Bradford Hayes
About
BRADFORD HAYES, a native of Dinwiddie County, Virginia has been a force on the jazz scene in the Northeastern U.S. for decades now. Bradford has performed in different musical settings with Jimmy Heath, Rufus Reid, Jerry Butler, and The Dells. Mr. Hayes has also opened for Chico Freeman, Betty Carter, Joe Henderson, Max Roach, Marlena Shaw, Pieces of a Dream, and the late Hilton Ruiz among others. In addition to leading his own band, Bradford worked with Babatunde Olatunji’s Drums of Passion Band for 15 years, until Mr. Olatunji’s passing. Mr. Hayes is also a retired music educator retiring from the Newark (NJ) Public Schools after 31 years as an award winning Band Director. Mr. Hayes holds a Bachelor of Sciences Degree in Music Education from North Carolina A&T State University in Greensboro, North Carolina. He has also studied privately with saxophone legends George Coleman and Charles Davis.
During my 31 year tenure as a Music Teacher in Newark, NJ , I taught High School for the first 10 years. Subjects taught there were Marching Band, String Orchestra, Jazz Band and General Music Foundations/Theory. During the 21 years that followed, I taught grades Pre-K through 8th Grade. Subjects during these years included Concert Band, String Orchestra, Recorder Club and General Music. During my 31 years as a Band Director, I always had between 70 to 120 students involved in my programs and it was a must to be able to read Music in order to perform in public. As you can see during these 31 years I was always an active working Professional Musician and was able to get Professional Colleagues to come and work with my students. I am still presently performing.
1. NJ Teaching Certificate
2. Member – ASCAP
3. NOBLE of the Mystic Shrine – Golconda Temple #24,
Newark, NJ PHA
4. Brother – Samson Lodge #66 F&AM-PHA, Newark, NJ - 32°
5. Brother – Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
For anything Instrumental I always used "Essential Elements" because it always came with a recording of the exercises. How is a student going to play trumpet if he/she doesn't understand how the instrument sounds?