Bruce Forman

“Bruce Forman is one of the great lights of our age.” Barney Kessel, Jazz TimesA busy touring schedule; soundtrack performances on two of Clint Eastwood’s distinguished films--the Oscar-winning Million Dollar Baby, and Oscar-nominated Flags of Our Fathers; thirteen recordings as a leader; over twenty appearances at the landmark Monterey Jazz Festival; a featured role on one of jazz great Ray Brown’s last albums; Artist in Residence at USC’s Studio / Jazz Guitar Dept.—when does Bruce Forman rest?Forman is a seasoned jazz player with top-level skills as a leader, entertainer and sideman. He creates soulful, lyrical melodies, inventive harmonies, and solid accompaniment. Though he can shred bebop at blistering tempos with the best of ‘em, he is no urban snob. Cow Bop, Forman’s unique “western bebop” band, hit four separate charts with its CD, Swingin’ Out West.A new composition, The Red Guitar, has received early acclaim. It may be the only jazz libretto where the narrator and the featured instrumentalist are the same performer. The Red Guitar requires great virtuosity, but it is much deeper than a simple showcase for Forman’s abilities. It is serious one-man theater, exploring the obsessive demands that music places on its truest followers.Forman is also a distinguished music educator and in-kind philanthropist. His national music-mentoring program, JazzMasters Workshop, has provided over 2000 sessions for kids. Always free of charge, JazzMasters sessions occur during after-school hours, which are critical to adolescents’ development.Bruce’s life and musical journey provide an American saga that is still in full swing. His Texas origins—which included Kinky Friedman as his camp counselor—his early career in San Francisco and New York, and his years on the road, all contribute to the unique and highly personal vision that he demonstrates today. Deep immersion in American culture inspires him to contribute to the traditions that he drew from. Cow Bop’s “road challenges” down historic byways like Route 66; original works like The Red Guitar; JazzMasters Workshop—these are only the latest answers to the endless question that underlies Bruce Forman’s creativity. His music and life reflect every step of his journey, and demonstrate the awareness of an artist who’s very much at home in the world, and at the top of his form.