Philadelphia Music Alliance announces an all jazz 30th anniversary Walk of Fame induction class

The Philadelphia Music Alliance has announced an “all jazz” lineup of inductees to the 30th anniversary Walk of Fame induction class of 2016.

This year’s Walk Of Fame inductees include organist Joey DeFrancesco, tenor sax player Benny Golson, bassist Christian McBride, bassist Jaco Pastorius, and WRTI air personality Bob Perkins. The new honorees will be formally inducted together Wednesday, October 19th during afternoon ceremonies along the Avenue of the Arts.

Each one of these artists has had an immeasurable impact and influence in the jazz world.

Pastorius, who passed away in 1987, helped define jazz fusion as a member of Weather Report, and worked with Joni Mitchell on several of her seminal albums including Hejira. McBride is the current host of NPR’s Jazz Night In America and Artistic Director of the Newport Jazz Festival. He has shared stages with jazz, classical and hip-hop giants, is a much in demand session player, leads his own bands, and is a music education advocate. DeFrancesco is carrying on the jazz organ traditions of past organists like Jimmy Smith and Shirley Scott. At 87 years of age, Golson has played in bands led by Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie, Lionel Hampton, and Art Blakey, in addition to having a large canon of solo recordings. Perkins, the “BP with the GM,” (“Bob Perkins with the Good Music”), has been in the broadcasting industry for more than four decades, and with WRTI in Philly since 1997.

Foe more information, check out the PMA’s website here.