MCG Jazz Executive Producer Marty Ashby Honored with DownBeat Magazine
Lifetime Achievement Award
Pittsburgh's Own Marty Ashby Receives Award Honoring Presenting in Jazz
PITTSBURGH, PA | NOVEMBER 12, 2025 — Marty Ashby, Executive Producer of MCG Jazz, has been awarded the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by DownBeat magazine, the world’s leading jazz publication. Ashby’s name appears on the cover of the November issue alongside a feature article celebrating his decades-long contributions to jazz.
This honor comes at a milestone moment: MCG Jazz is embarking on its 40th anniversary, marking four decades of presenting world-class jazz in Pittsburgh and beyond. Ashby’s recognition by DownBeat underscores not only his personal impact on the jazz community but also the national significance of Pittsburgh’s jazz legacy.
“No other Pittsburgh jazz figure in recent history has graced the cover of DownBeat,” said Scott Hanley, General Manager WZUM AM/FM. “It’s a testament to the incredible artists, audiences, and supporters who have made MCG Jazz a cultural cornerstone.”
Since founding MCG Jazz in 1987, Ashby has produced thousands of concerts and recordings, earning multiple Grammy Awards and positioning Pittsburgh as a vital hub for jazz innovation. His leadership has fostered collaborations with legendary artists while nurturing emerging talent, ensuring the music’s vibrancy for future generations.
Todd Barkan, NEA Jazz Master and owner of San Franciso’s legendary Keystone Korner, is quoted in the DownBeat magazine article saying, “Marty is a pragmatic visionary. He doesn’t behave like he’s presenting and the musician is on the other side.”
Ashby’s vision extends beyond music. He is also managing a multi-million-dollar enhancement to the MCG Jazz facility, creating an Archives Center, Jazz and Technology classrooms and expanded audio/video capabilities for the music hall.
Media outlets are encouraged to share this story celebrating Marty-- and Pittsburgh’s role in shaping the national jazz landscape.
For more information, high-res photos, or to set up an interview with Mr. Ashby, contact:
Ashley Boynes-Shuck at ABoynesShuck@manchesterbidwell.org, 412.722.4655
or Marty Ashby at MAshby@manchesterbidwell.org, 412.322.1773 x. 121.
To learn more about DownBeat Magazine, visit: downbeat.com
To learn more about MCG Jazz, visit: mcgjazz.org
To learn more about Marty, visit: martyashby.com
About MCG Jazz
MCG Jazz is a project of Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, a subsidiary of Manchester Bidwell Corporation.
Through our guiding principles: environment shapes behavior, people are assets and creativity fuels enterprise, and our mission to preserve, present and promote jazz, we aim to strengthen the Pittsburgh jazz community and contribute to the overall cultural and artistic diversity of the region.
The MCG Jazz concert series – one of the longest running subscription-based jazz performance series in the county –has been a safe place for artists to share their art and discuss relevant issues of the time. Our recording label produces distinctive albums from a wide variety of artists, our educational programs serve elementary, middle and high school aged students in urban and rural communities, and our archives of audio/video recordings, photographs, interviews and individual artist collections exists as a model for learning for future generations to help grow the audience for jazz and enhance the artform and its creators.
For more information, please contact MCG Jazz at 412-322-0800 or visit our web site at www.mcgjazz.org.
###