The professor of music had an article published in the professional trumpet journal.
Professor Thomas Erdmann in the Department of Music had an article published in the October 2019 issue of The International Trumpet Guild Journal.
The article, “Cindy Bradley: Making Her Dreams Come True,” is about smooth and contemporary jazz genre flugelhornist, trumpeter, saxophonist, trombonist, bassist, teacher, clinician and composer, who has found ways to incorporate straight-ahead improvisation on her albums. Seven of her songs reached number one on the Billboard charts.
While most of the material she records falls squarely in the instrumental R&B and pop category, she likes to keep her options open. On her “Unscripted” album, Bradley updated Wayne Shorter’s “Footprints” with a hip-hop beat, hit the soul-jazz arena on her co-written composition “Deja Blue,” and worked with strings on another co-written song “Inevitable.” Her success has garnered not just fans but also critical praise, such as when reviewer William Ruhlmann praised her soloistic abilities by writing, “she solos imaginatively.”
Originally from North Tonawanda in western New York, Bradley, whose father played jazz organ and encouraged his daughter to play jazz as well, started playing the piano before picking up the trumpet in fourth grade. While still in middle school she joined the local community big band, Sugar & Jazz, and was exposed to traditional swing era jazz charts.
She earned bachelor’s degrees in jazz studies and music education at Ithaca College before going to the New England Conservatory (NEC) where she earned a master’s degree in jazz performance. While there she studied with and was influenced by artists John McNeil, Bob Brookmeyer, Jerry Bergonzi, George Russell and Steve Lacy. Bradley later followed with a master’s degree in educational leadership from Montclair State University.
Upon graduation from the NEC, Bradley moved to the New York City area and started going to jam sessions as well as finding work in the studios. Since then, in addition to working in her own band, she’s been called upon as a side musician by some of the best chart-topping contemporary jazz artists including Alex Bugnon, Paul Hardcastle, Warren Hill, Chris Standring and the jazz group Pieces of a Dream. She also worked and composed with Grammy-winning producers Michael Broening (George Benson, Marion Meadows) and David Mann (Steve Cole, Andy Snitzer).
Bradley’s strong performance abilities have garnered her a number of awards. In 2010 she was named both the Best New Artist at the American Smooth Jazz Awards and the Smooth Jazz News Debut Artist of the Year. In 2011 she was named Best New Artist and Best Brass Player at the Oasis Contemporary Jazz Awards. Along with those awards her “Unscripted” album received the Jazziz magazine Critics’ Choice of the Year award. Bradley juggles a vibrant performance career as both a soloist and side musician while working a day job teaching band at a New Jersey elementary school.