Abstract
If you ask a long-time Pittsburgher, or even a recent transplant to the city, where and when jazz music was at its height in Pittsburgh, they will surely answer "The Hill in the '50s." There is much truth to that, with dozens of clubs like the Hurricane and the Crawford Grill having been a dominant part of nightlife along Wylie and Bedford Avenues.
The best-known jazz musicians of the era -- Duke Ellington, Count Basie, and Art Tatum -- made Pittsburgh a regular stop on their tours of major clubs and theaters across America. Some jazz artists who got their start in Pittsburgh eventually made it big, among them Earl 'Fatha' Hines, Erroll Garner, Billy Strayhorn, Mary Lou Williams, and Art Blakey. Others left the city but influenced the development of jazz music elsewhere. Their careers highlight the importance of Pittsburgh as a foundation for creating and performing music, including swing, bebop, hard bop, funk, fusion, and more.