Album Review: Florida Rays from The Flying Horse Big Band
Album: Florida Rays Artist: The Flying Horse Big Band Label: The Flying Horse Records Website: https://flyinghorserecords.com The University of Central Florida has a world-renown jazz studies program. Born from that program is a big band styled group called The Flying Horse Big Band. The band has recorded several albums, many of which are theme based including their latest release Florida Rays. This one celebrates the music of Ray Charles, songs that he wrote and covered through his youth and early career living in Florida, hence its title Florida Rays . Comprised of 13 covers of jazz standards, the recording is directed by tenor saxophonist Jeff Rupert, who is the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Central Florida. Rupert is also the founder of the Flying Horse Records label, which not only promotes the students of the university's jazz studies program but it's faculty as well. The band begins their tribute to Ray Charle...