OSU Jazz Orchestra releases third album, ‘Angular Tuesday’
Wednesday, February 7, 2024
Media Contact: Elizabeth Gosney | CAS Marketing and Communications Manager | 405-744-7497 | egosney@okstate.edu
The OSU Jazz Orchestra added to its discography with the release of its third commercially-available album — “Angular Tuesday” — on Feb. 6.
“As one might expect, we released it on a Tuesday,” said OSU Jazz Orchestra director Dr. Tommy Poole. “The eight songs on the album vary in style from Swing to Latin Jazz to Jazz Fusion and feature three different iterations of the ensemble from 2020 to 2023.”
The title track on the album was composed and arranged by former Oklahoma State University student Matthew Howell. He said the name "angular" came from the rhythmic focus and his use of the unusual 7/4 time signature. He also found himself frequently working on the piece on Tuesdays – thus “Angular Tuesday.”
“I have a deep love for the music of the '70s, especially funk groups such as Parliament; Sly and the Family Stone; Earth, Wind, and Fire; and Stevie Wonder,” Howell said. “This piece essentially tries to create a danceable funk groove but just shaves off the last beat, so it constantly feels like a dance that's either a step ahead or behind, but simultaneously in the pocket.”
The process for creating the album had students recording over four sessions, each lasting from eight to twelve hours, including an extensive setup, recording and teardown. The setup included an array of microphones as well as iPhones for video capture.
“We usually had a recording session every year and would record three to four songs each session,” said orchestra member and music education major Aidan Evano. “Because of this, there are many different students over many different semesters on each album.”
The OSU Jazz Orchestra released two albums prior to “Angular Tuesday,” receiving critical acclaim from JazzEd Magazine, JazzTimes Magazine, Outside in Music and a 4-star rating from Jack Bowers at All About Jazz.
The OSU Jazz Orchestra is considered one of the top instrumental ensembles in the Greenwood School of Music. Since 2020, the orchestra has been ranked as one of the top five university jazz ensembles in the country. The group consists of five saxophones, four trumpets, four trombones, bass, piano, guitar and drums.
Students who are accepted into the OSU Jazz Orchestra perform six to seven concerts per year, as well as regularly premiering arrangements and compositions specifically written for the group’s on- and off-campus concerts, videos and CD recordings.
The ensemble’s achievements have also landed them invitations to perform at the 2020, 2023 and 2024 Jazz Education Network (JEN) Conference. As JEN invitations are based on blind peer-reviewed audio submissions, invitations such as these are highly competitive, Poole explained. Only four or five university jazz orchestras are accepted to each conference.
“Angular Tuesday” is now available on Spotify, Apple Music and all other streaming platforms. Physical CDs can be purchased Feb. 23 at the ensemble’s 7:30 p.m. concert in the Seretean Center for the Performing Arts Concert Hall. Every track on the album also has a multi-video angle of the tracking session on YouTube.
Follow the OSU Jazz Orchestra on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. For a behind-the-scenes conversation about the orchestra with Poole, Evano and saxophonist Kyle Fisher, listen to the March 2023 episode of the OSU College of Arts and Sciences’ podcast.
Story By: Allie Putman, CAS graudate assistant | allie.putman@okstate.edu