Carmen Bradford
Biography
Carmen Bradford (born July 19, 1960, in Austin, Texas) is an American jazz singer. She sang with the Count Basie Orchestra from 1983 to 1991. Bradford grew up in a musical family; her grandfather was Melvin Moore; her, father Bobby Bradford, and her mother, Melba Joyce. She studied music formally at Huston–Tillotson College, and sang as a popular singer and for television commercials before scoring an opening slot for the Count Basie Orchestra in 1982. In 1983, Basie asked her to sing with the band, and she remained a singer with the group after Basie's death, under the direction of Thad Jones and Frank Foster. In 1991, she left the group and worked under her own name, releasing several albums; she has also worked with David Murray and Kamau Daaood. Bradford is currently Associate Professor of Vocal Jazz at Michigan State University. She previously served as the Director of the Jazz Voice Department, and a Roots, Jazz, and American Music faculty member at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.
Bio from Wikipedia
Discography
Records they worked on — most-collected first.
Credited work
69 releases · 10 albums · active 1983–2025
- Performance · 87
- Other credits · 10
Studios: Power Station · Clinton Recording Studio · CTS Studios · Nippon Columbia Studio
Frequent collaborators
- Count Basie Orchestra
- The Count Basie Orchestra
- George Benson
- Benny Carter
- Various
- Dori Caymmi