Live From Studio A returns in December with an all-star holiday jam!

The show features 14 acts from the Pittsburgh area performing their favorite Holiday tunes. Featured are Norm Nardini, Maureen Budway, the Flow Band, Pete Hewlett, Carol Lee Espy, Sputzy, Scott Anderson, Lisa Bleil, Phil Harris of Hector in Paris, John Schisler of New Invisible Joy, Ernie Hawkins, and Sauce.

The show is hosted by Pete Hewlett (above right) and Carol Lee Espy. Hewlett Anderson (above left), the 'QED house band, features Pete Hewlett on vocals & guitar. Scott Anderson is the show's Music Director and is featured on piano, keyboards & vocals. Also on vocals is Lisa Bleil. Joe Waslousky is on drums. Dave Brown (of the Gathering Field) plays guitar. On bass is Brian Stahurski. And on saxophone, flute & keyboards is Eric DeFade. Additional musicians for the Holiday Jam include Jim DiSpirito on percussion, Pete Freeman on dobro, Dave Hanner on Mandolin, Joe Herndon and Louis Pisani on trumpet, Benny Benack on baritone sax, Bob Matchett and Ross Garin on trombone.

The live recording is engineered by Pittsburgh native Dino DiStefano, who engineered the 1997 Grammy Award winning performance by the Count Basie Orchestra with the New York Voices, recorded at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild. He also engineered the 1998 Grammy Award nominated performance by Paquito D'Rivera and the United Nations Orchestra, also at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild.

You can also see last year's Live From Studio A 2001 Holiday Jam several times in December. In fact, you can see this year's and last year's shows back-to-back a couple of times:

Tues., Dec. 17, 10PM (right after the premiere of this year's show)
Fri., Dec. 20, 10:30PM, Sun., Dec. 22, 4PM (right after the rebroadcast of this year's show).

And if you missed any of the shows from the Live From Studio A concert series, Christmas week is your chance to catch them all:

Sun., Dec. 22, 5PM: September's show featuring Donnie Iris, Chandler, Roger Humphries.
Tues., Dec. 24, 3PM: November's Gospel edition.
Wed., Dec. 25, 3PM: December's 2002 Holiday Jam.
Thurs., Dec, 26, 3PM: September's show featuring Donnie Iris, Chandler, Roger Humphries.
Fri., Dec. 27, 3PM: October's show featuring Billy Price, Kenia, Joe Negri.

Third Local Music Show Airs On WQED in November

This November, WQED presents a brand-new edition of Live From Studio A. The third installment features an all-gospel line-up to get you into the holiday mood: Sandy Dowe, Jimmy Britton, the Covenant Church Worship Team, the Mt. Ararat Sanctuary Choir, the Church in the Round and the Allegheny Center Alliance Choir.

The show, airing Fri., Nov. 29, 3PM, is hosted by Pete Hewlett (below, right) of Hewlett Anderson, the program's house band (below). Joining Pete as co-host this month is Pittsburgh singer Sandy Dowe.

Pete Hewlett performs the Jimmy Britton tune "Sycamore Tree" with Britton himself on keyboards. Sandy Dowe performs "Captain Of My Ship" and "Show Me How To Love." The Covenant Church Worship Team performs "Lord You Are Good," "Gloria" and "I Lift My Hands." The Mt. Ararat Sanctuary Choir performs "If It Wasn't For You Lord, Where Would I Be," "He's Working It Out" and "You Brought Me From A Mighty Long Way." The Church In the Round performs "Hallelujah," "He Reigns Let's Go Up to Zion" and "The Great I Am." And the Allegheny Center Alliance Choir performs "Let Us Adore Him" and "There's a Blessing In The Storm." The Allegheny Center Alliance Choir also joins in with Pete Hewlett, Sandy Dowe and the 'QED house band for a rousing finale of "Oh Happy Day".

Hewlett Anderson, the ‘QED house band, features Pete Hewlett on vocals & guitar. Scott Anderson is the show's Music Director and is featured on piano, keyboards & vocals. Also on vocals is Lisa Bleil. Dave Brown (of the Gathering Field) plays guitar. On bass is Brian Stahurski. And on saxophone, flute & keyboards is Eric DeFade.

The live recording was engineered by Pittsburgh native Dino DiStefano, who engineered the 1997 Grammy Award winning performance by the Count Basie Orchestra with the New York Voices, recorded at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild. He also engineered the 1998 Grammy Award nominated performance by Paquito D'Rivera and the United Nations Orchestra, also at the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild.

The debut episode of Live From Studio A aired in September 2002, and featured Donnie Iris, RH Factor featuring jazz great Roger Humphries, and Chandler, identical triplet sisters who perform country-pop tunes. The second program aired throughout October 2002, and featured R&B singer Billy Price, Brazilian pop singer Kenia (who now makes Pittsburgh her home!) and legendary jazz guitarist Joe Negri.