Ambrose Akinmusire facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ambrose Akinmusire
Performing in Oakland, California, 2014
Background information
Born	(1982-05-01) May 1, 1982 (age 43) Oakland, California, U.S.
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Composer, musician
Instruments	Trumpet
Years active	2007 – present
Labels	Blue Note/Capitol/Universal

Ambrose Akinmusire (/ˌækɪnˈmuːsəri/ born May 1, 1982) is an American jazz musician. He is known as a composer and a talented trumpet player. His music is often described as modern or "avant-garde" jazz, meaning it's new and experimental.

About Ambrose Akinmusire

Ambrose Akinmusire grew up in Oakland, California. He started playing music early. While in high school, he joined the Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble. This is where he met famous saxophonist Steve Coleman. Coleman was so impressed that he invited Ambrose to join his band, Five Elements, for a tour in Europe. Ambrose also played with the Next Generation Jazz Orchestra at the Monterey Jazz Festival.

After high school, Ambrose continued his music studies. He went to the Manhattan School of Music. Later, he earned a master's degree from the University of Southern California. He also attended the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. This institute is a special place for talented young jazz musicians.

Early Career and Awards

In 2007, Ambrose won two very important jazz competitions. These were the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition and the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition. Winning these awards showed everyone how talented he was.

That same year, he released his first album, Prelude... to Cora. After this, he moved back to New York City. He started playing with other well-known jazz artists. Some of these included Vijay Iyer, Aaron Parks, Esperanza Spalding, and Jason Moran. He even took part in Jason Moran's special concert event, In My Mind: Monk At Town Hall, 1957. During this time, a very important person in the music world, Bruce Lundvall, noticed him. Lundvall was the President of Blue Note Records, a famous jazz label.

Albums and Recognition

Ambrose Akinmusire released his first album with Blue Note Records in 2011. It was called When the Heart Emerges Glistening. This album featured his regular band members. They included tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Justin Brown.

His third album, The Imagined Savior is Far Easier to Paint, came out in 2014. In 2018, his album Origami Harvest was named one of the best jazz albums of the year by The New York Times.

His sixth album, On the Tender Spot of every Calloused Moment, was released in 2020. This album also featured his longtime bandmates: Sam Harris on piano, Harish Raghavan on bass, and Justin Brown on drums. It was even nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album!

Ambrose has received many other awards for his music. These include the Paul Acket Award from the North Sea Jazz Festival in 2014. He also won the Doris Duke Artist and Doris Duke Impact Awards. From 2013 to 2020, he won the trumpet category every year in the DownBeat Critics Poll. In 2011, he was named Jazz Artist of the Year by the same poll.

Selected Discography

Here are some of the albums Ambrose Akinmusire has released as a leader, and some where he played with other artists.

As a Leader

As a Sideman (playing with others)