Marty Ashby knows jazz inside and out. His organization is at the epicenter of the jazz world and is leading the industry forward. As Executive Producer of MCG Jazz, Marty has produced over 1,200 concerts in various cities and has created ten commercial albums, receiving three GRAMMY Awards from four nominations. Artists such as Nancy Wilson, Paquito D'Rivera, and The Count Basie Orchestra have all performed for and contributed to the success of the MCG Jazz label. The artists often devote their proceeds to MCG Jazz's parent organization, the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild (MCG), a community arts and vocational training center in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania.
In this interview with Tim Zak, Marty charts his career from jazz musician in New York City, to director of orchestras in Cleveland and Pittsburgh, and finally to his current role as director of one of the country's top jazz performance and recording venues. For Marty, the spirit of collaboration and improvisation that characterizes America's unique music form, jazz, also infuses the culture of the Manchester Craftsmen's Guild itself.
