- Bobby Bradford
Bobby Lee Bradford (born
July 19 ,1934 in Cleveland,Mississippi ) is an Americanjazz trumpeter ,cornetist ,bandleader , andcomposer . He is noted for his work withOrnette Coleman .Bradford grew up in Mississippi and moved with his family to
Dallas, Texas in 1946. He moved toLos Angeles, California in 1953 where he reunited with Ornette Coleman, whom he had previously known in Texas. [http://www.jazzweekly.com/interviews/bradford.htm] Bradford subsequently joined Coleman's ensemble but was replaced not long after by Don Cherry when he drafted into the U.S. Air Force. After playing in military bands for three or four years, he later rejoined Coleman's quartet from 1961 to 1963, a period during which the group did not record and performed publicly infrequently. Bradford was again replaced, this time byFreddie Hubbard , when he left to pursue further studies. [http://www.pomona.edu/Magazine/PCMWin02/CRbradford.shtml] Later, Bradford began a long running association with the clarinetist John Carter, a pairing that brought both increased exposure. Following Carter's death in 1991, Bradford fronted his own ensemble known as The Mo'tet, with which he has continued to perform since.He holds a B.M. degree from Huston-Tillotson College (now
Huston-Tillotson University ) in Austin, Texas. [http://bryson.pomona.edu/4d.acgi$ViewFacultyMember612]In addition to Coleman, Bradford has also performed with
Eric Dolphy ,Charlie Haden ,Vinny Golia and David Murray, who was previously a student of his in the 1970s.He is an instructor at
Pasadena City College inPasadena, California , [http://www.pasadena.edu/directory/employee-results.cfm?Name=1019126A776E6D0E65650D6D183C] andPomona College inClaremont, California . [http://bryson.pomona.edu/4d.acgi$ViewFacultyMember612]Bibliography
*Isoardi, Steven L. (2006). "The Dark Tree: Jazz and the Community Arts in Los Angeles". George Gund Foundation Book in African American Studies. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-24591-1
*Litweiler, John (1990). "The Freedom Principle: Jazz After 1958". New York: Da Capo Press. ISBN 0-306-80377-1External links
* [http://www.jazzweekly.com/interviews/bradford.htm "A Fireside Chat With Bobby Bradford] by Fred Jung, from Jazz Weekly
* [http://www.pomona.edu/Magazine/PCMWin02/CRbradford.shtml Article by Michelle Mercer] from Pomona College Magazine Online
* [http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/music/artist/bio/0,,407241,00.html#bio Bobby Bradford bio] from ARTISTdirect site
* [http://pasadena.edu/directory/bio-results.cfm?Name=1019126A776E6D0E65650D6D183C Education bio] from Pasadena City College
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