Jazz Education
The University of Windsor
Although the University has only offered a jazz program for a few decades, it has become a key outlet for the new generation of jazz musicians to learn and master their craft. Being so close to Detroit has graced the students with a high-caliber jazz faculty with a considerable amount of experience in both the Windsor and Detroit jazz scenes.
The University Jazz Ensemble, along with other small, faculty-led jazz combos provide students with invaluable experience in the genre... Exposure to different repertoires, and guidance from the special instructors as to the unique style characteristics of the genre are both very important aspects of a formal education in jazz.
The jazz faculty at the University of Windsor are arguably the most important people in the Windsor jazz community because of the amount of young students they inspire to continue the long-standing tradition of jazz music in this city.
Mike Karloff
Vaughn Klugh
Jeff Price
Bob Fazecash
Shahida Nurulluh
Jeff Pedraz
Bob Fazecash, director of the University Jazz Ensemble and special jazz/pop trumpet instructor, is an excellent example of musician who has had an imense amount of performance experience in the Windsor and Detroit areas. He has performed with jazz legends Dizzy Gillespie, Thad Jones, Billy Eckstine, Buddy DeFranco, Joe Williams and Jon Faddis. Being so close to Detroit has also allowed him the opportunity to record with Detroit's famous jazz drummer J.C. Heard while he played in the J.C. Heard Orchestra for a number of years. The following video shows one performance that the J.C. Heard Orchestra did with famous jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. Mr. Fazecash takes a solo after Detroit-native trumpeter, Walt Syzmanski.
Below is another recording by the J.C. Heard Orchestra entitled Some of This, Some of That, released in 1986. Bob Fazecash also takes a solo on this track:
The vast amount of professional experience in recording and performing held by the jazz faculty at the University of Windsor is incredibly inspiring for the students, who look up to their teachers and have a lot of respect for them. Mr. Fazecash is just one example of the many faculty members listed above.
Outreach
The University of Windsor is also a large promoter of jazz music and jazz education in the area. The above photo shows the University of Windsor jazz ensemble, directed by Mr. Bob Fazecash, at Assumption High School (Windsor) as a part of their 2015 "school tour." Although the main goal of these tours is to improve enrollment for the University, they also stir up a lot of excitement among high school students and remove some of the stigma around the music.