“When he’s not busy being the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Central Florida\, Jeff Rupert is working hard as a recording artist and record producer. His albums and tenor saxophone skills have garnered so much praise that YAMAHA made him one of their official performing artists\; a feat saved for only the best.â€
\nPraise through showmanship has always been Jeff Rupert’s motto\, and his career to this day proves that. Just recently he performed on Carter’s Harlem Renaissance album which won a Grammy. He was also chosen to play the saxophone at the Jaguar International Jazz Series in New Zealand. While there\, he performed alongside jazz giants like Joe La Barbera\, Tom Warrington\, John Fedchock\, and Larry Koonse. The late Maynard Ferguson\, one of Canada’s best trumpet players\, said he even considered Jeff Rupert to be “one of the great jazz players of today.â€
\nRupert has been a jazz lover from the beginning. He received his Bachelors and Masters Degrees in Jazz Studies from the Mason Gross School of the Arts\, Rutgers University in 1987 and in 1993\, respectively. He loved his time learning about jazz so much that on top of further pursuing his music career\, Rupert became the Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Central Florida. There\, he heads the infinitely talented student group The Flying Horse Big Band and founded Flying Horse Records\, a record label created to promote the talents of students and artists alike who attend the UCF.
\nHis music career includes highlights that would make even the most seasoned professional take note. While his credited albums to date are over 10\, Rupert also has performed alongside many jazz powerhouses like Sam Rivers\, Mel Tormé\, Judy Carmichael. Rupert has his own band\, Jeff Rupert + Dirty Martini\, in addition to being the leader of The Jazz Professors\, a group who charted two albums on JazzWeek in 2012 and 2013. This same group saw their album peak at #19 during its unprecedented seventeen weeks on the JazzWeek charts.
\nIn addition\, Rupert has played at several high profile venues. From the Lincoln Center\, The Blue Note\, The Kennedy Center and Chicago Blues Festival\, Rupert has performed at some of the most legendary music centers in the United States. He’s also been worldwide\, with performances at the Aruba Jazz Festival in Devon\, England\, the Guinness Jazz Festival\, in Cork\, Ireland\, and The Tokyo Forum in Tokyo\, Japan. All in all\, Jeff Rupert has had headlining shows in Australia\, Europe\, Israel\, Japan\, New Zealand\, Scandinavia\, and South America for almost 20 years.
\nAn esteemed producer\, and educator\, on top of being a world-renowned saxophonist\, Jeff Rupert’s career is matched by few. His love for jazz and the saxophone has propelled him to where he is today. Always willing to play or teach anything jazz\, you would be hard pressed to find a saxophonist as good or qualified as Jeff Rupert.
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