Howie Alexander and the Monroeville Jazz Festival, and a Smooth Jazz return
Howie Alexander is a musical force in Pittsburgh - as a teacher, a pianist, and bandleader. He was hired by the Afro American Music Institute while still a teen back in the 1990’s, to teach music to people, especially young people.
We visit with Howie to talk about the upcoming show with the AAMI’s Youth Jazz Ensemble for the Monroeville Jazz Festival, September 4th. We also talk about the Pittsburgh music scene and some new gigs we didn’t know about!
The Scene - Thursday at 6, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday at 5 on WZUM.
Spyro Gyra at South Park August 20 and in the MCG Jazz Spotlight, now
MCG’s Marty Ashby and Renée Govanucci visit with Spyro Gyra keyboard artist Tom Schuman (who also lived in Pittsburgh for a while) and share sounds of the band which is coming to the South Park Amphitheatre on August 20th for a long awaited show.
Friday and Sunday nights at 6, Saturday afternoon at 1 on WZUM
A Great Day in Jazz, Revisited - plus the New Days of Jazz to come
Ken Kimery of the Smithsonian on Jazz, History and more in the MCG Jazz Spotlight
Ken Kimery, Executive Director of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra and Jazz Oral History Program at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington joins Marty Ashby for an exploration of jazz influences and innovators.
The MCG Jazz Spotlight Hour - Friday and Sunday night at 6, Saturday afternoon at 1 on WZUM
From the South Hills to NYC - Andy Bianco on the Scene in August
The Scene in Pittsburgh for August will likely have more than 200 jazz engagements as seen on Jazz Central.
One of the gigs coming to Pittsburgh the last week of August is a homecoming for guitarist Andy Bianco. We visit with Andy and hear some of his music from his new release “NYC Stories,” as well as his homage to Jimmy Ponder and Pittsburgh roots Homefront.
Also - music and conversation with trumpeter and new Principal Pops Conductor for the Pittsburgh Symphony, Byron Stripling, plus special guest, bassist and vocalist Nicki Parrott
Thursday at 6, Friday and Saturday at noon and Sunday at 5 on THE SCENE on WZUM
Jazz Fusion and sounds of Summers past - the MCG Jazz Spotlight Hour
MCG’s Marty Ashby and Renée Govanucci share sounds of Funk, Rock and Soul Fusion in Jazz, with legendary artists.
Hear music from and stories about the Brecker Brothers; Larry Carlton; The Crusaders; David Sanborn; Tom Scott and the LA Express; Jeff Lorber; Grover Washington, Jr; Chick Corea and Spyro Gyra - and with a lot of bassist Marcus Miller!
Friday and Sunday nights at 6, Saturday afternoon at 1 on WZUM
