UPTOWN NIGHTS

from UPTOWN NIGHTS

by Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra

Friday, June 2, 2023 at 7:30 pm

Saturday, June 3, 2023 at 7:30 pm

Sunday, June 4, 2023 at 2:30 pm

ALLEN-BRADLEY HALL

Byron Stripling, conductor

Carmen Bradford, vocalist

Leo Manzari, dancer

Richard Thompson, drum set

This weekend’s media sponsor is WISCONSIN PUBLIC RADIO.

The length of this concert is approximately 2 hours. All programs are subject to change.

Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra can be heard on Telarc, Koss Classics, Pro Arte, AVIE, and Vox/Turnabout recordings. MSO Classics recordings (digital only) available on iTunes and at mso.org. MSO Binaural recordings (digital only) available at mso.org.

PROGRAM TO BE ANNOUNCED FROM THE STAGE

Guest Artist Biographies

BYRON STRIPLING

With a contagious smile and captivating charm, conductor, trumpet virtuoso, singer, and actor Byron Stripling has ignited audiences across the globe. In 2020, Stripling was named principal pops conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and his baton has led countless orchestras throughout the United States and Canada. As a soloist with the Boston Pops Orchestra, Stripling has performed frequently under the baton of Keith Lockhart, as well as being the featured soloist on the PBS television special Evening at Pops with conductors John Williams and Lockhart. Currently, Stripling serves as artistic director and conductor of the highly acclaimed Columbus Jazz Orchestra.

Television viewers have enjoyed his work as soloist on the worldwide telecast of The Grammy Awards. Millions have heard his trumpet and voice on television commercials, TV theme songs including 20/20 and CNN, and soundtracks of movies. In addition to multiple recordings with his quintet, work with artists from Tony Bennett to Whitney Houston, his prolific recording career includes hundreds of albums with the greatest pop, Broadway, soul, and jazz artists of all time.

Stripling earned his stripes as lead trumpeter and soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra. He has also played and recorded extensively with the bands of Dizzy Gillespie, Woody Herman, Dave Brubeck, Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, Louis Bellson, and Buck Clayton in addition to Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, and GRP All-Star Big Band.

Stripling is devoted to giving back and supports several philanthropic organizations, including The United Way, Homelessness Advocate, and The Community Shelter Board. He also enjoys sharing the power of music through seminars and masterclasses.

Stripling was educated at the Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and the Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen, Michigan. A resident of Ohio, Stripling lives in the country with his wife, Alexis, a former dancer, writer, and poet, and their beautiful daughters.

CARMEN BRADFORD

Born in Austin, Texas, and raised in Altadena, California, Grammy nominee Carmen Bradford grew up with music in her home and in her heart. It was only natural that Bradford would follow in the footsteps of her great family legacy, being the daughter of legendary trumpeter and composer Bobby Bradford and worldrenowned vocalist and composer Melba Joyce. Her grandfather Melvin Moore sang with Lucky Millender and Dizzy Gillespie’s Big Band in the 1940s and sang with the Ink Spots, making Bradford the third generation of incredible musicians. She has carved out a place in music history for herself and is playing an integral role in this uniquely American art form called jazz.

Bradford was discovered and hired by William “Count” Basie and was the featured vocalist in the legendary Count Basie Orchestra for nine years. She has since performed and/or recorded with: Wynton Marsalis, Shelly Berg, John Clayton, 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 Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, The Dani Felber Big Band, Dallas Symphony, Oklahoma Symphony, Vancouver Philharmonic, and countless artists around the world.

Bradford’s love of teaching has been recognized by the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and the new Roots, Jazz, and American Music (RJAM Program) has welcomed her with open arms. Bradford is the resident professor of jazz voice and director of vocal jazz studies.

LEO MANZARI

Originally from Washington D.C., Leo Manzari is a Lucille Lortel Award nominated tap dancer, headlining in various productions, including touring and Off-Broadway productions of Maurice Hines is Tappin’ Thru Life, and featured guest artist on So You Think You Can Dance, the Kennedy Center’s 50th Inaugural Celebration of JFK and A Tribute to Marvin Gaye, Dorrance Dance’s Nutcracker Suite, The Mo’nique Show, The Kate TV, TEDMED, PBS News Hour, Jerry Lewis Telethon, and ABC’s The View. Manzari was also featured as a solo tap dancer in Hozier’s music video “Almost (Sweet Music),” and guest starred with Anderson Paak’s band The Free Nationals for various virtual events. Now residing in Los Angeles, California, Manzari currently headlines alongside Byron Stripling and Grammy nominated Jazz vocalist, Carmen Bradford, collaborating with multiple pops orchestras around the world, including The Winnipeg Orchestra, The Florida Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and The Philly POPS. Other credentials include a recurring role in season 6 of Showtime’s television show Homeland, and lead writer and vocalist of his own original music which can be found via his website leomanzari. com and Instagram @leomanzari.

RICHARD THOMPSON

Drummer Rich Thompson has been in demand as a top call drummer in Rochester for the past 25 years. Besides serving as the drum set instructor at the Eastman School of Music since the fall of 1996, Thompson has toured, performed, and recorded with the “who’s who” of jazz greats including pianist James Williams (Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers), the Count Basie Orchestra, Tito Puente, Frank Foster, the Byron Stripling Quartet, saxophonist Rich Perry, the Bill Dobbins Trio, Harold Danko, Marion McPartland, Trio East (which includes Clay Jenkins and Jeff Campbell), trumpeter Snooky Young, guitarist Gene Bertoncini, Carl Fontana, Phil Woods, Joe Pass, and a host of others too numerous to mention.

Thompson has been touring this country and abroad with the Byron Stripling Quartet for the past five years. His album, Trio Generations, was released in May of 2012 on Origin Records. It was included on the long list for two Grammys. In 2016, Thompson recorded Have Trumpet Will Swing with the Bryon Stripling Quartet, and in 2017, I Believe in You by the group Triocity was released.

Thompson performs regularly with numerous symphonies in the U.S. and Canada, the world renowned “Jazz Cruise,” and clubs throughout the U.S. and Europe with the Byron Stripling Quartet. Thompson has written four drum set books published by Kendor Music USA and Advance/Schott Music-Germany.