Past Events › Performing
Events List Navigation
Celebration Of Life for Song Stylist Nancy Wilson
The celebration of life for Song Stylist Nancy Wilson will take place on March 2, 2019, at 1:30 PM at the Bel Air Church, 16221 Mullholland Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90049.
MCG Jazz, the record label Nancy was with since 2001 will produce the event in conjunction with the Wilson family.
The celebration is open to the public.
Information will be available as updated at www.missnancywilson.com
The Smithsonian Masterworks Orchestra in Concert: “Jazz Beyond Borders”
“Jazz Beyond Borders” in partnership with the Jazz Institute of Chicago and featuring Hubert Laws.
MCG Jazz is pleased to announce a special engagement featuring The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra (SJMO), the 19-piece big band orchestra-in-residence at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, in Chicago, IL on March 14, 2019
Find out more »
Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra in Concert: “Jazz Beyond Borders”
MCG Jazz is pleased to announce a special engagement featuring The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra (SJMO), the 19-piece big band orchestra-in-residence at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, in Houston, TX, on Monday, March 18, 2019. In partnership with Houston First and the Hobby Center Foundation.
Grammy-award winning jazz vocalist Kurt Elling will join the SJMO, under the direction of artistic director Charlie Young, for a one-of-a-kind concert experience. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit https://www.thehobbycenter.org
Find out more »The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra student master class workshop
Tuesday, March 19, 2019, SJMO, with the support of KTSU-FM, will be conducting a student master class workshop at the Denney Theatre at the Kinder School for the Performing and Visual Arts from 12:30 pm to 1:45 pm.
Find out more »The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra with Hubert Laws
Explore the global evolution of jazz as the SJMO and guest flutist Hubert Laws perform original arrangements of Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald alongside contemporary big band pieces.
Twenty years since they first came to London, the nineteen-piece orchestra are back with new artistic director Charlie Young and a host of accomplished jazz musicians including vocalist Delores King Williams.
Like the orchestra itself, Hubert Laws is a rare visitor to London. He made his name with a string of great albums for the legendary CTI label and played with Gil Scott-Heron at the time of ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’. He’s come to be regarded as one of the great jazz flutists and was recently celebrated by an NEA Jazz Masters Award.
7:30 pm Performance at Milton Court, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS – https://www.barbican.org.uk/whats-on/2019/event/the-smithsonian-jazz-masterworks-orchestra-with-hubert-laws
THE NEXT BIG SING WITH THE SMITHSONIAN JAZZ MASTERWORKS ORCHESTRA
Stratford Circus Arts Center, Theatre Square, Stratford, London
Sunday 7 April 2019 Doors 6.15pm |
Start 6.30pm
TICKETS Pay what you can at stratford-circus.com | 020 8279 1080
This event is part of Youth Music’s Give a Gig and all proceeds will be donated to Youth Music. A national charity investing in music-making projects that help children and young people aged 0-25 to develop personally and socially as well as musically.
The MCG Jazz Quintet
Jazz night at Rivers Casino Drum Bar, featuring:
Marty Ashby – Guitar, Mike Tomaro – Saxophone, Max Leake – Piano, Paul Thompson – Bass, James Johnson III – Drums
Rivers Casino Jazz Holiday
MCG Jazz Holiday with Steve Rudolph and Marty Ashby
Find out more »Con Alma
February 26, 2020, 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Marty Ashby with John Shannon, Tony DePaolis and Tom Wendt
Find out more »Drum Bar Rivers Casino
April 17, 2020, 9:00 p.m. – midnight
Find out more »jazzPGH Jazz Day Celebration
MCG Jazz and the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust, in partnership with WZUM, present jazzPGH Jazz Day.
5:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Duquesne University Jazz Ensemble performs at 6:00 p.m. For All We Know album celebration featuring Gloria Reuben and Marty Ashby will perform at 7:00 p.m. jazzPGH All Stars featuring Thomas Wendt, Lynn Speakman, Antonio Croes, and Mark Strickland will perform at 8:00 p.m.
Marty is at MCG Jazz
I hope that you and yours are staying safe and healthy. Thank you for your patience during this extended pause in the MCG Jazz programming. The global COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact all performing arts in Pittsburgh, as well as across the country. The priority remains to keep everyone in the audience, on stage, and behind the scenes healthy and safe.
In an effort to keep everyone safe, MCG Jazz paused all previously planned in-person concerts and educational events. When restrictions are lifted and we can safely hold in-person events, we will. I do not have a date set to reopen our doors, but we are proactively working with artists, their managers and agents to present these artists when it is safe to do so.
This decision is based on information from local and state governments, the CDC, and the WHO. All measures we are taking are grounded in our understanding of public health science and infectious disease control to create a safe environment when we are permitted to reopen.
The MCG Jazz mission to preserve, present, and promote jazz has never been stronger.
Every day and in every way, MCG Jazz will continue to do what we do best – preserve, present, and promote jazz. The focus has always been to keep patrons, artists and staff safe and provide an enjoyable musical experience. So, until we are able to be together in our music hall – we are coming to you!
Starting in September 2020 we are providing you with a wide variety of interactive offerings to keep you connected to MCG Jazz and bring the New Jazz Age to you:
Live Performances – When restrictions will allow, we will host a socially distanced live performance from the MCG Jazz stage and stream it LIVE! Subscribers will have a special code to watch the performance at their convenience within 48 hours.
Live from the Archives – We are streaming concerts from the 33-year history of MCG Jazz. Relive a show you attended or see one you may have missed.
MCG Jazz Spotlight Show – Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, MCG Jazz hosts a 60-minute radio show on The Pittsburgh Jazz Channel, WZUM, 101.1 FM or stream online at wzum.org.
Pittsburgh Jazz Legends Spotlight – Each month we will post an oral history of one of the MCG Jazz Pittsburgh Jazz Legends and feature photos, music clips and memorabilia from each artist throughout the month.
[Visit mcgjazz.org to see the full schedule of events.]
What happens now and what can I do?
The MCG Jazz team looks forward to connecting with each of you individually. If you purchased a subscription for the 2020-2021 season or if you have tickets for a concert that would have occurred in March, April or May 2020, we will be in touch with you to discuss your options. For your convenience, you can schedule a call immediately to speak with a member of the MCG Jazz team directly. Please use the calendar tool below to select your preferred day and time by clicking on email hidden; JavaScript is required/bookings/">https://outlook.office365.com/owa/calendar/email hidden; JavaScript is required/bookings/
We need your support now more than ever. Music is a primary way that our culture is passed on and celebrated. For the past 120 years, jazz has been at the center of American culture and will continue to be with your help. MCG Jazz is a non-profit organization, relying on revenue from both ticket sales and contributions to bring exceptional jazz experiences to Pittsburgh. Please help us keep this strong tradition alive by donating or becoming an MCG Jazz member. Your donation is tax-deductible and critical in supporting us during this challenging time. Please click here if you would like to donate your tickets….
Together we are the New Jazz Age.
When we all work together, we will keep each other safe and healthy. The sooner this virus is eradicated, the sooner we can enjoy live jazz again. We will never stop swingin’ and never stop believing in the power of music. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to connecting with you virtually for now.
The MCG Jazz staff –
Marty Ashby, Vice President and Executive Producer | Renée Govanucci, Director | Mark Jackovic, Education and Archives Manager | David Sykut, Producer Manager | Nick Pesanka, Patron Services and Sales Specialist | Natalie Larsen, Administrative Assistant Senior Level
Find out more »
Marty Ashby and Friends
MCG Jazz presents at Market Square Night Market, Saturday, July 24, 5:00 – 10:00 pm. FREE.
Find out more »The Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra Plays Pittsburgh
Part of the Pittsburgh Playhouse Inside/Outside Series, Thursday, July 29, 4:30-6:30 pm. Tickets are $10.00, include a free drink, and are available at the Pittsburgh Playhouse Box office at pittsburghplayhouse.com or by calling 412.392.8000.
Find out more »Jazz At Fallingwater
MCG Jazz and Fallingwater present an intimate evening of live jazz, wine, and hors d’oeuvres in the living room of Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece.
Live performance Gloria Reuben’s and Marty Ashby’s celebrated duo album, For All We Know.
“If you’ve been waiting for music that will make you ‘feel it’, you owe it to yourself to listen to Gloria’s wonderful romantic jazz vocals. Marty’s guitar enhances the experience, and the duo is simply magic.” – Dick Metcalf, Contemporary Fusion Reviews
Proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test required for entry. Masks are required when indoors.
Find out more »Central PA Friends of Jazz Fundraiser Honoring Steve Rudolph
Steve will be playing in concert with a band of some of his favorite musicians from over the years. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime performance for Steve, and you don’t want to miss it!
Following the concert, event guests will join Steve for a light reception. Rumor has it that Steve and his musician friends may start a jam session at the reception…
A co-founder of the Friends of Jazz, Steve retired as executive director in October 2019. This gives Steve more time to play, compose, and teach. However, our commitment to sharing live jazz doesn’t end with Steve’s retirement. In addition to celebrating Steve’s years of service to the Friends of Jazz, This One’s For You! will expand the community of supporters we need to ensure that jazz continues to be a major part of the cultural landscape of Central Pennsylvania.
Marty Ashby Claudio Roditi Tribute
Marty Ashby pays tribute to master trumpeter and composer, Brazilian Jazz superstar, Claudio Roditi.
Joining Marty will be James Moore on trumpet, Paul Thompson on bass and James Johnson III on drums.
Con Alma Ellsworth, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Find out more »Marty Ashby Trio
Marty Ashby’s Holiday Jazz Celebration 2021 Featuring Ann Hampton Callaway and the music from her album “The Hope of Christmas”
A musical review of traditional favorites and new songs for the Holidays; performed by the Marty Ashby Quartet including Lewis Nash with special guest Ann Hampton Callaway. Celebrate the Holiday season with songs that feel familiar yet fresh.
Marty Ashby is a jazz guitarist, GRAMMY® Award-winning producer, programming consultant, motivational speaker and lifelong advocate of jazz music and its unique place in American culture. Ashby has performed and recorded with Slide Hampton, Claudio Roditi, Nancy Wilson, Paquito D’Rivera, Herbie Mann, Phil Woods, The Dizzy Gillespie™ All-Star Big Band and others. In addition to his musicianship, Ashby has curated and managed national tours for Jazz Across the Americas, the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra’s Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald and SJMO’s 2019 world tour Jazz Beyond Borders: From the Golden Gate to the Great Wall. Ashby is Executive Producer of MCG Jazz, which he started in 1987.
An artist who has made indelible marks on jazz, cabaret, and on Broadway as a writer and performer, Ann Hampton Callaway has composed over 250 songs for stage, screen, and television, and her music has been recorded and performed by the likes of Barbra Streisand, Michael Feinstein, and Carole King. Callaway has shared the stage with great artists from many genres including George Shearing, Dizzy Gillespie, Stevie Wonder, Dr. John, Liza Minnelli, Betty Buckley, Dianne Reeves, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Audra McDonald, Harvey Fierstein, Ramsey Lewis, and Kurt Elling. Callaway has released 15 albums since 1992 including her 2015 MCG Jazz album “The Hope of Christmas.”
Q ON STAGE says, “The album is jazzy, hopeful, modern, and infused with the dark golden honey of one of the finest voices in jazz today. The pure heart and the hope that Christmas feelings will last all year.”
Please note, the MIM is requiring that audience members either be vaccinated or have a negative COVID test within 72 hours prior to the performance. We also strongly encourage guests to wear masks.
Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test result will be required for entry and may include the following options: a vaccination card (or photo), a digital record within an app, an official immunization record, or documentation of a negative test result. All MIM Music Theater team members are vaccinated and will wear masks.
Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra Holiday Concert co-produced with MCG Jazz
The Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra (PJO) is one of the finest ensembles in the country and is comprised of top jazz musicians from the Pittsburgh region. The orchestra’s holiday celebration concert has become a tradition for families all over the Greater Pittsburgh region as a way to take a break from the busy prep of the season. The critically acclaimed PJO recording, “Joyful Jazz,” was one of the top holiday albums of 2015 and continues to receive widespread airplay each holiday season. The concert will feature music from the album as well as some special new surprises.
