The Flying Horse Big Band, composed of students in 麻豆原创鈥檚 jazz studies program, reached a milestone this week 鈥� placing its third album on the top three national jazz charts.
鈥淭his trifecta is a first,鈥� said Jeff Rupert, director of the program and band. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not often that college jazz programs receive this kind of recognition. The band shares the charts with Chick Corea, Nicholas Payton, Diana Krall, Peter Erskine and other luminaries in jazz.鈥�
Big Man on Campus, released earlier this year, reached No. 7 on the North American College and Community Radio chart, No. 9 on the Roots Music Report, and No. 36 on Jazz Week.
The album is the eighth released by Flying Horse Records, the music label operated by the university to give students an outlet to record and learn about the world of music. The 11 songs on the album were composed by Henry Mancini, Billy Strayhorn, Antonio Carlos Jobim and others, including the title track B.M.O.C. by Rupert.
The band鈥檚 success can be attributed to 鈥渒eeping artistry at the forefront of the project,鈥� Rupert said. With graduations constantly changing the chemistry of the band, it鈥檚 always 鈥渓ike recruiting for a football team. At the beginning of the year I get a feel for the talent in the band once auditions are concluded. That鈥檚 when I can program and write for the band. This allows us to accentuate strengths and create scenarios that challenge the students.鈥�
He said some of the notable jazz-studies students on Big Man on Campus include saxophonist Saul Dautch, guitarist Ryan Waszmer and freshman trombonist Christian Herrera.
Rupert joined one of the songs on saxophone, and Jeff Moore, dean of the College of Arts & Humanities, also added percussion on a couple of the tracks.
The band鈥檚 new student lineup will begin rehearsing in late August and start off the school year with an on-campus performance at 8 p.m. Sept. 29 in Room 101 of the Nicholson School of Communication. They鈥檒l follow that up with a performance at the Winter Park Autumn Art Festival at 1 p.m. Oct. 14.
鈥淲e are happy to be cultivating an environment of excellence and relevance for our students,鈥� Rupert said. 鈥淪tay tuned for our next release, The Bat Swings!,聽 due out this fall 鈥� the music of Batman!.鈥�