The Adam Lee Morgan Band Credit: photo taken from website adamleemorgan.com For the second year in a row, I sat through a concert by the Adam Lee Morgan Jazz Band at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie. The 15-member ensemble performed Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn’s The Nutcracker Suite , not in the order Tchaikovsky wrote it but in the order Ellington or Strayhorn did, according to band leader Adam Lee Morgan. The concert hall held one of the largest audiences I’ve ever seen in the space, and the crowd was definitely in a festive mood, which made everything even more effervescent. Morgan introduced each section of the concert, which made it more interesting and many members of the band had solos in which to display their talent. A quick review of the evening’s program showed that the caliber of the musicians is noteworthy. Many of the players teach at places like Duquesne University or Washington a...
Now Available Seat naming opportunities are now available in the August Wilson African American Cultural Center (AWAACC) theater, offering supporters a legacy-giving opportunity to make a meaningful and visible investment in one of the nation’s largest Black multidisciplinary arts centers. Offered as part of AWAACC’s Fuel the Future Fundraising Drive supporting the Center’s mission and long-term sustainability, the seat dedication program invites donors to honor loved ones, commemorate milestones, or affirm their commitment to Black arts and culture. Each dedicated seat serves as a lasting tribute within AWAACC’s theater and reflects a shared belief in the power of storytelling, performance, and creative expression. “A seat dedication is both deeply personal and forward-looking,” said Janis Burley, President & CEO and Artistic Director of the August Wilson African American Cultural Center. “It’s a meaningful way to honor someone special and make a gift that continues to g...