Ross Strauser, who plays Hillsborough Community College in Ybor City, Florida on April 25, 2025. Credit: Photo via rossstrausermusic/Facebook
Fans of big band are in for a treat care of Ross Strauser.

The University of South Florida music instructor brings an 18-piece jazz orchestra to Ybor City for the world premiere of a 15-movement suite where he’s flanked by some of the most talented players in the scene—including James Suggs, Jack Wilkins, Simon Lasky, and James Wall.

Jazz fans might as well camp out at HCC, too, since Tampa Jazz Club has jazz guitarist Jack Wilkins (Director of the Jazz Studies Program at USF) for a Sunday matinee.

Tickets to see Ross Strauser Jazz Orchestra play “Going To the Sun” at Hillsborough Community College’s Mainstage Theatre in Ybor City on Friday, April 25 are still available and start at $23.

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This article appears in Apr 24-30, 2025.

Read his 2016 intro letter and disclosures from 2022 and 2021. Ray Roa started freelancing for Creative Loafing Tampa in January 2011 and was hired as music editor in August 2016. He became Editor-In-Chief...