Anthony Branker facts for kids
Anthony Branker (born August 28, 1958) is an American musician and teacher. His family comes from the Caribbean islands of Trinidad and Barbados.
He was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, and grew up in Piscataway and Plainfield, New Jersey. He went to public schools in Piscataway and finished high school in 1976. There, he was very active in the music program. After high school, he attended Princeton University and earned a degree in music. He also studied at the University of Miami and Columbia University, focusing on jazz and music education.
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Family and Music Roots
Anthony Branker is a first-generation American, meaning his parents were born in another country. His family has a strong connection to music.
- His uncle, Rupert Branker, was a music director and pianist for the famous group The Platters.
- Another uncle, Roy Branker, was part of a group called the Copasetics. Roy wrote music with Billy Strayhorn, a well-known composer.
- Roy Branker was even mentioned in Duke Ellington's autobiography, Music is My Mistress.
- Anthony's cousin, Nicholas Brancker, is a music producer from Barbados.
Music Journey
Anthony Branker has released many jazz albums with record labels like Origin and Sons of Sound. Some of his albums include Beauty Within (2016), The Forward (Towards Equality) Suite (2014), and Spirit Songs (2006).
He leads three jazz bands: Imagine, Word Play, and Ascent. Many talented jazz musicians have played in his bands, such as Tia Fuller and Steve Wilson. As a trumpeter, he performed with the Spirit of Life Ensemble for five years at the Sweet Basil Jazz Club. He has played at jazz festivals in Finland, Russia, and Lithuania. He also performed in jazz clubs in France, Germany, and New York. He has shared the stage with famous musicians like Terence Blanchard and Stanley Jordan. He also played in an Off-Broadway show called Dinah Was: The Dinah Washington Musical.
Other musicians like Kenny Barron and John Hicks have performed or recorded his music. In 1999, Anthony Branker had some serious medical problems. Because of these, he stopped playing the trumpet and took a break from teaching.
Leading as a Conductor
As a conductor, Anthony Branker leads musical groups. He has worked with many great jazz artists, including Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath, and Clark Terry.
He conducted Terence Blanchard's music for the film A Tale of God's Will (A Requiem for Katrina). In 2014, he led Wynton Marsalis' "Abyssinian 200: A Gospel Celebration" at Princeton University. He has also conducted the Princeton University Orchestra. With them, he premiered his own piece, "Ballad for Trayvon Martin." He also led performances of Duke Ellington's orchestral works.
Branker has conducted new music written for big bands. These include pieces by Bob Mintzer and Jimmy Heath. He has also worked with the Juilliard Jazz Orchestra. They performed music by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn at McCarter Theatre in Princeton. He has conducted youth orchestras and big bands in Germany, Israel, Japan, and Estonia. He has also led high school and college jazz ensembles in the United States.
A Dedicated Educator
Anthony Branker teaches jazz at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. He teaches graduate classes in jazz history and composition. He also teaches jazz theory to undergraduate students and directs the Avant Garde Ensemble.
He retired from Princeton University in 2016 after 27 years. At Princeton, he was the founding director of Jazz Studies. He led jazz ensembles and taught courses on jazz theory, improvisation, and composition.
He was a Fulbright Scholar and a visiting professor in Estonia. He has also taught at the Manhattan School of Music and Hunter College. He has given lectures at universities and schools in Finland, Estonia, Australia, and the United States.
In 2008, Princeton University received a large gift to support jazz studies. With this, Branker started the Certificate Program in Jazz Studies at Princeton. During his time at Princeton, the jazz program recorded several albums. These include Telling Stories, Love Is What It Is, and The Sacred Concert Music of Duke Ellington.
Branker has shared his knowledge at many music conferences. He has been recognized by organizations like the International Society for Music Education. He also served as a program scholar for "Looking At: Jazz, America's Art Form," a film series.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Anthony Branker has received several honors for his work:
- Three Gold Medals for his album Beauty Within from the Global Music Awards.
- Named a Rising Star Composer by DownBeat magazine in 2014 and 2015.
- Received fellowships and grants from organizations like the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
- Was a keynote speaker at a music education research seminar in Finland.
Discography
- For the Children (RPC, 1980)
- Spirit Songs (Sons of Sound, 2005)
- Blessings (Origin, 2009)
- Dance Music (Origin, 2010)
- Dialogic (Origin, 2011)
- Together (Origin, 2012)
- Uppity (Origin, 2013)
- The Forward (Towards Equality) Suite (Origin, 2014)
- Beauty Within (Origin, 2016)
- What Place Can Be For Us? A Suite in Ten Movements (Origin, 2023)
- Songs My Mom Liked (Origin, 2024)
