"This is Triumphant Music" - Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Inaugural JazzFest Berlin, 1964.

Dr. King’s Essay on the importance of Jazz to humanity and the Civil Rights movement was not a speech, but it was written at the request of the festival organizers. The words are powerful .

An excerpt:

Much of the power of our Freedom Movement in the United States has come from this music. It has strengthened us with its sweet rhythms when courage began to fail. It has calmed us with its rich harmonies when spirits were down.

And now, Jazz is exported to the world.

Great Drummers Kenny Washington and Thomas Wendt get together with Marty Ashby to celebrate the birthdays of two legendary drummers with sounds of great jazz over the decades.

Listen to great music from Pittsburgh native Kenny Clarke and the great Max Roach, including work with the Modern Jazz Quartet, trumpeter Clifford Brown, plus Saxophonists Sonny Rollins and Dexter Gordon.

Also - sounds from Kenny Washington with pianists Tommy Flanagan and Bill Charlap.

The MCGJazz Spotlight on WZUM - Friday and Sunday nights at 6, and Saturday afternoon at 1.

2021 marked the 100th anniversary of the birth of Erroll Garner - and we take a preliminary dive into his music and a moment in time on the Scene.

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

January 6, 2021 was a much noticed day. In the Pittsburgh media and jazz community, it was also notable as the day our friend, leader, and colleague Tony Mowod died at the age of 85.

Tony was one of the best jazz radio broadcasters, ever. On a special edition of the Scene we share sound from his career and thoughts from WZUM General Manager Scott Hanley. Thursday from 6-8pm, Friday at noon and 7pm, Saturday from noon to 2pm and Sunday from 4-6pm.

Tony Mowod. Born, July 8, 1935; Died, January 6, 2021

It is that “year end” time to look at what happened over the past months that made up 2021 - and, really, it is pretty hard to describe - as the COVID-19 times have blended the past two years together in some rather amorphous ways. But, all in all, for jazz in Pittsburgh - the creative and improvisatory enthusiasm led to a resilience that could not have been predicted or guaranteed.

We talk and play music about some of the notable Pittsburgh Jazz Moments of 2021.

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

Holiday sounds and stories - Mel Tormé, Charlie Brown, the MJQ and more on the Scene

There is much holiday season music around with a jazz feel to it - and much of it with good stories behind the sounds, too.

Thursday night at 6, Friday and Saturday at noon and Sunday at 5 on WZUM.

Our friends at CBS Sunday Morning have a great affinity for great music and theater - and this new feature is a one WZUM Fans will enjoy! Some stories behind Christmastime is Here and a Charlie Brown Christmas

Bill Strickland and Marty Ashby pull out favorites and stories about legends, friends and appreciators of MCG Jazz. Friday and Sunday night at 6, Saturday at 1pm.