Awards and Accolades

Down Beat Awards

The Jazz Studies Area has received the Down Beat Magazine "Best College Big Band" Award five out of the last eleven years.

"Jazz in Clear Water--Brilliant Corners" - 1996 Down Beat Award for "Best College Big Band"
"Jazz in Clear Water--Hoe Down" - 1998 Down Beat Award for "Best College Big Band"
"Jazz in Clear Water--Things to Come" - 2001 Down Beat Award for "Best College Big Band"
"Jazz in Clear Water--Vernal Fields" - 2002 Down Beat Award for "Best College Big Band/Outstanding Performance"
"Jazz in Clear Water--Yes and No" - 2003 Down Beat Award for "Best College Big Band/Outstanding Performance"

Students winning individual Down Beat awards include:

Tom Krochock - 2003 Down Beat Award for Best Classical Performance-Trumpet
Andy Neesley - 2002 Down Beat Award for Best Engineered Studio Recording
Bill Olson - 2002 Down Beat Award for Best College Classical Soloist-Saxophone/Clarinet
Scott Pingel - 1997 Down Beat Award for Best Classical Instrumental Soloist-Double Bass
Jamey Simmons - 2001 Down Beat Award for Best Jazz Composition and 2002 Down Beat Award for Best Jazz Arrangement
Adrian Suarez - 2001 Down Beat Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Soloist-Percussion
Andy Frisinger - 2000 Down Beat Award for Best R&B Performance-Saxophone
Jeff Walk - 2000 Down Beat Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Soloist-Trumpet

Grammy Nominations

Two of the twelve CDs Jazz Ensemble I has recorded have been nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album."

Contact Information:
Robert Baca
Director of Jazz Studies
250 Haas Fine Arts
UW-Eau Claire
Eau Claire, WI 54702
(715) 836-4371