Joe Negri
Encyclopedia
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
. During his years as Musical Director at WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV is the ABC affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh, broadcasting on UHF channel 51 and identifying via PSIP as channel 4 . It also serves as an ABC affiliate for the Wheeling/Steubenville and Clarksburg/Weston, West Virginia market areas...
, he appeared on the former children's television show Paul Shannon's Adventure Time and other locally-produced shows on the station. Pianist, and fellow Pennsylvanian, Johnny Costa
Johnny Costa
Johnny Costa was an American jazz pianist, born in Arnold, Pennsylvania. Given the title "The White Tatum" by jazz legend Art Tatum, Costa is best known for his work as musical director of the children's television program, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.Costa learned to play accordion at age 7 and...
appeared along with Joe on the 1954 TV Series, 67 Melody Lane, hosted by Ken Griffin
Ken Griffin
Kenneth W. "Ken" Griffin was an American organist.-Biography:Griffin was born in Columbia, Missouri. His biggest hit was "You Can't Be True, Dear" , which was first released as an instrumental, and later that year re-released with a vocal by Jerry Wayne dubbed in. Both versions became popular,...
. Johnny and Joe played two numbers, After You've Gone and Little Brown Jug. The latter being accompanied by Griffin at the organ. He also appeared as regular cast member, Handyman Negri, on Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, also known as Mister Rogers, is an American children's television series that was created and hosted by Fred Rogers. The series is aimed primarily at preschool ages, 2-5, but has been stated by Public Broadcasting Service as "appropriate for all ages"...
. Currently he teaches jazz guitar as an adjunct professor at the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
, Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
, and Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
.
Joe began performing on radio at age three, playing the ukulele and singing. By age 15, he had been playing guitar for nearly 10 years. He joined the local musicians union and began playing his first professional engagements. In the 1940s, Joe toured nationally, and was featured, with the Shep Fields Orchestra for several years. His career was then sidetracked by two years in the Army. Upon returning home, he performed locally with his brother, pianist Bobby Negri, and decided to return to school. He enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
(formerly Carnegie Tech). At that time there was no curriculum for jazz guitar, so he chose composition as his major.
It was during this time he began his career in the then new medium of television, spending a few years with KDKA-TV
KDKA-TV
KDKA-TV, channel 2, is an owned and operated television station of the CBS Television Network, located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. KDKA-TV broadcasts from a transmitter located in the Perry North neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and its studios are located in downtown Pittsburgh at Gateway Center....
, followed by 22 years as Musical Director for WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV
WTAE-TV is the ABC affiliated television station for Western Pennsylvania that is licensed to Pittsburgh, broadcasting on UHF channel 51 and identifying via PSIP as channel 4 . It also serves as an ABC affiliate for the Wheeling/Steubenville and Clarksburg/Weston, West Virginia market areas...
. It was through his work in television that he met, and worked with Fred Rogers, who soon asked him to participate in a new show Rogers was putting together in association with WQED-TV, the local public broadcasting affiliate. As Handyman Negri, Joe was a resident of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood for nearly 40 years.
Today, Joe Negri is an active and vibrant part of the jazz scene, recording and performing locally and nationally, and is still active in music education. He recently recorded a CD with Michael Feinstein and performed with Michael at the 2011 Newport Jazz Festival. He was the subject of an in-depth profile in Vintage Guitar Magazine's September 2010 issue, written by music historian Rich Kienzle.
Discography
- Fly Me to the Moon, Michael Feinstein, featuring guitar legend Joe Negri (2010)
- Dream Dancing (2010)
- Uptown Elegance (July 2004)
- Guitars for Christmas (2003)
- Afternoon in Rio (July 1998)
- Mass of Hope (1997)