Marty Ashby and Renée Govanucci of MCG Jazz consider the Big Band and other very large ensembles.

From 17 different large group recordings, we go from the New York Voices and the Count Basie Orchestra, to the recent release, “Diva and the Boys.” Other large slices on the menu include the Clayton-Hamilton Orchestra, the Bob Mintzer Big Band, and a grammy winner with Nancy Wilson.

We go “large” in the MCG Jazz Spotlight on WZUM - Friday and Sunday nights at 6, Saturday afternoons at 1.

The Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival - a visit with Janis Burley Wilson

We also have latest details on the lineup for the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival, September 17-19.

Thursday at 6pm, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday afternoon at 5.

This week on the MCG Jazz Spotlight Show, Bill Strickland and Marty Ashby share stories of MCG Jazz - just as the 35th season is about to start,

Topics include artists who have left a permanent impact on MCG, renovations of the concert hall, and how today's musicians carry the tradition forward.

The MCG Jazz Spotlight show - Friday and Sunday at 6pm and Saturday at 1pm on The Pittsburgh Jazz Channel WZUM.

With COVID-19 vaccines and careful mitigation and reopening - the scene is back up to an average of 200+ events a month for July, August and September - including the return of in person performances at Alphabet City - and the return of Jazz-Poetry Month.

Also - The return of the Monroeville Jazz Festival on September 4th.; MCG Jazz brings the Yellowjackets back to town for season 35, the Pittsburgh International Jazz Festival is coming September 17-19, BPEP Jazz on September 20 , , and a three day celebration of the Pittsburgh Cultural District gears up on September 9th.

The Scene WZUM Thursday night at six, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday afternoon at 5 on WZUM.

This week on the MCG Jazz Spotlight Show, hosts Marty Ashby and Renee Govanucci play music from the top Jazz albums in the county according to the JazzWeek list of new jazz

Featured artists include Antonia Adolpho, Nnenna Freelon, George Cables, Mike LaDonne, Gerry Gibbs and a new MCG Jazz project from the Bob Mintzer Big Band.

The MCG Jazz Spotlight show - Friday and Sunday at 6pm and Saturday at 1pm on The Pittsburgh Jazz Channel WZUM.

Pianist and composer Deanna Witkowski is the author of “Mary Lou Williams: Music for the Soul,” which is just hitting bookstores and online retail, now.

Pittsburgh was very important to Mary Lou Williams, and plays an important part in a new biography about her musical, personal and spiritual journey. We talk with Deanna Witkowski about the book, Pittsburgh and what she has learned in the process.

Also, musical homecomings abound in Pittsburgh this summer, from across many generations of jazz folk from Pittsburgh. Hear some of them on the show.

The Scene - Thursday at 6, Friday and Saturday at noon, Sunday at 5 on WZUM.

This week’s MCG Jazz Spotlight Show features pianists who have performed in the MCG Concert hall, especially on the Steinway D Concert Grand Piano that was selected by Pittsburgh’s Ahmad Jamal in 1988.

Friday and Sunday nights at 6, Saturday afternoon at 1 on WZUM

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.