Jay Brandford
Jay Edward Brandford (born March 24, 1959 in Los Angeles ) is an American modern jazz musician ( alto and baritone saxophone , flute , arrangement , composition ) , who mostly works in big band formations .
Live and act
Jay Brandford was active in the Boston area from the mid-1980s to 1991, playing in bands under the direction of Ken Schaphorst , Rob Schepps , Andy Baer and others, such as the Jazz Composers Alliance Orchestra and The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra. He was also a member of Oliver Lake's band , with which the first recordings were made ( Otherside , 1988). He led a quartet with drummer Bob Savine and worked with him on the Jay Brandford Septet . In 1990 he recorded his debut album Seven Point Perspective in a septet line- up.
In 1991 Brandford moved to New York, where he still plays in various big bands and ensembles. Since then he has worked with Dave Taylor , Kenny Hadley, Rebecca Parris , Bill Mobley , Antonio Hart , Bobby Short , David Bergers Sultans of Swing , David Liebman , Gerald Wilson , Ben Rileys Monk Legacy Septet , Jerry Dodgion , Champian Fulton and Andy Farber . In 2007 he worked on the Benny Carter Centennial Project ; In the 2010s he continued to play with Max Seigel , Ron Carter , in the Westchester Jazz Orchestra led by Mike Holober , in the Scott Reeves Jazz Orchestra (with which Brandford also leads a tentet) and in the Count Basie Orchestra ( Ghost Band under the direction of Scotty Barnhart , All About That Basie ). In the field of jazz, according to Tom Lord , he was involved in 48 recording sessions between 1988 and 2018, most recently with the singer Gabrielle Stravelli ( Sings Willie Nelson ).
Brandford also worked with vocalists and entertainers such as Aretha Franklin , Nancy Wilson , Cleo Laine , Tony Bennett , Barry Manilow and Jay-Z . He has also appeared on Broadway productions such as The Color Purple, Billy Elliot: The Musical , Nice Work If You Can Get It, Honeymoon in Vegas, Shuffle Along and Hello Dolly .
As a saxophonist, Brandford was twice a semi-finalist at the Thelonious Monk International Saxophone Competition (1991 and 1997). As a composer, he achieved third place in the BMI / Charlie Parker Composition Competition in 2017 .
Discographic notes
- Jay Brandford: Seven Point Perspective ( Accurate Records , 1991), with Dave Finucane, Hal Crook , Kenny Wenzel, Andy Gravish, Dan Trudell, Ron McWhorter, Matt Keeler
Web links
- Web presence
- Jay Brandford at Allmusic (English)
- Jay Brandford at Discogs (English)
- Entry in the Broadway Data Base
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Brandford, Jay |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Brandford, Jay Edward |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American jazz musician (alto and baritone saxophone, flute, composition, arrangement) |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 24, 1959 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | los Angeles |