Jazz Orchestra CD earns glowing review
Oct. 14, 2002
KALAMAZOO -- The Western Michigan University Jazz Orchestra has been singled out as one of the nation's top-ranked college bands in a glowing review of its latest CD, "Cosmosis."
The review, published in a Jazz Education Guide accompanying the October issue of Jazz Times, praises both the ensemble's musicianship and the direction of Dr. Trent Kynaston, WMU professor of music, and instructor Richard Holland.
As the band launches into the disc's opening track "it's evident that this band boasts chops aplenty in both the ensemble department and the solo department," the review states. It goes on to applaud the solo work of students Shawn Wallace, Ryan Bullard and Chris Sargent. Wallace, who is from Eaton Rapids, Mich., earned a master's degree from WMU in April 2001, while Bullard, who is from Fresno, Calif., graduated from WMU in April 2002 and is attending graduate school in California. Sargent, who is from Barre, Vt., still attends WMU.
The review sums things up by saying the Jazz Orchestra has "become one of the top-ranked college bands in the U.S."
Released last year, "Cosmosis" is the Jazz Orchestra's fifth release for Sea Breeze Records.
Media contact: Mark Schwerin, 269 387-8400, mark.schwerin@wmich.edu