Jazz is an integral part of the music curriculum at USF. Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Jazz Studies Performance and Composition offer the aspiring artist a strong background in jazz theory, improvisation, arranging/composition, and history. In addition, the music educator and other musicians seeking further exposure to jazz also will find ample opportunity for involvement and additional study.

USF Jazz Ensembles have performed around the world at such notable venues as the North Sea Jazz Festival (Netherlands), The Umbria Jazz Festival (Italy), Montreux Jazz Festival (Switzerland), Jazz A Vienne (France), at International Society for Music Education (ISME) Conferences in South Africa and Finland and International Association of Jazz Education (IAJE) Conferences in Atlanta and Miami. USF Jazz groups perform regularly on and off campus in the Tampa area as well, including some exciting performances at the Clearwater Jazz Festival. USF Jazz Ensembles have over ten recordings to their credit, including the upcoming Suncoast 2006 release. Each year the top USF Jazz groups go into the Morrisound Recording Studios (a world class recording studio) to record tracks for upcoming releases, often recording student compositions.

The faculty of the USF Jazz Studies program is an outstanding group of professional artists/teachers. Faculty members have numerous recordings out and are active performers in the jazz scene. The Center for Jazz Composition is a USF Research Center led by Artistic Director and Professor of Jazz Studies Chuck Owen. In addition to the study and archiving of historically valuable jazz compositions, scores, and recordings; the CJC hosts a bi-annual International Jazz Composers Symposium, commissions new works, and produces the Jazz Masterworks Series. The latter brings a steady stream of prominent guest artists/composers to the campus for a series of concerts across the central Florida region. The Jazz Surge, a jazz orchestra comprised of some of the finest professional musicians in Florida, is the resident jazz orchestra for the CJC.

The USF Monday Night Jazz Series and Jazz Masterworks Series feature one of the largest and finest rosters of guest artists of any university in the country. Artists that have perforamed over the years at USF include: John Abercrombie, George Adams, Toshiko Akiyoski, Nat Adderley, Eric Alexander, Lynne Arriale, David Baker, Louis Bellson, Bob Berg, Art Blakey, Don Braden Jaki Byard, Paquito D’Rivera, Eliane Elias, Peter Erskine, Jon Faddis, Carl Fontana, Nnenna Freelon, Hal Galper, Benny Golson, Lionel Hampton, Tom Harrell, Joe Henderson, Conrad Herwig, Al Hirt, Major Holley, Steven Houghton, J.J. Johnson, Mel Lewis, Rob McConnell, John McNeil, Mulgrew Miller, Dwike Mitchell, John Riley, Max Roach, Red Rodney, Willie Ruff, George Russell, Dave Samuels, Doc Severinson, Lew Soloff, Mike Stern, Lew Tabackin, Dr. Billy Taylor, Jr., Clark Terry, Bobby Watson, Walt Weiskopf, Scott Wendholt, Larry Willis, and Phil Woods.

Due to the size of the Tampa/St.Pete/Clearwater area and the large tourism industry outside performance opportunities abound. USF students frequently find themselves performing professionally in the area, using their studies at USF to prepare them for professional performing and composing careers.

The USF School of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music