Results for "Pittsburgh"

Documentary: Pittsburgh Jazz

December 4, 2020

Erroll Garner, George Benson, Earl “Fatha" Hines, Ray Brown, Kenny Clarke, Stanley Turrentine, Billy Eckstine, Billy Strayhorn, Ahmad Jamal, Joe Negri, {{Johnny Costa and Mary Lou Williams all had one thing in common—Pittsburgh, PA. They all grew up there along with other jazz greats. How did Pittsburgh come to be such a flourishing jazz center? And ...

Alton Merrell

Dr. Alton Merrell is a world class pianist, composer, and educator based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His musical artistry is a unique blend of lyrical melodies, rich harmonies, and fluid technique that spans multiple music genres including jazz, gospel, classical, pop, and rhythm and blues. His music is known to take listeners on spirit-filled excursions that deeply touch the soul. Currently, Dr. Merrell leads his own instrumental jazz group, "The Alton Merrell Quartet," as well as his own gospel jazz vocal group “Dr. Alton Merrell & Impact.” In both groups, Dr. Merrell incorporates diverse musical styles in the repertoire to minister love to people worldwide. Dr

Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra

Rich Zabinski

Born: September 6, 1968

Rich Zabinski is an active Jazz Drummer performing in the Pittsburgh/Western Pennsylvania area.  In addition to leading his own jazz group, Rich is a frequent guest artist with many local bands, including the Balcony Big Band and Tony Campbell’s Jazz Surgery.  Having studied Jazz Drum-set with Lenny Rogers and Small Group and Big Band performance with David Budway and John Wilson respectively at Duquesne University, Rich has played alongside Clark Terry, Richie Cole, Marvin Stamm, Dwayne Dolphon, and many others. Rich also has extensive performing, teaching and arranging experience in the competitive marching arts arena.  Rich was a member of the snare drum line with the elite Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, and has taught and arranged for the award winning Kiski Area Marching Band, as well as several other nationally ranked high school marching bands and drum and bugle corps.

Mark Jackovic

Mark Jackovic, M.M., Jazz Education and Archives Manager at MCG Jazz, is an award-winning jazz performer with more than a decade of teaching experience. Jackovic holds a Bachelor's of Science Degree in Music Education from Duquesne University, with a major in K-12 general, choral, and instrumental music education. He also holds a Master in Music degree from Rutgers University, with a major in jazz saxophone performance.

DK Anderson

Born: November 19, 1979

DK [Darnell Kenneth] Anderson was born on November 19, 1979, a mill town kid from the city of Monessen, Pennsylvania. He began his musical studies on tenor saxophone at the age of 11. At the age 16 he started playing the piano and became interested in composition. DK Anderson graduated from Duquesne University School of Music having studied with saxophonist James Houlik; composition and orchestration with Mike Tomaro and David Stock; counterpoint with Dr. Robert Shankovich; and jazz studies later with Sean Jones of the Lincoln Center Jazz Band. In 2001, Anderson premiered his first work for big band at Pittsburgh's Mellon Winterfest Jazz Festival

Maureen Renihan

Born: April 21, 1975

Maureen is a native Pittsburgher who recently returned to the area from Boone, NC. She acquired a love of old standards through her experience performing in theatre. Later she turned to jazz for creative expression and began performing professionally in 2012.

Frank Hammond

Lou Stellute

Mike Tomaro

Born: October 9, 1958

Mike Tomaro has been the Director of the Jazz Studies Program at the Mary Pappert School of Music at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA since 1997.  The saxophonist, composer, arranger and educator earned his B.S. degree in Music Edu­cation from Duquesne and his M.A. degree in Saxophone Perfor­mance from George Mason University.  Prior to his appointment at Duquesne, he lived in the Washington, D.C. area for seventeen years as a member of the Army Blues Jazz Ensemble, a unit of the prestigious “Pershing’s Own” U.S. Army Band.  While a member of this group, he served as its Enlisted Musical Director and performed for Presidents Reagan, Bush and Clinton as well as heads of state from around the world.  He also composed and/or arranged much of the Army Blues repertoire and was featured as a soloist on several of the group’s albums and CDs.  Mike is a Yamaha Performing Artist and Vandoren Diamond Artist.