JC SanfordFaculty

Trombonist/composer/conductor JC Sanford is deeply rooted in the traditions of jazz and classical music, yet constantly pushing at their boundaries. A long-time student of the legendary Bob Brookmeyer, Sanford has performed as a trombonist alongside the likes of Danilo Pérez, Matt Wilson, Anthony Cox, and Donny McCaslin. A sought-after conductor of new large ensemble music in NYC, he conducts the thrice-Grammy-nominated John Hollenbeck Large Ensemble, the Frank Carlberg Large Ensemble, the Alan Ferber Nonet +Strings, John Ellis’ jazz opera Ice Siren, and the Alice Coltrane Orchestra featuring Ravi Coltrane and Jack DeJohnette. He is also musical/artistic director of the JazzMN Orchestra. based in the Twin Cities. His compositions and arrangements have been performed by jazz artists such as Dave Liebman, John Abercrombie, Lew Soloff, and Ingrid Jensen, plus non-jazz artists like Japanese koto player Yumi Kurosawa, British singer-songwriter Joy Askew, and Grammy-nominated classical pianist Andrew Russo. His own 2014 JC Sanford Orchestra album Views from the Inside won international acclaim and was awarded the prestigious Aaron Copland Fund for Recording grant. Sanford was most recognized as a "Rising Star” trombonist and big band in DownBeat Magazine’s 2019 Critic’s Poll, is a 2018 McKnight Composer Fellow, and received a 2019 MN Sate Arts Board Artist Initiative grant to record his quartet. He has had previous teaching positions at the School of Jazz at The New School, Long Island University - Brooklyn, LeMoyne College, Luther College, Williams College, and New England Conservatory.

Courses Taught