PA 250: Our Jazz Story

About this event

Celebrating Jazz and Pennsylvania’s Role in American History

Join us for PA250 “Our Jazz Story,” a monumental celebration of Pennsylvania’s extraordinary musical legacy. Presented by the PA Jazz Alliance, Inc. in partnership with Pennsylvania Creative Industries and the National Endowment for the Arts , this program honors jazz as one of America’s original and greatest cultural contributions.

A Legacy of Innovation

From early Swing to the complexities of Bebop and modern fusion, Pennsylvania has been a powerful force in jazz history. Our Commonwealth played a pivotal role in the genre’s evolution, hosting the nation’s first recognized jazz festival, The Cavalcade of Dixieland Jazz (1951), and serving as home to legends like John Coltrane, Billie Holiday, Tommy & Jimmy Dorsey, George Benson, Nina Simone, and Henry Mancini.

The Experience

Brought to life by the acclaimed Keystone Jazz Orchestra , a 20-piece ensemble directed by Maestro Marko Marcinko , this five-city tour fulfills the America250PA mission to educate, preserve, and celebrate our history across all 67 counties. Each performance features:

• dynamic live jazz performances of PA’s greatest masters

• immersive historical narration, including partnerships with PA State Legislators

• engaging projected imagery and storytelling

From Hershey HS