University of Central Florida: University of Central Florida Jazz Ensemble 1: Jazz Town / The Blues Is Alright

The state of Florida, not usually thought of as a hotbed of jazz, has become a breeding ground for those who may someday be counted among the music's best and brightest, thanks to the state's several widely praised undergraduate Jazz Studies programs that are churning out well-schooled musicians almost as fast as Ben and Jerry's churns out ice cream. In addition to the University of Miami's renowned curriculum, there are first-rate programs at Florida International University, the universities of North, South and Central Florida, and even Florida Community College in Jacksonville. UCF, based in Orlando, has recorded three impressive albums, the most recent of which are Jazz Town (2010) and The Blues Is Alright (2012).

On the earlier recording, UCF's Jazz Ensemble 1 is enlarged on four tracks by vocalists Vance Villastrigo and Thomas Potter, on one ("Bugle Call Rag") by well-known clarinetist Allan Vache, and replaced on "Lush Life" and "Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most" by the Jazz Professors, a quintet that includes the ensemble's music director, tenor saxophonist Jeff Rupert (who is featured on both numbers). There's a nice trumpet solo as well on "Spring," which is odd, as the Professors list no trumpeter on their roster. Guest artists on The Blues are trumpeter Tom Parmerter (Fletcher Henderson's "The Stampede"), percussionists Nathan Colbert, Wendell Raulerson, Jeff Moore and Marty Morell ("Cuban Fantasy") and bass trombonist Michael Wilkinson (half a dozen tracks).

On Jazz Town, the ensemble acquits itself well on the three instrumentals, "Bugle Call Rag," Rupert's seductive "Bad Moon" and especially his boppish, fast-moving "Jazz Town," on which guitarist John Krasula, trumpeter Joe Young IV and drummer Mason Fox excel. The last track, Villastrigo's reprise of "It's a Man's World" (sung earlier with Potter) is an anomaly, as it plays for less than thirty seconds. Krasula, Young and Fox solo again on "Bad Moon," Krasula, trombonists Corey Paul and Amanda Buzzetta, tenor Alex Bodytko, trumpeter Phillip Eyrich and pianist James Navan on "Bugle Call Rag." The ensemble's saxophone section comes out smokin' on The Blues, reprising as a unit the great Sonny Stitt's nimble solo on Richard Carpenter's "Souls Valley" before making way for a conclusive statement by pianist Navan. There's no letdown after that, starting with John Coltrane's "Giant Steps" and continuing all the way through "Little" Milton Campbell's grungy title selection—complete with vocal chorus by the band—which rings down the curtain.

In between, the ensemble deftly nails Claude Thornhill's gentle "Snowfall," Al Cohn's tempestuous "Nose Cone," Henderson's swinging "Stampede," Ray Bryant's irresistible "Cuban Fantasy" and Sam Rivers' propulsive "Vortex." Bassist Michael Humphery's lyrical "Curiosity Killed the Kat," Fox's cleverly titled burner "Names Javan" and Navan's carefree "I Went for a Walk" (on which his piano is featured with rhythm) are performed by the smaller Jazz Workshop. Unlike Jazz Town, Navan's piano plays a prominent role throughout, and his heightened presence is most welcome, as he is a consistently engaging soloist. A shame that other soloists aren't named, as there are some bright ones among them.

Measuring the albums, The Blues Is Alright takes pride of place, for two reasons: first, there are no singers (not to demean those who performed on Jazz Town, but they're no match for instrumentals); and second, the Jazz Ensemble has eight of eleven numbers to itself on The Blues, as opposed to only three (not counting vocals) on Jazz Town. It's an excellent group, and Rupert deserves applause for his leadership and expertise, as do the students for paying such close attention to his guiding hand.

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