Bobby Bradford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bobby Bradford
Bradford at the Moers Festival in 2008
Background information
Birth name	Bobby Lee Bradford
Born	(1934-07-19) July 19, 1934 (age 91) Cleveland, Mississippi, U.S.
Origin	Dallas, Texas
Genres	Jazz
Occupation(s)	Musician, composer
Instruments	Cornet, trumpet
Associated acts	Mo'tet, Ornette Coleman, New Art Jazz Ensemble

Bobby Lee Bradford (born July 19, 1934) is an American jazz musician. He plays the trumpet and cornet. He is also a bandleader and a composer, which means he writes music.

Bobby Bradford is well-known for his own music. He has also worked with other famous jazz musicians. These include John Carter, Vinny Golia, and Ornette Coleman. In October 2009, he received a special award from the Festival of New Trumpet Music. He also taught at Pomona College for a very long time, 44 years!

Bobby Bradford's Life Story

Bobby Lee Bradford was born in Mississippi. His family moved to Dallas, Texas, in 1946. Later, in 1953, he moved to Los Angeles. There, he met up again with Ornette Coleman, who he had known in Texas.

Bobby joined Ornette Coleman's music group. But then, he joined the U.S. Air Force. He played in military bands from late 1954 to late 1958. After that, he rejoined Coleman's group from 1961 to 1963. They didn't play in public very often, but they did record some music.

After leaving Coleman's group, Bobby Bradford started working with clarinet player John Carter. They played together for many years. This helped both of them become more famous at music festivals around the world.

After John Carter passed away in 1991, Bobby Bradford started his own group. It's called The Mo'tet. He still performs with this group today. Bobby Bradford is also the father of jazz singer Carmen Bradford.

He earned a music degree from Huston–Tillotson College in Austin, Texas.

Who Bobby Bradford Played With

Besides Ornette Coleman, Bobby Bradford has played with many other talented musicians. Some of these include Eric Dolphy, Charlie Haden, Vinny Golia, and David Murray. David Murray was actually one of Bobby's students in the 1970s!

Bobby Bradford as a Teacher

Bobby Bradford was a teacher at Pomona College in Claremont, California. He taught students about the history of jazz music. He also led the school's jazz band. He taught there for 44 years before he retired in June 2021.

In January 2025, Bobby Bradford's home in Altadena, California was affected by the Eaton Fire.

Bobby Bradford's Music Albums

Bobby Bradford has released many albums, both as the main artist and as a guest musician. Here are some of them:

Albums as the Main Artist

• Flight for Four (1969)
• Seeking with New Art Jazz Ensemble (1969)
• Self Determination Music with John Carter (1970)
• Secrets with John Carter (1973)
• Love's Dream (1974)
• Lost in L.A. (1984)
• Live One Night Stand (1988)
• Comin' On with John Carter (1989)
• West Coast Hot with John Carter (1991)
• Purple Gums with Francis Wong & William Roper (2003)
• Mo' Betta Butta with Francis Wong & William Roper (2007)
• Reknes with Frode Gjerstad (2009)
• Varistar with Tom Heasley (2009)
• Live in LA with Mark Dresser (2011)
• Dragon with Frode Gjerstad (2012)
• Silver Cornet with Frode Gjerstad (2014)
• No U-Turn Live in Pasadena 1975 with John Carter (2015)
• The Delaware River with Frode Gjerstad (2015)
• Live at the Open Gate with Hafez Modirzadeh (2016)
• Live at the Magic Triangle with Hafez Modirzadeh (2017)
• Live at the Blue Whale with Hafez Modirzadeh (2018)
• Blue Cat with Frode Gjerstad (2019)

With Circulasione Totale Orchestra

• Open Port (2008)
• Bandwidth (2009)
• PhilaOslo (2011)

Albums as a Guest Musician

With John Carter

• Variations (1979)
• Night Fire (1981)
• Dauwhe (1982)
• Castles of Ghana (1986)
• Dance of the Love Ghosts (1987)
• Fields (1988)
• Shadows On a Wall (1989)

With Vinny Golia

• Compositions for Large Ensemble (1982)
• Lineage (1998)
• Sfumato (2005)
• Take Your Time (2011)

With David Murray

• Murray's Steps (1983)
• Death of a Sideman (1992)
• MX (1992)
• Be My Monster Love (2013)

With other artists

• Nels Cline, New Monastery (2006)
• Ornette Coleman, Science Fiction (1972)
• Jayne Cortez, Borders of Disorderly Time (2003)
• Frode Gjerstad, Ikosa Mura (1998)
• Rich Halley, The Blue Rims (2003)
• Roberto Miranda's Home Music Ensemble, Live at Bing Theatre - Los Angeles, 1985 (2021)
• John Rapson, Dances and Orations (1996)
• Bob Thiele, Head Start (1969)

See also

In Spanish: Bobby Bradford para niños