BLU Jazz Big Band Residency w/ the Sam Blakeslee Large Group ft. Jim Rupp: “Celebrating the Composers of The Village Vanguard” Join us for our "first Thursdays" big band residency led by trombonist/composer, Sam Blakeslee, with special guest artist - drummer Jim Rupp! Featuring the music of legendary big band composers Thad Jones, Jim McNeely & Bob Brookmeyer!

We have a very special evening in store as we celebrate the composers of New York City’s legendary jazz club, the Village Vanguard, performing the music of Thad Jones, Bob Brookmeyer & Jim McNeely! Holding down the drum chair will be very special guest, drummer Jim Rupp! Rupp has done extensive touring with the bands of Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson & Glenn Miller, with additional performance and tour highlights including Diane Schuur, Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Joe Lovano, Hank Marr, Buddy DeFranco, Maria Schneider, Clark Terry, Joe Williams, Rosemary Clooney, John Fedchock & Natalie Cole, to name a few.
 

 
While bandleader Sam Blakeslee leads many of his own projects, The Sam Blakeslee Large Group is his unique signature. The ensemble is a high-energy 17-piece contemporary jazz orchestra that features original music of his or other members of the group. Its repertoire is an exciting mix of hip-hop, contemporary classical music, as well as hard-swinging traditional jazz styles. The members of the group are some of the most creative and innovative players and composers in the Northeast Ohio area. One of the goals of the group is to also create a larger regional network of musicians by bringing in artists from Detroit, Pittsburgh, and NYC.
 
Join us every “first Thursday” of the month to experience the thriving sounds of our Northeast Ohio jazz scene – get your tickets early for this very special show! Featuring Bobby Selvaggio, Nathan Davis, Chris Coles, Johnny Cochran, Brad Wagner, Scott McKee, Joe Badaczewski, Ed Kline, Jack Schantz, Sam Blakeslee, Caleb Smith, Max Brady, Mark Mauldin, Theron Brown, Dave Morgan, Jim Rupp.
 

About Jim Rupp

Legendary drummer, Jim Rupp (Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, Diane Schuur), joins the Sam Blakeslee Large Group as a featured guest in “Celebrating the Composers of The Village Vanguard!”

Jim Rupp has done extensive touring with the bands of Woody Herman, Maynard Ferguson, and Glenn Miller. He is the drummer on three Woody Herman CDs, The Fiftieth Anniversary Tour, which was nominated for a Grammy Award, Legacy, and Live In London. Jim spent eight years with Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Diane Schuur, and has also performed and toured with artists such as Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Joe Lovano, Hank Marr, Buddy DeFranco, Maria Schneider, Clark Terry, Joe Williams, Rosemary Clooney, John Fedchock, Natalie Cole, the Cleveland and Columbus Jazz Orchestras, and the Smithsonian Masterworks Jazz Orchestra. These touring credits, plus his educational background, have prepared him well for clinics and performances at colleges and high schools around the country. He has given workshops at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention and the International Association of Jazz Educators Conference. In this capacity he is a clinician for Noble and Cooley drums, Zildjian cymbals, Pro Mark drumsticks, and Remo drumheads.
 
As a teacher, Jim has taught at Indiana University and the University of Michigan, as well as his current appointment at The Ohio State University. He is also the co-author of an acclaimed drum set method book, “Baby Steps to Giant Steps”. Jim is currently First Vice President of the Percussive Arts Society and is a past chair of the drum set committee for the PAS. He was also a board member of NAMM, the International Music Products Association. He also founded, and is president of Columbus Pro Percussion Inc, one of the countries largest and most respected percussion specialty stores.
 

About BLU Jazz+ Masterclass Foundation

Committed to the preservation of America’s treasured art form of jazz, BLU Jazz+ Masterclass Foundation (BJMF) is a new program developed by the founders of BLU Jazz+ Akron (BJA) that brings “front-row” jazz education performance & mentorship opportunities to student musicians and art lovers alike by presenting a series of masterclasses led by top visiting musicians from all over the world.
 
Recipient of a 2015 Knights Art Challenge grant award by the Knight Foundation, BLU Jazz+ Masterclass Foundation expands upon the essence of Akron, Ohio’s award-winning live jazz destination, BLU Jazz+ Akron (BJA), launched in Fall 2014.
 

$10 (half of proceeds go to BJMF)