CURRENT PROJECT
JAZZ AT PRIDE
The inaugural Jazz at Pride concert was held on June 20, 2022 at Le Poisson Rouge in New York City. Featuring guest vocalists, instrumentalists, dancers, and comedians in front of a 23-piece jazz orchestra, the concert coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots and the first ever World Pride in NYC. “There’s an organic and beautiful overlap between jazz and pride,” Carter says. “Not only in our communities, but in the freedom that we use to express who we are and what we’ve been through. As Alphonso Horne, one of our original members expressed: ‘jazz is freedom, pride is freedom.’ I feel so fortunate that our mission has been embraced in the way that it has - evolving from what we originally planned as a quintet performance into this massive 32-piece orchestra and 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. After two years, we’re making a triumphant return with the communities in both New York City and Austin - celebrating that queer people are not alone, are beautiful, and are loved."
Jazz at Pride’s mission is to aid in the creation of safer spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community within the Jazz and Improvisational music community through performance, education and media. “We believe that jazz is for everyone,” Carter explains. “We also believe that jazz is the purest form of self-expression and self-discovery. Through jazz we can inspire, uplift and advocate for the queer community and its allies.”
For Jazz at Pride on tour, Bryan Carter and members of his core ensemble will work with local string and wind players to build a celebratory event.
Jazz at Pride came in the wake of the release of Bryan Carter’s upcoming full-length I Believe. Released on June 3rd, I Believe is Carter’s semi-autobiographical, coming out and coming of age LP. Featuring a kaleidoscopic tracklist — “Black American music through the lens of a jazz musician,” as Carter describes it — the album takes listeners on a journey of love and self-acceptance. The recently released single “Making Love” was praised by Jazziz, Riff Magazine, NYS Music, and SoulTracks, who said “Bryan Carter is on the rise with an authentic musical approach that incorporates soulful progressions and R&B-tinged vocals.”
BIO.
With a confidence reflecting an instrumental and compositional maturity that both belie his age and announce the arrival of a remarkable talent, Bryan Carter exudes what promises a highly successful career.
Shortly after completing his training at The Juilliard School in New York City and still at the very outset of his career, Carter has already played and/or recorded with many notable artists including Clark Terry, McCoy Tyner, Wynton Marsalis, Marcus Roberts, Kenny Barron, Michael Feinstein and Kurt Elling.
Carter attended The Juilliard School as a Jazz Studies major and studied with Carl Allen and Kenny Washington. He was the recipient of the Irene Diamond Scholarship as well as the Samuel L Jackson Scholarship. While at Juilliard, Carter took a strong interest in composition, orchestration and interdivisional cross-collaborative performance.
Bryan is currently touring across the world with his band, “The Swangers”, a diverse semi-acoustic band built upon a foundation of brash eclecticism as well as it’s expanded “concert-driven” counterpart, "The Swangers Orchestra”. He served as the house drummer for NBC’S “Maya & Marty” starring Maya Rudolph, Keenan Thompson and Martin Short. The show has featured guests including Miley Cyrus, Nick Jonas, Tom Hanks, Drake, Steve Martin and Tina Fey. He also served as the drummer for the beloved children’s television show, “Sesame Street”. He most recently served as the associate orchestrator for the new Pulitzer Prize winning musical, “A Strange Loop” and will be co-orchestrating Marc Shaiman's new musical, “Some Like It Hot”.
Aside from performing Carter conducts clinics, master-classes and workshops at schools, colleges and universities around the world. Currently Carter served as a founding teaching artist for the Jazz at Lincoln Center, “Jazz for Young People” program in New York City. As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+, Bryan is committed to the creation of safe spaces for young musicians from all walks of life. This past summer Carter produced, "Jazz at Pride: A Celebration of the LGBTQIA+ Community within the Jazz Community". This landmark event brought together over thirty musicians and coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots..
When Bryan is not on-stage or in the studio, he can be found expanding audiences for jazz via written publications, YouTube and as a presenter on television. Bryan is releasing a new album via Bandstand Presents and La Reserve Records and endorses Ludwig Drums, Vic Firth Drumsticks, Remo Drumheads, Zildjian Cymbals and 64 Audio Monitors.
TOURING CONFIGURATIONS
Jazz at Pride: 8 pieces
Piano / Bass / Drums / Violin / Clarinet / Conductor / Guest singers
Sextet
TOUR DATES.