Welcome to Black Horizons.

I'm your host, Chris Moore.

We hope you're not too tired from all that turkey yesterday, because we've got a lot in store for you tonight.

The jazz lovers among you will be happy to know that Pittsburgh's Jazz Workshop will soon be celebrating its 30th anniversary.

I didn't know Harold Young was that old.

Stay tuned to find out more about that special performance.

And December.

December 1st is world Aids day, and local organizers want you to be involve in fighting this deadly disease.

But first, what 93 year old institutio has just had a serious makeover?

It's the Carnegie Library's Homewood branch, a long time home for learning and community activity for thousands of Pittsburghers.

Now the library is ready for its grand reopening event.

And here to tell us more about it is manager of the Homewood Library.

Joyce Broadus.

Miss Broadus, Welcome to the program.

How are you?

Just beaming with pride.

I'm so happy.

Yes, indeed.

This has been a long project.

Yes it has.

It's been almost two years.

I tried to walk in that library one day and they said, closed for reconstruction.

I said, wow, look at this.

Yes, it's $3.5 million.

$3.5 million spent in our building here in Homewood.

And how did you come up with the plan?

What was the idea for the makeover?

The.

Well, the Carnegie libraries are a major part of Pittsburgh's history.

And one of the things that has not been able to do has been to maintain these buildings the way we know that they can look, and the way we know that they can be in the community.

And so a bond issue was floated and moneys were set aside for capital improvement program.

And we were very fortunate to be the first library to take advantage of this.

Well, that is so cool.

The first library Lot of times we are on the bottom end of that list.

Yes.

But the bottom real this time we're on the top.

Right.

And I believe that a beautiful job has been done.

You're happy with it?

As the manager of the library?

Okay.

Now, I understand the community had input into this.

Oh, yes.

During this whole process, there were community meetings.

There were meetings with groups in the community.

There were special interest groups.

They all came to the table.

They all made their demands known.

They made their wishes known.

And then they held everybody accountable.

People met me on the street and asked me what's being done there?

What's going on?

Are you taking care of this?

Please keep our wood.

It's there.

It was done.

And I think everybody's going to be very pleased.

They like that old wooden.

That rich wooden feel.

That's right.

And.

And it's been a good blending of old and new.

We had to get the technology in there for the future, for the children, because that's really what the library's there.

Right.

So the computers are ready for now for the kids and the work that they need to do.

They'll be ready for them in ten years.

They'll be ready for them in the future.

We can add things in.

We're not losing anything.

We're really happy with what's going on.

Okay.

We, You brought some pictures.

If you want to take a look at them and look at all the, renovations proceeded.

This is the new door for the elevator.

That's right.

There was no door there, was it?

That's right.

We've not had an elevator.

And we have lots of steps.

We're an original Carnegie building, and it was built with lots of steps.

So for 93 years, there hadn't been an elevator.

We now have one.

You can go in on the main floor.

It can take you down to the auditorium in the basement.

It can take you to the first floor and to the second floor where we have meeting rooms.

That's going to help the seniors and people who like me with bad knees.

Yes.

Okay.

All right.

This next one this is the main portico, right?

Right.

That's the main front door.

There was a lot of thought in keeping it as its original splendor.

You'll see right there.

Those dark porticos right as you go in the door.

Those.

That's the, the monument for the veterans from the First World War.

So you wanted to keep them?

We wanted to get tradition.

Exactly.

And so, and maintain that beauty of coming into the front door.

Oh, well, it looks like you did a good job.

This is the after picture.

That's an after picture.

All right, let's look at the next one as this.

This is in the main front hall.

If people who remember us will remember there was a large fron desk in the middle of the floor.

There were.

We've opened up that area.

We are now focusing o the African American collection.

Right in the front there i the African American Conference.

Brighter too.

You kept the wood light.

I can see that, but it's brighter there.

There are better lighting.

We removed the balcony that really opened up that whole area.

Those upstairs meeting room still back there, behind that wall.

Well, up on top in what used to be the caretaker's apartments now have been brought into being the meeting rooms for the library.

So we may have lost the balcony, but we gained seven meeting rooms.

And new furniture too.

Yes.

We have chairs.

Yes, we have comfortable chair.

All right.

But we still have the original wooden tables.

No original furniture was removed.

It was restored.

It was put back.

Data is in some of the places.

There are lights on the tables.

I mean, it's really looks like a traditional, but a modern library.

And this is a closeup of some of that fine architecture.

And it was all cleaned.

The brick was clean, much brighter.

Yes.

And the next day.

Oh this is the auditorium.

Yes, this is the auditorium.

But wait a minute.

It's, is, is my memory that it was just darker or did you get rid of the wood here.

No, we didn't get rid of the wood, but it's still we gained good comfortable seating.

Okay.

Yeah.

It's for those hard wooden benches.

That's right.

They're gone.

They're gone.

The stage has been brought out.

They were seats.

I'm sorry.

That's right.

Okay.

The stage was brought out.

We have state of the art lighting and sound and carpeting on the floor.

And it's inaugurated more forums in there, political forums and all kinds of things that the library is a community building, and the people use it all.

Yes they do.

They use it all the time.

Okay.

Tell me about this big reopening ceremony on set.

On Saturday, November 22nd.

We're going to reopen the library.

It's the grand reopening.

Oh boy from 10:00.

Well, really, from 9:30 until about 2:00, because Westinghouse High School is going to march down from their school.

Big parade and have a parade right to the front of the building.

Big bed bulldogs one, two, three.

We're going to rededicate the veterans monuments that are out in front.

Is going to be there.

That's going to be there, doing a libation ceremony.

We're very pleased and proud about that.

Then we have the, of course, the speakers, and we're hoping that the mayor and Joe Preston and Twanda Carlisle come and say a few words.

Well, the politicians, everybody will have their say.

And then we're coming into that building, and we want everyone to go all over the building and rediscover places, discover new places, and just celebrate with us this great day.

Well, it looks like indeed a great day.

And to be first and to have this complete renovation for a building that I know is used.

I've gone in there.

I've seen kids reading.

Yes, I know that.

Are literacy programs going on within the it you you've got so many, tendrils that are out into the community where people come into that building and use it.

I think it's a marvelous institution, and I compliment you all on the good work that's been done.

Thank you so much for having us, letting us talk about.

All right.

It's my pleasure.

Thank you for being here, Mr.

Joyce Broadus.

Thank you.

On Saturday, November 22nd, the Westinghouse High School Marching Band will start the celebration at 9:50 a.m.

and will continue with activities throughout the day.

The library is located at 7101 Hamilton Avenue.

For more information, why don't you call the library?

The number is (412)731-3080.

That number again, call them (412)731-3080.

Looking for things to do, places to go or people to see?

Then look no further than our community calendar on the horizon.

If you have an event that you'd like to see publicized, send it to On the Horizon.

4802 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15213.

Did you know that the Homewood Carnegie Library will also serve as the hom for another special celebration?

As the Jazz Workshop, which soon will be celebrating its 30th anniversary?

And it's a musical afternoon you shouldn't miss.

Hit to tell us about the workshop.

Are founder Harold Young and anniversary organizer.

Namosha Smith, welcome to the program.

How are you all doing?

Thank you.

30 years.

Long time!

you been doing this?

That's right.

So everybody remembers the old Black Musicians Union and the fact that it was absorbed into the other union.

It was a disaster for black musicians.

But your mission is to keep jazz alive in Pittsburgh.

In a way, you do.

That is by teaching it through the jazz workshop.

Right?

And that's true.

And one of the basic thing was to have a place to teach it.

And Carnegie Library happene to come into play right on time, so to speak.

And I tell people all the time, when I went to the library 30 years ago, the doors used to squeak and there was cobwebs all over the place.

So I think that the jazz workshop in this, programs in the libraries during the past three years have really been good for a, for the library.

It's been a win win situation.

Did you see that picture, that auditorium?

I've been there.

Oh, yeah.

It's great.

Oh, man.

It's going to be a great place to perform.

And basically those who bother me.

I mean, they come through my dreams are coming from those things that I talked about five, six, eight years ago.

Well, I'm glad you had some input into this move.

Tell us about this special program that you've organized.

Well, I and a number of, other people involved with the jazz Workshop with under the direction of Mr.

Harold Young.

I, we were on the committee for the, promoting the 30th anniversary.

That's going to be on December 7th at the Homewood Library starting at 4:30, 7:30.

And that progra is going to be a night of music, beginning with jazz.

The first, segment will be, dedicated to jazz and our and our, heritage and jazz.

You sing?

I'd like to be singing.

However, currently, I'm just a member of the Jazz workshop.

I'm a person who participates as, I go down every Saturday, where we have music lessons from us for children and adults and anyone who's interested in, learning to play music or to play music.

So you see, people come in, kids, adults and all, and they learn jazz.

They learn it from real jazz musicians.

Like here.

Yes.

You know, yes, and what do you think of that whole process?

Well, you know I think it's really fascinating.

We do have a very talented, musical director, artistic director, Mr.

Tony Campbell, who's been at the home for, I think, about three years now.

And, he has a wealth of knowledg in terms of all levels of music.

And we have other great teachers like, Benita, and, Spencer Bay is an older brother whom I have to take voice classes from.

And he plays for us and shows us how the tradition of how you really sing for jazz song.

So Spence is doing great.

It's good.

I haven't seen him in a while.

How are you doing?

He's doing good.

So?

So what's the most important thing about your mission?

Mr.

Well, my mission is to.

I would like for the community really come out and support our 30th anniversary to say thank you for what you've done for the past 30 years.

And, here we are to support you, in your endeavors over a period of time.

I think that our jazz on the steps and family name has been a program in which people can come ou and enjoy themselves at no cost.

The cost of not paying.

So we've been doing it for the past 30 years, and I just think that the mission that I would like to see is the people, the community in particular, just to come out and say, yes, we appreciate what you have done over the past 30 years.

You know, I've talked to jazz musicians who've looked at this whole thing about teaching in the university, teaching jazz in the university versus, learning it and playing it.

And they say, that's fine, you can teach it in the universe.

But what you really learn is by playing.

And I wonder what you think.

Well, I think that's true.

When we go back to the old musicians lab, we used to be able to collaborate with the older musicians.

I mean you go and ask a hi how you play a C scale and he says we'll play this and that's how he would say and you'll come back next wee and you better have it together.

He said get out of here.

You know get out of here.

So I wanted to make sure we had that same kind of camaraderie with this, with the younger students, to be able to teach that so that they are learning from not only the books that they're into, but learning from the jazz masters, so to speak.

Well, how did they respond to that?

The young people took to real jazz, mainstream jazz.

How do they respond?

Well, it's a funny thing at this point in time, because we had to kind of re indoctrinate them.

And what we'll do is take them where they are and then take them where we want them to go so they can see the hip hop and other stuff.

That's fine.

You know, I'm not going to put it down, but I'm saying that if we want to continue to to keep the legacy of jazz, you know, and I say jazz like this, then that's how we need to go about doing that.

The most of you nodding your head, you agree?

Well, yes.

In the, the kids, have our, you know different experience than we do.

But most of the music that they're listening to is basically grounded in jazz and the history of jazz.

And so, you know, open up their ears and their eyes and their hearts to this music.

So they, and we all and we all as human beings, our show and matter of fact, it's not just going to cover jazz, it's going to cover, music from the 70s all the way up to 2000.

It's going to include rhythm and blues and, you know, R&B and, more fusion types of things.

So as, to be able to reach all the people who might be in who just are music lovers.

And so it's when we're one leads, the other one doesn't, and it picks up.

So we, you know, we are on a continuum with our music.

Mr.

Young, is that important to be on and continue on with them, to get them to understand, as you said, where they are now with that hip hop scene and get them to understand rhythm and blues and rock and roll and jazz and just all those musical idioms that are in between so that they, they see a connection there.

Yeah.

Basically we can go back and, get, the last poets in there and you know, and let them hear that.

Oh.

What's that?

Yeah.

So what's the connection?

The thing is 30 years old.

Right.

So that's what I'm saying.

I mean, but they don't know that.

So it's our job as educators to be able to teach these kids whats that song about.

Did you ever think it'd be 30 years that you are celebrating the 30th anniversary?

Well, I know when I started I didn't think I'd be along, but but I love music, I love education, I love to teach our children.

I'll make sure that they learn what they need to know, get rid of all the nonsense and give them some positives to build on.

And I think that's a great thing.

And they say good things are not happening in our community.

Miss Smith, tell us about this celebration one more time.

Quick, quickly.

Well, it's, at the Homewoo newly renovated Homewood library And it's a beautiful facility.

And it's December 7th, 4:30 to, 9, 9:30.

We're going to have a grea reception for people afterwards.

And we're also going to hav a roll call of all the musicians who are currently, performing and or professional, we're going to have a roll call.

All those folks that have.

That's a long list.

You might extend the program so many great jazz musicians have come out of, Pittsburgh.

We're afraid, who we're going to miss, but we're going to try to get as many as we can and to to basically pay tribute to them.

And we'll be paying tribute to Spencer Bay at that, program and to Jose Jose Taylor, who are longtime members of the Jazz Workshop.

All right.

Yeah.

And I know Spence has been working with you all the time.

I see him out there on the steps and everything.

So, thanks for being here.

We appreciate it.

I hope it's a great celebration.

Okay.

Thanks for having us Join the Jazz Workshop's 30th anniversary celebration.

Sunday, December 7th, from 4:30 to 7 at the Carnegie Library's Homewood Branch.

For more information, simply call them at (412)362-8416.

That number again (412)362-8416.