Alyssa Cwanger, Post-Gazette photos Maryellen Hayden of Knoxville holds her grandson, Timothy Bottegal, 2, as Kenny Blake plays sax during a Wednesday night jam session at Gullifty's. At center is drummer Jevon Rushton.

By Nate Guidry
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Gullifty's is a family style restaurant known for its 10-pound apple pies, chocolate cakes, cheesecakes and other desserts.

Lately though, the popular Squirrel Hill eatery has become known for something else -- a hot spot for jazz in the city.

Christina Acosta of Manchester sings at Gullifty's with the Kenny Blake Trio during a Wednesday night jam session. Gullifty's is at 1922 Murray Ave., Squirrel Hill. Click photo for larger image.

Few things are better than great food and great jazz. And Gullifty's provides the perfect mix. Now, if they could only mask those fruit paintings that tower above the bandstand, the ambience would be just right.

There was a time when more than 50 local clubs, restaurants and theaters spotlighted jazz nightly.

And few nightspots offered more thrills than the old Crawford Grill.

In its heyday, the former Hill District nightclub featured groups ranging from Miles Davis and John Coltrane to the volatile Charles Mingus.

Most of those venues are gone. But the music is still alive in the area.

Venues such as Dowe's on Ninth, Downtown; Martini's Restaurant in Jefferson Hills; the Rhythm House in Bridgeville; and other spots regularly present some of the areas more accomplished professionals.

On June 7, the phenomenal seven-string guitarist Charlie Hunter will be in town with his trio for a performance at Club Cafe on the South Side, and in the coming days and weeks, fans can look forward to jazz at Katz Plaza in the Cultural District, the Omni William Penn, Pittsburgh Citiparks' summer jazz series, Mellon-sponsored events and other concerts around the region.

Kenny Blake, holding the tenor saxophone, leads the weekly Wednesday jam sessions at Gullifty's in Squirrel Hill, which has become a vital part of Pittsburgh's jazz scene this year. Click photo for larger image.

But the buzz today is coming from Gullifty's at 1922 Murray Ave.

Inside, young music fans are mingling with old jazz regulars in seats along the balcony. Others stand on a walkway overlooking the bandstand or are seated in the center of the room, absorbing the music between light patter and fork-sized portions of chocolate chip cheesecake.

On this night, like every Wednesday night, saxophonist Kenny Blake is holding court. His weekly jam sessions have lured young and old musicians to the bandstand, not to mention a few old-timers who haven't been present on the scene in years.

The vitality of a venue can be determined in a number of ways, but one of the best tests is when you find musicians hanging out when they are not working.

"I think it's wonderful what they are doing here," said bassist Dwayne Dolphin, who is seated with his wife having dinner.

"Any time there's a new opportunity to play and a new venue to hear music, it's great for musicians and vitality of the scene."

Management has yet to bring in the kind of national talent that will complete the transformation, but there's enough local talent and excitement here to suggest it's only a matter of time.

Last October, Dave Papale was hired as the restaurant's manager and entertainment director.

Papale, a Pittsburgh native, returned home after living more than a decade on Long Island, where he had successfully owned and operated a blues club.

Carl Jackson of Homewood, plays his alto saxophone during a Wednesday night jam session hosted by Kenny Blake. Click photo for larger image.

"My responsibility is to expand the sales of the business," said Papale. "People can still come in, have dinner and dessert, but at 9 o'clock this transformation occurs."

It can take different forms -- from trumpet blasts and saxophone wails, to the greasy licks of guitarist Jimmy Ponder, who inexplicably remains one of jazz's best-kept secrets.

Ponder is always a musical treat, but on this night he's in particularly good form because he is celebrating his 60th birthday.

Also invited to the bandstand is trumpeter Sean Jones and Hammond B3 titan Gene Ludwig.

Where else but Pittsburgh can you hear that much talent in one room for free?

Every Monday (8 p.m.) Wednesday and Thursday (9 p.m.) -- and now, Friday (9:30 p.m.) -- the restaurant has live music.

Beginning this week, Heineken will sponsor a Friday night jazz series, but the last Friday of each month will be sponsored by the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild. This Friday, Sean Jones and Mission Statement will perform.

Marty Ashby, executive producer of the MCG, said the monthly Friday night concerts will feature local as well as regional artists.

"We're taking our aesthetic into the community as part of our audience outreach and development," said Ashby. "I think Dave is doing a good job. He enjoys the music, but most of all he provides quality, consistent service."

Papale knows the importance of consistency.

"Customers are looking for you to be consistent even when they are not," said Papale.

"Jazz is how we are going to be defined. We are never going to leave the genre and start programming other styles of music to draw in a larger crowd. Once you do that, you start to lose your regular customers. To be a successful restaurant, you have to be consistent."