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Artist Brian Alfred returns to Carnegie

to paint mural of Jazz Musician Richie Cole

17 East Main Street ~ Carnegie

World renowned New York based artist Brian Alfred returned to his hometown of Carnegie to paint a tribute mural to the late jazz artist Richie Cole at 17 East Main Street.

Brian is a Carlynton alumnus (1992). His collections and exhibits may be seen around the world with work at the Guggenheim Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, the San Francisco Museum of Art and museums in Australia and Europe. Alfred is a tenured art professor at Penn State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1997 before heading to graduate school at Yale, earning a Masters of Fine Arts in 1999.

More about Brian Alfred and his work brianalfred.net

Brian is celebrated for his podcast “Sound and Vision,” known as one of the top visual arts podcasts in the world. soundandvisionpodcast.com
       

FROM RICHIECOLE.COM - Richie began playing alto sax at 10 in his hometown of Trenton, New Jersey. Influenced by Sonny Rollins and Charlie Parker, Cole's talent and dedication won him a full scholarship from Downbeat magazine to the Berklee School of Music in Boston.

His professional career began in 1969 and after stints with the Buddy Rich, Lionel Hampton, and Doc Severinsen's Big Bands, Cole formed his own quintet and toured worldwide, doing a great deal to popularize bebop and his own "Alto Madness" style in the 70's and early 90's. Cole has performed and recorded with Eddie Jefferson, the Manhattan Transfer, Bobby Enriquez, Freddie Hubbard, Sonny Stitt, Art Pepper, Tom Waits, Boots Randolph, and Nancy Wilson, to name just a few. Cole has performed at the Village Vanguard and Carnegie Hall as well as a command performance for the Queen of England. He recorded more than 50 albums and CDs and was appointed to the Board of the National Jazz Service Organization and the Board for the National Endowment for the Arts. CLICK HERE TO CONTINUE


 
The Alto Madness Orchestra was developed by Cole in the early 90's. "The idea of the Orchestra is the concept and sound of an eighteen-piece big band using only seven instruments, four of which are horns. Not ony does this have the big band ensemble sound, it also allows us plenty of room for improvisation as if we were in a quartet setting.

Photo by Steve Horowitz
       

Dedication of the Richie Cole Portrait by Artist Brian Alfred was held on Friday, October 22, 2021 and sponsored by the Carnegie Arts Initiative. The evening was documented on video by Nate Kesneck.

Tom Scantling of Crafton, a friend of Richie had suggested a tribute to the jazz musician who had volunteered so much of his time to the community. Artist Brian Alfred contacted the borough around the same time to discuss his interest in painting a mural in his hometown. Brian arrived in September of 2021 and completed the tribute mural over just a few days. A small unveiling event at the mural location took place on October 22 and brought together some of Richie's friends, local artists, and musicians. Carnegie Junior Councilperson Mac Johnson was on hand to cut the ribbon.

A larger event will take place during the summer of 2022.

PITTSBURGH POST GAZETTE - Artist returns to his hometown to create a tribute to jazz artist by: ROBERT PODURGIEL, September 16, 2021
 IN-COMMUNITY MAGAZINE - Carlynton - Alumni in the Spotlight Winter 2021

 

DOWNBEAT Magazine - May 4, 2020

JAZZ TIMES - May 25, 2020
Special Thanks to:
Brian Alfred, Bob Podurgiel, Marlene Smith Pendleton, Tom Scantling, Mary Ferro, Steve Horowitz, Phil Salvato, Mon at PPG Paints Carnegie, David Querry, Mac Johnson, William Bigham, Deneen Underwood, Carnegie DPW, and Karyn Rok
 

 

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