About MCG Jazz

Since 1987, more than a half a million patrons have attended MCG Jazz’ almost 2,000 concerts.

MCG Jazz offers one of the longest running subscription series for jazz performance in the country. Annually, MCG Jazz presents unique concerts in its 350-seat music hall and numerous additional performances at other venues in Pittsburgh and around the country.

Five MCG Jazz albums have won GRAMMY® Awards — including three Latin GRAMMY® Awards.

Mission and History

Our mission is to preserve, present, and promote jazz.

Through our programming, we strengthen the long-time Pittsburgh Jazz community and support the Jazz ecosystem. We contribute to the cultural and artistic diversity of the Southwest Pennsylvania region and beyond and foster the next generation of jazz fans and artists.

Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, modeled after the European guild system in which masters passed their skills and knowledge to young apprentices, was founded by Bill Strickland in 1968. Wanting to give back to the Manchester neighborhood, Strickland started a small ceramics program while he was still in college. MCG Youth, Jazz’s counterpart under the Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild umbrella, serves public school students through courses in ceramics, design, digital, and photography.

Strickland fell in love with jazz music instantaneously when he heard his high school ceramics teacher and mentor Frank Ross’s jazz records playing in his studio. In 1987, Marty Ashby was invited to meet Strickland by guitarist and friend Emily Remler. Strickland expressed his desire to create a jazz series, and Ashby quickly jumped at the opportunity, drafting a proposal for MCG Jazz that night. He was hired the very next day and immediately got to work.

After several years of working for a variety of arts institutions and as a freelance musician, Marty became intrigued by the gross disparity between the orchestra, opera, and ballet and the jazz industry. His goal became to present jazz in the manner of the other performing arts, giving jazz musicians a world-class institution in which to present their craft. Decades later, MCG Jazz has become one of the most successful jazz programs in the world.

Our Programs

Concert Season

Housed in our vibrant 350-seat concert hall, MCG Jazz stands as one of the longest-running subscription-based jazz performance series in the United States. Over the years, we have welcomed iconic jazz artists, including legends like Billy Taylor, Dizzy Gillespie, Dave Brubeck, Ray Brown, Stanley Turrentine, Ahmad Jamal, and Nancy Wilson.

Our commitment to high-quality performances honors the rich legacy of jazz as we continue to showcase contemporary talents from around the world that captivate audiences. This concert series is a safe place for musicians to share their work, engage in meaningful dialogue about relevant issues, and connect with audiences in a genuine and intimate setting.

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Education

A central component of our mission is our education program, through which we are strengthening the long-time Pittsburgh jazz community and fostering the next generation of jazz artists. MCG Jazz provides innovative programs for elementary through college students, particularly those lacking access to comprehensive music education, through the lens of the Pittsburgh jazz legacy. Educational offerings such as School of Swing®, Tell Your Story, Youth in the Mix, and more cultivate students’ appreciation for jazz while promoting creative thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and communication.

Our education programs intersect with our annual concert series by providing students with free or discounted tickets and making guest artists available for master classes, ensuring that youth in the community have access to quality educational and concert programming. We have also reached thousands of students through the West Virginia Jazz Education Initiative, which serves K-12 students in rural West Virginia counties, introducing them to this uniquely American artform and providing professional development opportunities to educators.

Jazz Legends Program

Since 2008, the MCG Jazz Pittsburgh Jazz Legends program has recognized hometown jazz masters that have fundamentally stayed in Pittsburgh and kept the scene vibrant and thriving. These musicians not only have robust performance experience but have also mentored generations of jazz musicians both on and off the bandstand. The Pittsburgh Jazz Legends Ceremony celebrates their achievements, their music, and the Pittsburgh jazz community as a whole. To date, we have honored 35 of these legends, including Roger Humphries, Joe Negri, Kenny Blake, Etta Cox, Dwayne Dolphin, and many more.

Spotlight Show

The MCG Jazz Spotlight on WZUM Pittsburgh is an hour-long weekly radio show hosted by Marty Ashby. This show features a vibrant mix of current jazz chart-toppers, deep archival cuts, and themed explorations of legendary labels and artists. From highlighting local Pittsburgh jazz history and MCG Jazz Legends, to celebrating global music icons, the Spotlight Show delivers a dynamic listening experience rooted in both tradition and the innovation of looking forward.

Record Label/Buy Products

The MCG Jazz Recording Label has been producing distinctive albums from a wide variety of artists since 1996. The first few albums were live recordings of concerts on the MCG Jazz stage. The very first album, aptly titled A New Home, features a diverse group of world-renowned artists including Ray Brown, Stanley Turrentine, Louie Bellson, and more. Since then, we have released nearly 70 albums, as well as DVDs, vinyl, and a book. Five of our albums have won GRAMMY® Awards — including one Latin GRAMMY® Award.

Artist in Residence

The Artist in Residence (AIR) program aims to enrich the cultural and artistic landscape of the Pittsburgh community by providing young people with educational opportunities to engage with and learn from accomplished jazz musicians while enhancing our concert series. The Artist-in-Residence works with local young musicians, offering workshops, masterclasses, and mentorship opportunities throughout the year. During the concert season, this artist also curates one unique performance in our concert season.

This program is funded in part by The Pittsburgh Foundation.