The College of Music at Michigan State University is pleased to announce the appointment of Carmen Bradford as associate professor of jazz voice, effective August 16, 2024.

A recipient of the Los Angeles Jazz Society's Jazz Vocalist Award, Bradford is considered by many as jazz royalty. Her body of work – including a 2024 Grammy Award and four more nominations – displays versatility, technical brilliance, and a solid place in jazz history. With a career of more than 40 years, filled with performances with top big bands, orchestras, and a who’s who of jazz and pop artists, she continues to contribute to the jazz world and will bring that wealth of knowledge to the students of MSU.

Bradford, born in Austin, Texas and raised in California, is the daughter of cornetist and composer Bobby Bradford and jazz vocalist, composer, and author Melba Joyce, and the granddaughter of singer Melvin Moore. Being raised by these greats meant Bradford grew up with music constantly in her home. 

Then, at just 22 years of age, she was discovered and hired by William "Count" Basie. Bradford had to be patient to wait for the opportunity to sing for Basie – a practical lesson she will pass on to her students – but once it arrived, it was unforgettable.

“I came off stage and I said, ‘Well, what did you think?’ And he said, ‘I'm going to hire you,’” she said. “Just like that! It was shocking.”

She went on to be the featured vocalist with The Count Basie Orchestra for nine years and has continued to perform with them throughout her career. Among dozens of career highlights at top clubs and theaters around the world, one of Bradford’s Grammy nominations is for guitarist and singer George Benson’s album "Big Boss Band." She and Benson performed their duet “How Do You Keep the Music Playing” on the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

Bradford's solo career flourished with critically acclaimed albums like "Finally Yours," "With Respect," and "Home With You." She has performed and/or recorded with Patti Austin, Tony Bennett, James Brown, Benny Carter, Freddie Cole, Lena Horne, Wynton Marsalis, Willie Nelson, Lou Rawls, Doc Severinsen, Frank Sinatra, Joe Williams, Nancy Wilson, and many more. She has performed with multiple symphonies such as Dallas, Detroit, and Philadelphia, with upcoming concerts always on the books. 
In East Lansing, however, her attention will be squarely on the students. Like an expert chef in the kitchen, she has a rare set of skills, and though sometimes it involves challenging work, the outcome is fantastic.

“I always make reference to an onion,” Bradford said when speaking about her teaching style, “and what I do is I peel back all those very thin layers. Those things that you've already tried that are cemented in your brain? I want to peel that back a little bit, because in the center of it, you have it all. You are the new idea.”

While she previously served on the faculty of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, her return to higher education is in large part because of what she saw in the music students at MSU. As a visiting artist, she was able to make multiple trips to East Lansing last year.
“I was so taken by all three big bands, Jazz Orchestra one, two and three. They were so incredible,” Bradford explained. “When I looked at them before each group played, I thought, ‘they are just babies!’ Then they started to play, and I said, ‘oh my, so that's who we are.’ They were awesome, and I was so taken with them. I just exhaled.”

As an artist who has worked with what she calls “the greatest big band on the planet,” Bradford feels confident in saying that students at MSU are playing at a very mature level. 
“They blew me away. They truly, truly did. And they are some of the sweetest young people I've met in a long time. They made me feel very welcome,” Bradford said. “Out of all the schools that I've visited and performed with their big bands – and I've been to many – this was an epic experience. It was just lovely.”

As a teacher, Bradford is warm and friendly, and she said her students can expect a lot of joy in their time together. She does everything possible to pass along what she has learned in her successful career while exposing young artists to incredible music that she will recommend specifically for them. Sometimes there are tears of joy as students realize they have taken a major step forward in their development as singers. 

“I tell my students that they're going to have such incredible breakthroughs and accomplishments in one-on-one lessons,” Bradford said. “I never ask them to sing something they cannot handle vocally, but I do ask them to step out of their comfort zone. They may sing a tune again and again, maybe try it in a different key, and step out into the deep end of the pool. I say, ‘I promise, you’ll float. Your swimsuit can still be cute, but let's get in the deep end. But don't fear that, because I’ve got you.’ I make them feel safe in that surrounding so they can let go and bring incredible things out of them as artists.”

By joining the MSU jazz faculty, Bradford will also become the newest member of the MSU Professors of Jazz. The faculty are excited to have Bradford join them.

“I think it says a lot about Carmen Bradford as a person that, while performing almost non-stop with the top orchestras around the world and singing with the best singers of our times, she is dedicated to bringing up the next generation of musicians the right way,” said MSU Director of Jazz Studies Rodney Whitaker, a University Distinguished Professor of jazz bass. “She has the mentoring mindset that defines our program along with the real-world experiences to help students succeed. She is a tremendous addition to our jazz faculty at Michigan State.”

As an educator, her willingness to be blunt about the business of being a music professional creates an excellent opportunity for current and future MSU Jazz Studies students. It is an opportunity to be challenged yet nurtured by a seasoned performer who can dive into nuanced aspects of singing and managing a career. For Bradford, it is not only about singing technique. It is about everything that goes into a successful career in music.

“This is a head-to-toe situation. It’s finishing school, and I'm what you call a full-service educator,” she said. “It is about much more than the voice and technique. Students are going to leave me ready.”