Jax State Jazz Trip Update: From Cuba to Brazil
01/21/2026
Jacksonville State University is excited to announce an update to the Jazz Band’s upcoming international travel experience. While plans initially focused on a trip to Cuba, the program has transitioned to an immersive Brazil Music Tour, offering students an equally rich and expanded academic and cultural experience.
The JSU Latin Jazz Ensemble Brazil Music Tour will take place March 23–28, 2026, featuring six days and five nights in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This experience is designed as an intensive academic program centered on the technical study of Brazilian music traditions, with a particular emphasis on Afro-Brazilian rhythmic structures and the evolution of Latin Jazz.
Throughout the week, students will engage in hands-on learning through rehearsals, workshops, and collaborations with Brazilian musicians and university partners. Academic programming includes a group masterclass on The Architecture of Samba, tracing the development from traditional Samba de Roda to modern Samba-Jazz and examining the layered syncopation that defines the genre. Faculty and local clinicians will also guide students through the stylistic nuances of Bossa Nova and Partido Alto, helping students understand the phrasing, feel, and rhythmic “cross-talk” unique to Brazilian music.
Students will participate in combo workshops where local professionals work directly with the Jax State ensemble to adapt their existing jazz repertoire using authentic Brazilian articulations. These sessions allow students to apply new rhythmic concepts directly to their own charts, highlighting the differences between Brazilian and American jazz traditions.
Cultural immersion is a key component of the tour. Students will take part in an Afro-Brazilian Heritage Walking Tour, exploring the historical and cultural roots of Rio de Janeiro and the traditions that shaped the city’s musical identity. A sunset Samba Drum Circle will provide a participatory experience focused on the mechanics of instruments such as the surdo, pandeiro, and tamborim, emphasizing the interlocking patterns found in large samba ensembles.
The tour also includes a studio production and recording workshop at a professional recording studio, where students will observe live tracking sessions and learn how Brazilian engineers capture and mix acoustic instruments and percussion to achieve the signature Música Popular Brasileira (MPB) sound. This experience will be followed by a small-group jam session at the legendary Bottles Bar, the first Bossa Nova venue in Copacabana.
Academic exchange remains central to the program. Jax State students will visit a local music university or conservatory for collaborative rehearsals, discussions on jazz pedagogy, and informal jam sessions with Brazilian peers. The experience culminates in a final public performance at a local venue or cultural center, showcasing the repertoire developed during the week, followed by a farewell dinner reflecting on the group’s musical and academic achievements.
In addition to music-focused programming, students will visit iconic landmarks including Sugarloaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer, and participate in guided tours highlighting Rio’s cultural history and Afro-Brazilian heritage.
Support the JSU Jazz Band’s Journey
This international experience would not be possible without the generosity of donors who believe in experiential learning and global engagement. You can help make this transformative opportunity a reality by contributing to the JSU Jazz Band’s travel fund. Gifts may be used to support student travel costs, sponsor a student, or help offset program expenses.
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Your support directly impacts our students and helps ensure they can represent Jacksonville State University on an international stage. Thank you for investing in the future of Jax State music and our Jazz Band.