Musician, educator and composer Josh Deutsch, a 2009 graduate of the UO’s School of Music and Dance, took home a Grammy Award last week for his work on an acclaimed jazz album.

Deutsch played trumpet with the Dafnis Prieto Big Band, which won the best Latin jazz album award for “Back to the Sunset.”

Deutsch earned a master’s degree in jazz studies from the UO and returns to Eugene each summer to teach a jazz improvisation camp at the music school. He received an excellence in teaching award from the UO in 2008 for his work with large and small jazz ensembles and private improvisation students.

Deutsch said playing and recording with Prieto’s Latin jazz band was “a total thrill.”

“The band is full of incredible musicians, some of whom are long time heroes who I’ve been listening to since I was in high school,” he said. “Being part of a Grammy-winning album feels unbelievable. I’ve been fortunate to play with many great musical projects, both as a leader and sideman in New York over the last 10 years, but to have this album receive this level of international acclaim is really exciting and hopefully will lead to more albums and touring with this band.”

In addition to his work with the Dafnis Prieto Big Band, Deutsch leads the band Pannonia and the Josh Deutsch Quintet, and is a founding member of the Queens Jazz Overground. He also performs in a duo with guitarist Nico Soffiato that has toured extensively in Italy and the United States.

Deutsch also a composer. His compositions and arrangements have been performed by artists including the Seattle Symphony Orchestra and the Oregon Jazz Ensemble, Ron Miles, Danilo Perez and Ruth Marshall.

A native of Seattle, he lives in the borough of Queens in New York City.