Utah State University Students Release 'Europa' CD
Utah State University’s Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Caine College of the Arts (CCA) associate professor and director of jazz studies Jon Gudmundson, has released a new CD called “Europa.”
“Europa pays tribute to some of the hottest European contemporary writers for big band,” Gudmundson said. “The CD also includes appearances by some USU jazz faculty members, including trumpeter Max Matzen, guitarist Corey Christiansen and drummer Jason Nicholson.”
The USU Jazz Orchestra won the 2014 DownBeat Student Music Award for outstanding performance by a large jazz ensemble, along with big bands from the Eastman School of Music in New York and Senzoku Gakuen College of Music in Japan.
“Jon Gudmundson is doing great things with our CCA students and for the Department of Music,” said James Bankhead, head of the Department of Music at USU. “There are many great Europa reviews circulating in the jazz world.”
Rainer Tempel, composer and pianist of the Zurich Jazz Orchestra, offered his opinion of the Europa CD.
“Great ensemble. Great soloist,” he said.
Mark Buselli, trumpeter and co-leader of the Buselli-Wallarab Jazz Orchestra, also commented on the students’ work.
“The band sounds polished and tight on this live recording. Bravo!”
The Europa CD is available through the CCA Production Services website (arts.usu.edu) or at the CCA Box Office in room 139-B of the Chase Fine Arts Center on USU’s Logan campus.
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Contact: Denise Albiston, 435-797-1500, denise.albiston@usu.edu
Writer: Whitney Schulte, 435-797-9203, whitney.schulte@usu.edu
Utah State University students performing with the USU Jazz Orchestra are featured in the recent CD release "Europa."
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