Suite Life…A Celebration of Billy Strayhorn and Gene Kelly in Pittsburgh

You’re invited to the Kelly-Strayhorn Theatre 14th annual benefit concert, Suite Life on Saturday, November 27, 2021 at 8:00pm, honoring 2 of Pittsburgh’s 20th century entertainment legends, Billy Strayhorn and Gene Kelly.    

The concert will be curated by John Shannon, Con Alma’s Music Curator, whose vision for the evening features vocalists Sierra Sellers, Quinn Shannon, Anita Levels, and Caroline McMahon Shannon with Leon Boykins (bass), Jason Washington Jr. (drums), Scott Boni (sax), Joe Sheehan (piano), and John Shannon (guitar) in a minimalist theatrical environment imbued with historical footage of Strayhorn and Kelly’s early twentieth century Pittsburgh and highlights from their illustrious careers underscored by Strayhorn’s toe-tapping repertoire and songs popularized by Kelly. This celebration also coincides with Strayhorn’s 106th birthday on November 29th.

For more information, go to kelly-strayhorn.org.

Strayhorn’s “Suite For The Duo” now available from Hal Leonard Music Publishing

Originally a distinctive representation of jazz with the French horn, piano and string bass, Billy Strayhorn worked with the French horn-piano duo of Dwike Mitchell and Willie Ruff on a suite that he originally titled “North by Southwest Suite”. Mitchell and Ruff recorded the suite after Strayhorn’s passing as ‘Suite for the Duo’.

The full charts are now available on Sheet Music Direct:

https://www.sheetmusicdirect.com/se/ID_No/514413/Product.aspx