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2022-2023 MSUFCU Jazz Artist in Residence
Jazz Orchestras with Carmen Bradford, jazz voice
As the third generation of a family of incredible musicians, vocalist Carmen Bradford has carved out her own place in jazz music history. Discovered by Count Basie at the age of 22, she was the featured vocalist in his band for nine years. Since then, she has proven herself to be jazz royalty through performances with everyone from Wynton Marsalis to Lena Horne, from Tony Bennett to James Brown, and from Frank Sinatra to Willie Nelson. She brings passion to the lyrics, and her work reflects a depth of musical experience and technical brilliance.
Jazz Orchestras with Adrian Mears, trombone
One of the strongest voices on trombone
in the European jazz scene, Adrian Mears has nurtured a distinguished career with numerous collaborations and accomplishments. In addition to a long list of recording credits, Mears was a member of the international sextet Ugetsu which recorded four albums that included many of his compositions and performed at 200 concerts and festivals throughout Europe, China, and Australia. Originally from Australia, he is a dedicated educator at conservatories in Germany and Switzerland.
Jazz Octets with Bruce Forman, guitar
With his Texas origins, his early career in San Francisco and New York, and his years on the road, Bruce Forman will bring his unique spin on jazz to his residency this year. The guitarist, who always has multiple projects in the works, “can shred bebop at blistering tempos with the best of ‘em,” but his music has also been described as “hobo chic” and “western bebop.” An innovator and an educator, Forman will surely add a new wrinkle to an already diverse history of the MSUFCU Jazz Artist in Residence program.
Jazz Orchestras with Camille Thurman, saxophone
Camille Thurman is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist, and she is making her own dynamic contribution to the legacy of jazz while also paying tribute to its heroes. Described as “fluid and powerful on the tenor saxophone and highly inventive as a vocalist,” she also plays bass clarinet, flute, and piccolo. A New York City native, Thurman is a two-time winner of the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award and a winner of the Fulbright Scholars Cultural Ambassador Grant, among other honors.
