Jazz

Charles Schmitt with Dean Melissa Rose Charles Thomas Schmitt, from Maitland, Florida, is this year’s Founder’s Medalist for Vanderbilt University Blair School of Music. Schmitt majored in trumpet performance with a concentration in jazz studies. As a member of several Blair jazz ensembles, he has performed at some of Nashville’s… Read More

The Ryan Middagh Jazz Orchestra has released a new six-song album, Tenor Madness, on Ear Up Records. The set features an arsenal of stellar jazz players and has already generated glowing accolades from music writers around the world. Middagh is the director of jazz studies at Blair School of Music. Read More

3x Grammy-winning saxophonist, composer, and Blair School of Music educator Jeff Coffin (Dave Matthews Band) will release his new star-studded album, Only the Horizon, Friday, July 19 on Ear Up Records. This highly anticipated collection of original compositions showcases Coffin’s extraordinary compositional vision and arranging prowess, blending traditional… Read More

Colombia-bound Blair students Nate Spratford, saxophone; Patrick Kenny, guitar; Gabe Barnard, bass; and Miles Buchmann, drums. A quartet of Blair jazz students, program director Ryan Middagh, and bass instructor Rob Linton will embark on a performance and educational tour of Colombia June 9-23. The schedule will include seven… Read More

The Blair Big Band has been honored with its 13th DownBeat Magazine Student Music Award. The Blair School of Music jazz program has been honored with its 13th DownBeat Magazine Student Music Award in an announcement released today. The Blair Big Band is a 2024 winner in the Undergraduate… Read More

The Dave Matthews Band, whose members include Jeff Coffin of the Blair School of Music jazz faculty, has been announced as a 2024 inductee into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. A saxophonist, composer, and educator, Coffin is a three-time Grammy Award winner as a member of Bela Fleck… Read More

Tickets are on sale now for three concert events during the 2024 International Jazz Symposium hosted at Blair School of Music. Blair School of Music will host the 2024 International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers (ISJAC) Symposium May 16-18. The three-day event will include three stellar guest artist… Read More

The Blair Big Band will present a collaborative concert, Solidarity, on February 23. The award-winning Blair Big Band, directed by Ryan Middagh, will present a special concert event on Friday, February 23, entitled Solidarity: An Evening of Creative Collaborations. The performance will feature Blair School of Music students, faculty,… Read More

Photo: Jimmy Katz Lauded musician, composer, and educator Wadada Leo Smith will be at Vanderbilt November 28 – December 1 for a residency that will include two musical performances and a special forum interview event. A creative visionary, Smith’s lengthy list of accomplishments and accolades includes a Guggenheim Fellowship, Doris… Read More

International Jazz Composers’ Symposium   Blair School of Music will host the sixth International Jazz Composers’ Symposium, May 16-18, 2024. Presented by the International Society of Jazz Arrangers and Composers (ISJAC), the conference provides a forum that unites jazz composers of all ages and nationalities in an informal exchange of… Read More