Camille Thurman is a saxophonist, Vocalist, Composer, Educator and Founder of "The Haven Hang" & U.S. Cultural Ambassador.
As an accomplished composer, esteemed saxophonist, vocalist, and unique interpreter of the jazz tradition, Camille Thurman is rapidly emerging as one of the leading standard bearers of jazz, making a significant and dynamic contribution to its legacy while honoring its heroes. Referred to as the "classic double threat" by NPR, Camille Thurman excels on both the tenor saxophone and vocals, establishing herself as a powerhouse virtuoso musician and an electrifying, trailblazing artist. The New York City-born artist has drawn comparisons to Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Dexter Gordon, and Joe Henderson. DownBeat Magazine describes Camille as a performer poised to shape jazz for decades to come.
She made a historic and memorable impact as the first woman to tour, record, and perform fulltime internationally as a saxophonist and woodwind doubler with the world-renowned Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra during the 2018-2020 season. A respected bandleader, she has headlined numerous prestigious concert venues and jazz festivals worldwide, including the Kennedy Center, the Library of Congress, and Alice Tully Hall. Her international recognition is a testament to the universal appeal of her music and the profound influence she has made on the global jazz community. She also has five full-length recordings as a leader to her credit. Her most recent project, “Confluence: Vol 1,” is a collaboration with master drummer Darrell Green and his quartet.
Thurman has received several notable honors for her musicianship, including the following: NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Jazz Album, recipient of the SOUTH Arts Creative Jazz Road Artistic Residency, recipient of the Phoebe Jacobs Prize, Downbeat Magazine’s Critics Poll Nominee for Rising Star Tenor Saxophonist and Vocalist, as well as Rising New Artist (2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 & 2020). She is also a two-time winner of the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composers Award and a recipient of the Fulbright Scholars Cultural Ambassador Grant and Chamber Music of America Performance Plus Grant (sponsored by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation), among others.
Camille 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 in Africa as a U.S. Cultural Ambassador in Cameroon, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, and Mauritania.
In May 2020, Camille founded “The Haven Hang: Young Lioness Musician Q&A/Virtual Mentorship Series.” The Haven Hang operates as both a virtual and in-person mentorship program for young women musicians, dedicated to mentoring, assisting, and supporting those pursuing careers in the performing arts. The mentorship series has reached young women across Australia, Africa, Europe, and around the globe. Currently, she serves as an Assistant Professor of Jazz Performance at McGill University. This dynamic musician is endorsed by D’Addario Woodwinds & Co. for reeds, Conn-Selmer Inc. for saxophones, and Key Leaves for saxophone accessories.
Languages spoken : English
Photo credit : Daryon Haylock