Director of Jazz Studies, Professor Curt Wilson, directing the TCU Jazz Ensemble at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy, July 2007

The TCU Jazz Ensembles have appeared in concert with such notable international jazz artists as Hank Levy, Don Menza, Urbie Green, Mike Vax , Ed Shaughnessy, Pete Christlieb, Ashley Alexander, Frank Mantooth, Roger Pemberton, Roy Hargrove, Willie Thomas, Carl Fontana, Jon Faddis, Shelton Berg, Rich Matteson, Leon Breeden, John Fedchock, Patrick Williams, Marvin Stamm, Onzie Matthews, Louis Bellson, Clark Terry, Terry Bozzio, Will Calhoun, Dom Famulara, Chester Thompson, Tony Campisi, Peanuts Hucko, the Hal Galper Trio, Chris Vadala, Conte Candoli, Vince DiMartino, Bill Watrous, Dave Pietro, Allen Vizzutti, Carl Saunders, Wayne Bergeron, Andy Martin, SMSgt Joe Jackson, Mark Taylor, and Howard Johnson.  In addition, the campus has hosted many outstanding professional bands, including Stan Kenton, Buddy Rich, Maynard Ferguson, Count Basie, Mike Vax’s “TRPTS”,  the Jim Widner Big Band, and the Stan Kenton Alumni Band directed by Mike Vax, plus numerous service bands.

The annual TCU Jazz Festival has become one of the most prestigious festivals in the state.  Since its beginning in 1978, the event has attracted more than 20,000 talented high school players.  In addition, bands have attended the TCU Jazz Festival from as far away as Tennessee, Iowa, and Hawaii.

The band has performed at numerous TMEA conventions in San Antonio, Texas.  Other notable performances include the Mobile Jazz Festival (Mobile, Alabama), Longhorn Jazz Festival (Austin, Texas), Wichita Jazz Festival (Wichita, Kansas), and North Texas Jazz Festival (Addison, Texas).

In May of 1979, the ensemble took a twenty-two day concert tour of the Soviet Union and Poland.  During the spring of 1984, the TCU ensemble toured the New York City area.  In March 1986, the band performed in St. Louis, Chicago, and northern Indiana.  In April of 1987, the TCU Bluegrass/Country-Western Band performed for one week in Tokyo, Japan in conjunction with an American Trade Fair.  In July 1991 and 1999, the band toured Austria, Switzerland, and Hungary, performing at the prestigious Montreux Jazz Festival, and Vienna (Austria) Jazz Festival.  During the Summer of 2001, they performed at the 8th Annual Honolulu Jazz Festival in Hawaii.  In July of 2003, the TCU Jazz Ensemble performed at the Copenhagen, Pori (Finland), and North Sea Jazz Festivals.  In July of 2007, the TCU Jazz Ensemble appeared at the Umbria Jazz Festival in Italy. 

Thus far, the TCU Jazz studies program has produced seventeen record albums and CDs.  In 1993, the TCU Studio Jazz Orchestra was recognized with a Best Performance Award by Down Beat Magazine.  In 1995, the band was featured on the “Best of College Jazz” – produced by the Sony Corporation and ATA (America Trans Airline).  In 1999, our program was recognized by Down Beat Magazine as one of the top 50 collegiate jazz programs in the United States.  Three jazz ensemble CDs (Classic Mix, Dream On, and Leap Frog) were recognized by IAJE as one of the “Top-10” College CD’s of 2002, 2004, and 2006.

Jazz Studies Program
1976-2009

• Seven international tours/performances in the former Soviet Union, Poland, Japan, Hungary, Austria, Switzerland, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Italy including appearances at the Montreux, Switzerland (twice), North Sea (The Hague), Vienna, Copenhagen, Pori (Finland), Honolulu, and Umbria (Italy) international jazz festivals.

• Recognized by IAJE (International Association of Jazz Educators) and Down Beat magazine as an exemplary jazz studies program.

• Appeared in concert with more than 40 internationally-acclaimed jazz artists.

• Annual TCU Jazz Festival, held each spring, has attracted over 20,000 high school students to the TCU campus.

• Performances thru-out Texas and in St. Louis, Chicago, Indiana, New York, New Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut, Wichita (KS), Mobile (AL), and Honolulu, Hawaii.

• Produced seventeen (17) recordings (CD’s).  Four have won awards from the IAJE (Live with Jon Faddis, Classic Mix, Dream On, and Leap Frog).

• Six (6) appearances at the TMEA (Texas Music Educators Association) Conference in San Antonio (one in Fort Worth).

• Appeared at the Wichita (KS), Longhorn (Austin, TX), Mobile (AL), and Addison (TX) Collegiate Jazz Festivals.

• Recordings have been featured on American Airlines and ATA Airlines in-flight entertainment systems.

See a Quicktime Movie from TMEA 2005!

TCU Jazz Ensemble CDs

Latest CD -- JUST FRIENDS

CD -- LEAPFROG

CD -- DREAM ON

CD -- CLASSIC MIX

For further information about TCU Jazz Studies, contact:

Curt Wilson
Director of Jazz Studies
Texas Christian University
School of Music
TCU Box 297500 - Fort Worth, Texas 76129
1.800.TCU.FROG
817.257.7640 Fax: 817.257.7344
music@tcu.edu

Los Angeles trombone artist Andy Martin with the TCU Jazz Ensemble

Clarinet professor Gary Whitman and Patrick Williams

Patrick Williams and Dr. Richard Gipson presenting Curt Wilson with the score of The Sun Will Shine Today – commissioned by the TCU School of Music in honor of Curt Wilson’s 30 year tenure at TCU.