Ray Eubanks, Artistic Director Emeritus

Ray Eubanks is a native of Cambridge, Ohio and began playing trumpet professionally in the eighth grade. He earned bachelor's and master's degrees at The Ohio State University on a trumpet scholarship. During this time he was a featured soloist with the University Concert Band, played principal trumpet in the orchestra and, with fellow student Ladd McIntosh, worked to reform the Jazz Band in 1963. He was also making a place for himself in the Columbus music scene in the trumpet section of the Columbus Symphony and in the big bands of Al Waslon, Don Carr and Howdy Gorman.

After two years of public school teaching, he returned to Columbus in 1967 to form Columbus' most popular big band of the late sixties, The Live New Breed starring Ladd McIntosh. In 1969 he rejoined the Columbus Symphony.

In 1970 Eubanks accepted a position at Capital University as Instructor of Trumpet and Assistant Director of Bands. He founded the Midwest's first baccalaureate degree program in Jazz Studies in 1976 and is currently Professor of Music Business and Music Literature. His students have gone on to professional careers in New York, Dallas, Chicago and Columbus and have graduated from such prestigious institutions as Indiana University, Eastman School of Music, North Texas State and the Hart Conservatory.

Through the 1970s, Eubanks taught and maintained a heavy schedule as one of the region's most in-demand players. He was the lead trumpeter of the Kenley Players Orchestra and worked with Jerry Kaye's nationally recognized Scots Inn Show Orchestra, touring with Paul Anka, Steve Lawrence and Edie Gorme, and Doc Severinsen.

In 1973, Ray founded the Jazz Arts Group of Columbus, which evolved from a Sunday afternoon rehearsal band into the premier jazz repertory orchestra in the United States, known today as the Columbus Jazz Orchestra. Tony Bennett, Louis Bellson, Benny Carter, Joe Williams, Diane Schuur, Tito Puente, James Moody, Frank Foster, The Brecker Brothers, Clark Terry and Arturo Sandoval are just a few of the hundreds of special guests who performed with Ray and the Columbus Jazz Orchestra over his 29-year tenure. Ray produced over 100 events for the Jazz Arts Group including: An Evening with Sarah Vaughan and Tony Bennett (for the Greater Columbus Arts Council), An Evening with Doc Severinsen, An Evening with Joe Williams and Diane Schuur (for J.C. Penney's June Jazz Explosion), The Temptations and The Commodores (for CompuServe) and Henry Mancini (for the Muirfield Golf Tournament). He also produced the city's Jazz Festival from 1990-1994.

Ray has helped produce two internationally acclaimed recordings featuring pianist Terry Waldo Spectacular Ragtime and Smiles and Chuckles. He also produced and directed six recordings with the Columbus Jazz Orchestra, which have sold over 9000 copies.

Eubanks is a national leader in the preservation of American music. He is a member of the Cambridge High School Hall of Fame and is the recipient of commendations from the Mayor and City Council of Columbus and from the Governor and Legislature of the State of Ohio.