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Presented in Partnership with MCG Jazz

Celebrating Wes, Kenny & Grant

Mark Strickland started playing guitar around 1964, taking guitar lessons downtown Pittsburgh in the Werner building, located where the Greer Cabaret Theater is now. He began playing in some rock ‘n roll bands in the 60s and 70s before pursuing jazz in the late 60s after seeing some of the players coming to Pittsburgh’s Hurricane and Crawford Grill. He eventually played with artists such as Grady Tate, Gerald Wilson, Gene Ludwig, Pete Henderson, Roger Humphries, Spencer Bey, Rabbit Barnes, Dwayne Dolphin, and Tania Grubbs, to name a few. He’s also played on a few CDs with Michelle Bensen, Jessica Lee, and Gene Ludwig. Currently, Strickland plays at venues throughout Pittsburgh.