Music Under the Stars: Vermont Jazz Center Big Band

July 19 @ 6:30 pm



Gates open at 5:30 pm

Show starts at 6:30 pm

Dance to the sounds of the VJC big band with special guest vocalist Carmen Bradford. The VJC Big Band will present a swing-dance performance featuring Bradford, a Grammy-award-winning icon.

If you snagged a seat at the 2024 VJC Big Band Gala last December, you would have heard Carmen swinging with the band honoring the legacy of Count Basie. Carmen is a third-generation vocalist who has ascended to jazz royalty through pedigree, talent, and hard work. For nine years, she was the featured vocalist with Count Basie (1904-1984) and continues to tour and record with the Count Basie (Legacy) Orchestra.

Carmen Bradford received a Grammy Award for her contributions to Basie Swings the Blues with the Count Basie Orchestra. She also appears on the Grammy Award-winning album organized by Kenny Rankin, called The Benny Carter Songbook Project. Bradford has been nominated five times for a Grammy Award, is the recipient of the Los Angeles Jazz Society’s Jazz Vocalist Award, and was recently elected to the Austin Jazz Society’s Hall of Fame.

Leading the band is director Rob Freeberg. He is a seasoned trumpeter and big band conductor who leads the VJC’s large ensemble with finesse and skill, drawing on his respect for the jazz legacy, an unerring ear, and decades of experience leading his own Big Band in the New York City region.

Members of the VJC Big band include trumpeters Rick Anderson, Geoff Cunningham, Haneef Nelson, and Bunny Saranita; woodwind players Bruce Diehl, Michael Zsoldos, Matt Steckler, Donna Morse, Sherm Fox; trombonists Dave Sporny, John Wheeler, Amaranth Cole, Kim Clark; and rhythm section members Eugene Uman (piano), Wes Brown (bass), and Steve Rice (drums).

Recognized as one of Vermont’s Top 10 Summer Events, Music Under the Stars is a FREE community event. Your donations help cover production costs and keep this event accessible for everyone in the Brattleboro community.

"Carmen, having had long associations with icons such as Count Basie and Nancy Wilson, is the rare example of a jazz artist at the top of her field…Her joy, artistry, and passion will inspire us all.”

—Simon Rowe, San Francisco Conservatory

Carmen Bradford, Vocals
VJC Big Band - Listed Above






 

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