's jazz web page. Biography: ralphpatt.com. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
- ↑ Griewank (2010, p. 1):Griewank, Andreas (1 January 2010), Tuning guitars and reading music in major thirds, Matheon preprints, 695, Rosestr. 3a, 12524 Berlin, Germany: DFG research center "Matheon, Mathematics for key technologies" Berlin, MSC-Classification 97M80 Arts. Music. Language. Architecture. Postscript file and Pdf file
- ↑ Patt, Ralph (April 14, 2008). "The major 3rd tuning". Ralph Patt's jazz web page. Ralph Patt for 6-, 7-, and 8-string guitars: ralphpatt.com. cited by Sethares (2011) and Griewank (2010, p. 1). Retrieved June 10, 2012.
- ↑ Slater, Neil; LaRocco, Dave; Negri, Joe; Patt, Ralph; Ryan, Rodger (1989). "Streaming audio index: Audio clips". Like Someone in Love. Ralph Patt's Jazz Web Page. Retrieved 16 December 2012.
- ↑ "Joe Negri Archives". Benedetto Guitars. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- 1 2 "Joe Negri collection". Guides to Archives and Manuscript Collections at the University of Pittsburgh Library System. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- ↑ Tipping, Emily. "Joe Negri Donates Musical Collection to Pitt". Pitt Campaign Chronicle. University of Pittsburgh. Archived from the original on June 30, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
- ↑ Barlow, Kimberly K. "Guides untangle 1,000 ULS collections". University Times. Retrieved September 28, 2015.
- Sethares, William A. (2011). "Alternate tuning guide". Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin; Department of Electrical Engineering. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
Further reading
Articles
- Moffitt, Mary Irene. "Joe Negri Credits Success To Gene Kelly". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. January 2, 1961.
- Fanning, Win. "Little Lake Has Original 'Fink' Revue". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 4, 1962.
- Ward, Henry. "Jazz Beat: Something New Has Been Added To Local Scene; Joe Negri, Nina Stewart Star In Unique recital". The Pittsburgh Press. February 4, 1964.
- Leonard, Vince. "Camera, Modern Music Illuminate Pittsburgh". The Pittsburgh Press. December 24, 1964.
- Fanning, Win. "Pittsburgh's Aglow In 'Summer Sounds'". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. August 24, 1966.
- Leonard, Vince. "On Anniversary: Today Going The Right Way With Garroway?; All 'Adventure Time'". The Pittsburgh Press. January 5, 1967.
- Fanning, Win. "Mike Douglas Gets Evening Specials; Thanks to Fred Galtieri". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 29, 1967.
- Leonard, Vince. "Porter's 'Kate' to TV: Goulet, Carol in Leads; Either Fate or Planned That Way". The Pittsburgh Press. October 19, 1967.
- Fanning, Win. "'We Dialed the World': McCully-Negri Revue at Beck's a Smash". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 17, 1968.
- Leonard, Vince. "To Play's The Thing". The Pittsburgh Press. January 16, 1969.
- Leonard, Vince. "Triple-Threat Man". The Pittsburgh Press. June 1, 1969.
- Ward, Henry. "Great Fun: McCully-Negri Patio Revue Hits Mark". The Pittsburgh Press. June 23, 1969.
- Fanning, Win. "On the Air: Christmas with Joe Negri". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 24, 1969.
- "Baldwin Church Plans Parade and Carnival". The Pittsburgh Press. June 19, 1970.
- Fanning, Win. "On the Air: Musical Comedy 'Pittsburgh!' Set on Ch. 4 Monday Evening". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. October 23, 1970.
- Blank, Edward L. "Personality Profile ..Negri: Composer, Performer, Teacher, Music Director". The Pittsburgh Press. January 25, 1971.
- Apone, Carl. "Song Writers Beaten To Bucks". The Pittsburgh Press. October 22, 1971.
- "Joe Negri to Teach at D.U.". The Pittsburgh Press. August 3, 1973.
- "Joe Negri in Lecture". Washington (PA) Observer-Reporter. March 24, 1977.
- "Negri Joins Morning Show". Washington (PA) Observer-Reporter. March 16, 1979.
- Apone, Carl. "Musical Negris: Tale of 2 Brothers". The Pittsburgh Press. April 17, 1980.
- Heimbuecher, Ruth. "They're Jazzing Up Poetry Again". The Pittsburgh Press. February 4, 1983.
- "Negri Will Perform With Jazz Ensemble". Washington (PA) Observer-Reporter. March 30, 1985.
- Clark, Jo Ann. "For Your Entertainment: Jazz Happy Hours". The Beaver County Times. August 13, 1987.
- Peticca, Carole Elaine. "What I Really Wanted to Be". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 1, 1988.
- Anderson, George. "Where Are the Bucks for 'Bucs' Song?". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 13, 1990.
- Miller, Jane. "Jazz Profs String 'em Along". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. March 13, 1996.
- Smith, Matthew P.. "Eugene 'Babe' Fabrizi': Percussionist Who Touched The Lives Of Many Musicians". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. December 29, 1996.
- King, Peter B.. "The Buzz: For the Record". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 18, 1998.
- Guidry, Nate. "Galleria Budget Cuts Sounding Somber Notes For Jazz For Juniors". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. February 1, 2002.
- "A Jazz Father's Day With Joe Negri And Friends". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. June 15, 2002.
- O'Keefe, Mark. "Handyman Negri Handy With A Guitar". The Beaver County Times. December 24, 2003.
- Cloud, Barbara. "Joe Negri still finds magic in music". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. March 5, 2006.
- Kienzle, Rich. "Pittsburgh's Guitar Man: Joe Negri". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 25, 2011.
- Kirkland, Kevin. "Joe Negri's jazz guitar is his legacy". The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. September 25, 2011.
Books
- Chapman, Charles. (2001). "Joe Negri (September 1999)". Interviews with the Jazz Greats... and More!. Pacific, MO: Mel Bay Publications. pp. 48–50.
- Negri, Joe (2002). A Common Sense Approach to Improvisation for Guitar. Pacific, MO: Mel Bay.
- Barth, Joe (2006). Voices in Jazz Guitar : Great Performers Talk About Their Approach to Playing. Pacific, MO : Mel Bay.