(PITTSBURGH) – In honor of Pittsburgh’s 250th anniversary and Manchester Bidwell Corporation’s 40th anniversary, MCG Jazz and UPMC are proud to present an incredible gala event and concert with Ivan Lins and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, featuring a guest performance by legendary songstress, Nancy Wilson.

The event takes place on November 14, 2008 at Heinz Hall and opens with a gala reception at 6:00 p.m., followed by the concert at 8:00 p.m. (more…)

April 21, 2008 (Pittsburgh): The MCG Jazz 2007–08 concert season comes to a close with legendary Pittsburgh-born pianist Ahmad Jamal, May 1 – 4, 2008 at Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild. Tickets are limited for this much anticipated concert. (more…)

MCG Jazz Nights at the Omni William Penn Hotel presents guitarist and native Pittsburgher Sheryl Bailey, Friday, March 14, 2008, who will be in town for a recording on the MCG Jazz label. Performances are at 7:00 & 9:00 p.m. and are included with a three-course gourmet dinner for $27.50 in the grand Omni Terrace Room. Dinner and performance reservations may be made by calling the Omni William Penn Hotel at 412-553-5235. (more…)

By Ann Curran, Pittsburgh Magazine

He’s lived in a six-block radius for all of his 60 years, yet Pittsburgher of the Year William E. “Bill” Strickland Jr. has influenced not only our city but also the world beyond.

There’s something magical about Bill Strickland. On our single meeting, he was tired, patient beyond belief answering dozens of familiar questions, and plagued by a hoarseness that would prevent a planned recorded reading from his book, Making the Impossible Possible, published at the end of 2007….

For the full Pittsburgh Magazine article:
http://www.wqed.org/mag/features/0108/strickland.php

MCG Jazz Nights at the Omni William Penn Hotel celebrates the holiday season with the MCG Jazz Holiday Party on December 20, 2007. Performances are at 7:00 & 9:00 p.m. and are included with a three-course gourmet dinner for $24.95. Dinner and performance reservations may be made by calling the Omni William Penn Hotel at 412-553-5235.

The MCG Jazz holiday tradition continues this year with Pittsburgh’s finest jazz musicians: Vocalist Maureen Budway joins on stage with guitarist and MCG Jazz Executive Producer Marty Ashby, saxophonist Mike Tomaro, trumpeter Jamie Moore, trombonist Jay Ashby, bassist Paco Mahone, and drummer Roger Humphries. The fifth annual MCG Jazz Holiday Party will feature beloved holiday tunes against the dramatic backdrop of the Omni’s grand Terrace Room.

The Omni William Penn Hotel is located at 530 William Penn Place, Downtown Pittsburgh. MCG Jazz is a social enterprise of Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild, a non-profit arts and learning center. Artists and dates are subject to change.