Remember the name Camille Thurman. As an accomplished composer, esteemed saxophonist, vocalist, and unique interpreter of the jazz tradition, she is quickly becoming one of the leading standard bearers of the art form, making a considerable and dynamic contribution to the legacy of jazz while paying tribute to its heroes. Camille is known for her distinct musical approach to classic and original repertoire that highlights her chops as both a powerhouse singer and instrumentalist.
The New York City native has amassed several distinctive honors for her musicianship: 2021 recipient of the SOUTH Arts Jazz Road Creative Artistic Residency, Downbeat Magazine’s Critics Poll Nominee for Rising Star Tenor Saxophonist, two-time winner of the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award, a recipient of the Fulbright Scholars Cultural Ambassador Grant, Chamber Music of America Performance Plus Grant (Sponsored by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation) among others. Thurman also has four full-length recordings as a leader to her credit.
Thurman was the first woman in 30 years to tour and perform full time internationally with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra as a saxophonist/woodwindist (2018-2020 season). A respected bandleader, she has headlined numerous notable concert venues and jazz festivals around the world including the Kennedy Center and Alice Tully Hall. Her most recent project “Fortitude” (to be released in 2022) is a collaboration with master drummer Darrell Green and his quartet.
Thurman was chosen by the U.S. State Department under the Fulbright Scholarship grant to tour and perform in Paraguay and Nicaragua as a bandleader . She was recently selected by American Music Abroad and the U.S. State Department to tour and perform Africa as U.S. Cultural Ambassadors; Cameroon, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, and Mauritania. In May of 2020, Camille created and founded “The Haven Hang: Young Lioness Musician Q&A/ Virtual Mentorship Series”. The Haven Hang serves as a virtual mentorship series for young women musicians, with an initiative to mentor, share advice and support young women pursuing careers in music and the performing arts.