Carmen Bradford is jazz royalty and a 2024 Grammy Award winner for “Basie Swings the Blues – the Count Basie Orchestra.” She’s been nominated five times for Grammy Awards and is the recipient of the Los Angeles Jazz Society's Jazz Vocalist Award. 

With her body of work, which reflects her vast experience, versatility, and technical brilliance, she has carved out her place in jazz history, and she continues to contribute to the preservation of this uniquely American art form.

In August 2024, Carmen joined the faculty as associate professor of jazz voice in the Jazz Studies program in the College of Music at Michigan State University.

Bradford talks about her background and how she fell in love with singing. She details her relationship with Count Basie. And she tells how, when, and why she became involved with MSU’s Jazz Studies program.

Conversation Highlights:

(0:22) – What is your background, and when did you fall in love with music and singing?

(2:21) – Tell us about your “little girl” relationship with Count Basie.

(14:31) – How, why, and when did you become involved in the MSU Jazz Studies program?

(20:09) – How would you describe the MSU Jazz Studies program, and what makes it so great?

(21:07) – Who has influenced your art, and who have you enjoyed performing with?

(23:22) – Who are you listening to on Spotify these days?

(23:57) – What would you like people to know about Carmen Bradford?

Listen to “MSU Today with Russ White” on the radio and through Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your shows.