Trumpeter, percussionist, arranger, and jazz educator Ray Vega, one of the country's leading jazz and Latin jazz musicians, will join the music department faculty in the fall of 2008.

A native of the South Bronx, Vega has been a featured performer in the bands of such Latin jazz greats as Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, and Mongo Santamaria and has performed or recorded with such jazz and Latin jazz legends as Joe Henderson, Lionel Hampton, Mel Torme, Paquito D'Rivera, and Eddie Palmieri. Vega will move to the Burlington area with his family this summer.

Vega's trumpet style "...imparts the best in his forefather's traits: the crisp, intellectual delivery of Freddie Hubbard, the passionate fortitude of Kenny Dorham, the clean precision of Woody Shaw, and the romantic depth of Chet Baker and Art Farmer," according to the Web site allaboutjazz.com.

"It's a great feather in our cap, and testimony to the growing reputation of our jazz program, that we've have been able to bring someone of Ray's stature to UVM," said Alex Stewart, director of the UVM's Jazz Studies program. "He's not only a terrific performer and teacher, he also brings us the kind of visibility that will help us attract talented students from around the country," Stewart said. "He'll really help our program take that logical next step."

Stewart said that Vega would also help bring a distinctive Latin jazz focus to the Jazz Studies program at UVM, both setting it apart from programs at other schools and enabling the university to offer in-depth study in what is becoming one of the most popular jazz styles.

Vega said it was the chance to help develop a jazz program that has a growing national reputation, along with the caliber of the local jazz players and local jazz education programs, that drew him to UVM. Vega has served as artist-in-residence for the Latin jazz program at the Flynn Center for the past five summers. Vega said UVM has a "really good program. It's a great place with forward motion. I look forward to helping develop it even more and getting the word out. I think we can really make something happen."

"It's a small jazz community here," he added, "but there are some really world class players. Also, I know there's good jazz education in the area, because of the number of students I've seen during the summer who play at a very high level."

Since it was created in 2001, UVM's Jazz Studies program has experienced major growth. It now has seven separate jazz ensembles, up from one in its first year. In partnership with the Flynn, the program has also brought a variety of well-known guest artists to UVM — including Wynton Marsalis, Grammy award winning jazz composer Maria Schneider, and Pacquito D'Riverato — to work directly with students.

"This is huge as far as jazz and Latin jazz in our area and for the depth and breadth of the jazz program at UVM," said saxophonist and local favorite Dave Grippo of South Burlington, who in addition to performing regularly in the area, teaches music and conducts the jazz band at South Burlington High School.

College of Arts and Sciences dean Eleanor Miller said that Vega's hire was significant in and of itself but also demonstrates a growing emphasis on performing arts overall at UVM. "We've always had a core of strength in the performing arts," she said, "but bringing top rate artists like Ray Vega here, along with people like Paul Besaw in dance, is a priority moving forward. We want excellence in the performing arts to be one of UVM's signatures."