UCO Jazz Ensemble Brings Home Top Honors from Prestigious Jazz Festival

April 11, 2008

The University of Central Oklahoma Jazz Ensemble I was recently chosen "Outstanding College Jazz Ensemble" at the eighth annual North Texas Jazz Festival in Addison, Texas, one of the premier jazz competitions in the country.

Jazz Ensemble Director Lee Rucker said only the best are invited to this festival and to be named outstanding ensemble was an honor.

"They only accept a handful of bands from the submitted audition tapes, so to be named the outstanding ensemble demonstrates our students' depth of talent and our continuing commitment to jazz studies at UCO."

As part of the honor, the UCO ensemble was given the opportunity to play on the main stage preceding the evening performance with the festival's headliner, The David Benney Quartet.

You can hear the Jazz Ensemble I in concert at 7 p.m., April 14, at the UCO Jazz Lab. For tickets, call (405) 359-7989.

Page updated 4/14/08