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Presented in Partnership with MCG Jazz

The BNY Mellon presents JazzLive series features Daniel and Benjamin May Trio with Grace Elliott, presented by the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust in partnership with MCG Jazz.

Daniel May | Daniel May studied music composition at the University of Connecticut, where he received a master’s degree in music composition and music theory. He then went to Ithaca, New York, to study music composition at Cornell University. After earning a Doctor of Musical Arts degree composer for feature films, television and, most notably, IMAX films. Career highlights include his score to the award-winning IMAX film Everest. In his film scores, Daniel has collaborated with George Harrison (Everest), Sting (The Living Seas and Dolphins), Lindsay Buckingham (Adventures in Wild California), and The Moody Blues (Journey into Amazing Caves). Additionally, May is a jazz pianist and has recorded extensively with some of the world's foremost jazz artists. During his career, May has produced and recorded more than 50 CD projects.

Benjamin May | After many years of classical training, Benjamin May moved to the Los Angeles area to pursue performing full time. After 30 years and 14,000+ performances, Benjamin has amassed a great deal of real-life on-stage experience that he uses to add richness and depth to his performances. In addition, he has worked as an instrumental aid, full time, for over twenty years in Long Beach Unified School District. In 2023 Benjamin relocated from Los Angeles to Pittsburgh and has quickly become integrated into the Pittsburgh jazz scene, keeping a very active performance schedule.

As a freelance jazz musician, Benjamin has worked with countless singers and music groups ranging from full big bands or symphony orchestras, and small combos like quintets or as small as a duo. Some notables include: Joe Pass, Rosemary Clooney, Anita O’Day, Annie Ross, Bonnie Raitt, Ben Vereen, Bill Henderson, Barbara Morrison, Llew Matthews, Johnny Crawford, Bill Elliot, Al Viola, Frank Sinatra Jr., Seth MacFarlane, just to name a few. Benjamin has also opened for Joe Zawinul, and Tony Bennett. As a recording artist, Benjamin has recorded on over 40 CDs for various artists and projects.

Grace Elliott | Grace Elliott is a vocalist and songwriter born and raised in Pittsburgh. She graduated from North Allegheny and attended the Frost school of music for Vocal Jazz Performance. At 20 years old she is a full time musician performing around the city of Pittsburgh and is currently working on original music.

George Heid III | George's earliest studies took place at the Afro American Music Institute where he studied with Thomas Wendt and James Johnson III. Later George would graduate from Pittsburgh’s Creative and Performing Arts high school, where he was mentored by jazz drumming legend Roger Humphries. After high school, he studied at Pittsburgh’s Duquesne University as well as at State University of New York: Purchase, where he studied with master jazz drummers Kenny Washington, John Riley and Richie Morales.

George has toured and played at numerous notable jazz venues across the United States and China, including three multi-month residencies in Hangzhou, China.

George is the recipient of numerous awards as both a performer and composer, including the 2013 ASCAP Young Jazz Composer Award, Downbeat magazine’s 2013 Best Original Jazz Composition award, and back-to-back Outstanding Soloist awards at the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival awards in 2011 and 2012.