Carmen Bradford of the Count Basie Band. Carmen Bradford born July 19, 1960, in Austin, TX, raised in Altadena, CA, is the daughter of trumpeter/ composer Bobby Bradford and vocalist/composer Melba Joyce. Her grandfather Melvin Moore sang with Lucky Millender’s Big Band in the 1940’s, making Carmen the third generation of incredible musicians. She was hired by Count Basie as featured vocalist in his Orchestra for 9 years. She performed and recorded with Wynton Marsalis, Shelly Berg, John Clayton and the Clayton Hamilton Orchestra, Nancy Wilson, Doc Severinsen, Tony Bennett, James Brown, Patti Austin, Byron Stripling, Dori Caymmi, George Benson, Lena Horne, Frank Sinatra, Joe Williams, DIVA Jazz Orchestra, the National Symphony, Rochester Philharmonic, the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and countless artists worldwide.

Carmen performed on two Grammy Award winning albums with the Basie Band in the 1980’s, and collaborated on a third Grammy Award winning album, “Big Boss Band,” with guitarist George Benson in 1991, and her soulful voice warmed the hearts of Americans on the duet, “How Do You Keep The Music Playing?” on the Johnny Carson Show that same year. Carmen began another chapter in her illustrious career as a solo artist with her critically acclaimed debut album “Finally Yours” (Evidence Records) in 1992. The 1995 release of her second album, “With Respect,” established the Atlanta-based singer as one of jazz’s most diverse and exciting vocal stylists.

With Kenny Rankin she worked on the Benny Carter Songbook with Joe Williams, Ruth Brown, Bobby Short, Peggy Lee, Shirley Horn, Jon Hendricks, Diana Krall and Dianne Reeves. Carmen sang “Key Largo” for this album, her fourth studio collaboration. Carmen sang in the stage production of Duke Ellington’s Folk Opera “Queenie Pie” at the University of Texas, Butler School of Music and for Oprah Winfrey’s film “Beloved”. Carmen’s 2004 CD, “Home With You,” (Azica Records) is a collection of piano/vocal duets with Shelly Berg. She returned to big band with “Sherrie Maricle & The DIVA Jazz Orchestra,” featured on Live From Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club. Carmen performs with Symphony Orchestras, globally.