Mention the name “Aliquo” to someone in the Alle-Kiski Valley or Pittsburgh, and you’ll likely find yourself in a conversation about jazz music.
Don Aliquo Sr., a saxophone player and Lower Burrell resident, has been a fixture in Pittsburgh’s jazz scene for most of the 96 years he’s been alive.
Today, there are three generations of the Aliquo family performing jazz. Aliquo’s son, who lives in Nashville, is a jazz professor and working musician. Aliquo’s granddaughter Esai Aliquo is the latest member of the family to join the ranks, preparing to release her first recording.
“I’ve been singing since I was about 8 years old,” said Esai Aliquo, 20, who grew up in Columbus, Ohio, and moved to Pittsburgh in 2013. “I started singing with my grandfather about five years ago, when I was in a Billy Strayhorn tribute show.
“I originally did music theater and studied it at CAPA (Pittsburgh’s creative and performing arts magnet school) as well as at the Hope Academy at East Liberty Presbyterian Church.”
Around age 16, Aliquo inherited the jazz bug from her uncle and grandfather.
“I was trying to sing anyplace I could, to try and find connections to be in Pittsburgh’s community of musicians,” she said. “The opportunity to sing jazz kind of came by surprise. My incredible vocal coach, Phat Man Dee, offered me an opportunity to perform in the (Strayhorn) show. My parents and my grandfather both agreed that I sounded good singing jazz and we went for it.”
Aliquo recently had the chance to perform with her uncle and grandfather, and one of the songs, Nat King Cole’s “Smile,” will be the first single on an EP she releases Feb. 13.
The EP’s title, “Inherited Groove,” is a nod to her family’s jazz proclivities.
“I’ll have four jazz standards and two original songs on it,” she said. “I wanted to show people I can do originals and sort of showcase my songwriting. The originals were written by me, Phat Man Dee and the amazingly talented (pianist and composer) Joe DeFazio.”
But “Smile” holds a special place for her.
“I look forward to singing it every time, because it was my grandmother’s favorite song,” said Aliquo, who enjoys the spontaneity that jazz singing offers.
“Every time I sing a certain song, it’s a little different,” she said. “That’s one of the big reasons I transitioned from musical theater to jazz. I still love musical theater, but I did feel like it boxed me into doing the same thing over and over again. I love that I get to improvise every single time, whether it’s with the melody or vocal scatting.”
“Inherited Groove” will be released Feb. 13 on all major streaming platforms.