On June 5th, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette announced its list of the region’s Top 50 creative forces for 2005, and our own Marty Ashby was ranked at number 17!

The list emphasized artists and people who have made significant artistic decisions, and salutes artistic vision that has guided the programming of an organization.

Marty Ashby, executive producer of MCG Jazz at Manchester Craftmen’s Guild, oversees the jazz education program and concert series, which continues to expand its profile nationally and is building an impressive catalog of recordings on the MCG label. The Guild added to its Grammy count with Nancy Wilson’s “R.S.V.P. (Rare Songs, Very Personal)” recording this year.

“This is really an honor to be considered a cultural force that’s doing important work in the arts,” says Ashby. “The fact that the jazz program has survived for 20 years is significant! It shows that western Pennsylvania enjoys what we’re doing. There is such a strong history of jazz tradition here in Pittsburgh, and the idea that our organization can be thought of so highly is very appropriate for the music scene in Pittsburgh.”

The future is bright for MCG Jazz as Ashby widens the scope of the program from a regional to a national level.

“We’re involved now in communicating and building partnerships with other jazz institutions across the country,” adds Ashby. “By working together, we can leverage our assets and take advantage of national opportunities. That’s the future - and it’s really exciting.”

View the Post-Gazette article.