56th annual Pitt Jazz Seminar makes a star out of the often-overlooked Hammond organ

It’s that time of year again — the University of Pittsburgh’s annual jazz seminar is here, a tradition that dates back to 1970 and is duplicated in only a handful of places around the world.

Over the decades, the university’s Department of Jazz Studies, established in 1969 by the late Nathan Davis, has brought in hundreds of internationally known jazz musicians – Randy Brecker, Esperanza Spalding, Grover Washington Jr. and Ron Carter to name a few – not only to perform but also to give lectures on and demonstrations of their craft. From time to time, the seminar has offered programs on the history and business of jazz, as well.

This year, however, the seminar is offering a twist — a focus on the Hammond organ, an instrument not often recognized as part of the jazz tradition, but one that Chad Taylor, current director of jazz studies, appreciates.

For openers, Taylor, a drummer and native of Chicago, “learned how to swing on jazz organ gigs” in his native city in the late 1980s. And he says, “Pittsburgh was part of the ‘chitlin’ circuit’ " — the informal network of black-owned nightclubs where the Hammond organ was often prominent, especially in the 1960s with musicians like Brother Jack McDuff, who gave a Hill District-born guitarist named George Benson some of his earliest jazz gigs; Shirley Scott, formerly married to Stanley Turrentine; Jimmy Smith; Charles Earland; and Dr. Lonnie Smith, playing what later became known as “soul-jazz.”

“I also want people to realize that it’s not a dead art form,” Taylor, who is in his third year of directing Pitt’s program, says. And it isn’t, given its more recent use by such Ron Pedley of the band Kombo; Neil Larsen, who toured with Kenny Loggins, Al Jarreau and Leonard Cohen; Brian Auger; and the late father-and-son, Papa John and Joey DeFrancesco.

Indeed, the seminar is bringing in three organists: Cliff Barnes, who is performing the kickoff concert with the Pitt Jazz Ensemble on Monday; Greg Lewis; and Ben Paterson, who will participate in an “organ summit” of sorts during the Saturday concert. Normally, jazz concerts never have more than one organist because, by its the very nature, the instrument is so powerful.

Among the presentations will be a showing of the 2011 documentary film “Killer B3” — a pun on the model of Hammond organ most used by jazz organists. In that film, Taylor said, “You can hear artists speaking of their own words about the scene back in the ’60 and ’70s.” The documentary notes that Dr. Smith’s “bedroom had two things — a bed and a Hammond B3.”

Also part of the seminar is a panel discussion, “Jazz on Every Corner: The Popularity of Organ Jazz” with Charles Carson, Kwami Coleman and Pitt professors Yoko Suzuki and A.J. Johnson.

Besides the organists, local and national participants in the seminar include guitarists Bobby Broom, Peter Bernstein and John Shannon; saxophonist Suzuki; drummers Taylor and Kobie Watkins; and vocalist Raina Welch.

The seminar closes Saturday with a concert featuring all its participants. During it, Taylor says he will pay tribute to yet another organist, the late Gene Ludwig, who grew up in Swissvale and whom he first heard on Sonny Stitt’s 1970 album “Night Letter.” It has been his intent to focus wherever appropriate on local jazz history.

Here is the schedule for the 56th Annual University of Pittsburgh Jazz Seminar. It is free to the public unless otherwise noted.

• Pitt Jazz Ensemble Kick-Off Concert featuring guest organist Cliff Barnes, noon Monday, lower lounge, William Pitt Union, 3959 Fifth Ave., Oakland.

• A Tribute to Joe Negri with the Mark Strickland Quartet and Barnes, 6 p.m. Tuesday, fifth floor, New Granada Theater, 2007 Centre Ave., Hill District.

• Film screening, “Killer B3,” 7 p.m. Wednesday, Public Health Auditorium G23, 130 De Soto St., Oakland.

• Free community concert, The Jazz Salon, featuring performances by Pitt Jazz Studies graduate students under the direction of A.J. Johnson, associate professor and chair, Pitt’s Department of Music, 8 p.m. Thursday, Bellefield Auditorium, 315 S. Bellefield Ave., Oakland.

• Panel discussion, “Jazz on Every Corner: The Popularity of Organ Jazz” with Charles Carson, Yoko Suzuki, A.J. Johnson and Kwami Coleman, 4 p.m. Friday, Frick Fine Arts Auditorium, 650 Schenley Drive, Oakland.

• Drummer Kobie Watkins seminar, 4 p.m. Friday, Center of Life, 161 Hazelwood Ave., Hazelwood.

• Greg Lewis and Raina Welch, 10 a.m. Saturday, Afro American Music Institute, 7131 Hamilton Ave., Homewood.

• Workshop with organist Ben Paterson, 1 p.m. Saturday, auditorium, Bellefield Hall, 315, S. Bellefield Ave., Oakland.

• Chad Taylor interview with Bobby Broom, 2 p.m. Saturday, Room 205, Bellefield Hall.

• Guitar Masterclass with Peter Bernstein, 3 p.m. Saturday, Room 205, Bellefield Hall.

• Organ Summit concert, 8 p.m. Saturday, auditorium, Bellefield Hall. Greg Lewis’ Organ Monk, featuring Raina Welch with guests John Shannon, Yoko Suzuki and Chad Taylor. The Bobby Broom Organi-Sation with guest Peter Bernstein after intermission. Doors open at 7:15 p.m. Cost: $20, $5 for students.