L.A. jazz legend Bobby Bradford lost his Altadena home to wildfire. At 91, music is ‘all I have left’

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Fifty years back, I found myself moving into a sprawling, lush abode in Altadena – a decision influenced by its artistic vibrancy and bucolic charm. As a renowned cornet and trumpet maestro, who graced Ornette Coleman’s band and imparted the rich history of jazz at Pomona College and Pasadena City College, I was seeking an environment brimming with creativity. This neighborhood, steeped in deep Black heritage, offered just that – enough spacious rooms for my family to flourish harmoniously in this tranquil corner of Los Angeles.

In early January, Bradford’s house was destroyed by the Eaton fire, joining many other homes in Altadena that were also lost. At 91 years old, he hadn’t expected to find himself starting a new life in small rental units, left with only ashes containing his lifetime of memories.

Music

Unfortunately, in an unfortunate twist of events, both the Palisades and Eaton fires tragically destroyed two distinctive L.A. neighborhoods that held great importance in the city’s music scene.

In spite of the lack of support from major organizations like MusiCares and Sweet Relief, he continues to play music, thanks in part to a GoFundMe campaign and other assistance from fellow musicians who helped him acquire a new treasured instrument.

On Thursday, he plans to revisit “Stealin’ Home,” a 2019 collection of original pieces, inspired by his lifelong idol – baseball legend and Dodgers’ barrier-breaking Jackie Robinson. This man was well-acquainted with overcoming unexpected, relentless hardships. (Hammer Museum will be the venue.)

Bradford sighed as he retrieved his trumpet from its case, preparing to play in the afternoon. “That’s all I have left,” he said, referring to his waning years, for time was not on his side to reconstruct what had been lost.

Music

85-year-old Bobby Bradford previously collaborated with Ornette Coleman. Currently, he’s collaborating with an unusual, baseball-themed charity organization to create a symphony in honor of Jackie Robinson’s 100th birthday.

Currently, Bradford resides in a quaint backhouse on a tranquil Pasadena residential street. This marks their fifth temporary dwelling since the Eaton fire, and they’ve made every effort to transform it into a comfortable home. Decorated with vintage posters from European jazz festivals of yesteryears, Bradford has managed to assemble sufficient equipment in the garage for composing music harmoniously.

Nevertheless, he yearns for his hometown, Altadena – not just the actual district where he’d bump into acquaintances at the post office, but also the idealized version of Altadena, a place where creative artists and multigenerational families could coexist with nature on the outskirts of Los Angeles.

Bradford stated that we recognized everyone among the musicians. Despite not spending a great deal of time with each other collectively, it gave off a strong sense of unity, he added. He mentioned knowing performers from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, artists, and dancers.

Currently, there’s a sense of exhaustion visible in his eyes and mannerisms, given the significant upheaval he’s experienced late in his life. He’s relieved to find that smaller community organizations have offered him spaces to continue his work, despite insurance companies putting him through a challenging ordeal. “The company claimed they wouldn’t insure me anymore because I made a claim on my house,” he said, perplexed. “But isn’t that not my fault?

However, Bradford finds strength in Robinson’s recent music, which mirrors the monumental achievements and brutal mistreatment Robinson experienced as the first African-American player in Major League Baseball. As a young boy in 1947, Bradford recalls the moment Robinson stepped onto the field, and while he has long admired this feat, his perception of Robinson has grown more nuanced over time.

As a child, it was a profound discovery for me, but later my curiosity shifted towards the individual who would willingly take on such a role. I started pondering how this could be translated into tangible music – envisioning a scenario where he is summoned, with a back-and-forth rhythm in the music reflecting this call.

Bradford’s personal mission, which encompassed emulating Robinson’s athletic finesse on the field while mirroring his off-field apprehensions, serves as a culmination of his lengthy career, during which he consistently transformed his art to mirror and question the societal context in which he operated.

Or:

Bradford’s personal objective, combining Robinson’s on-field elegance with his off-field concerns, concludes a long-standing career marked by constantly adapting his style to reflect and confront the society surrounding him.

Music

On August 14, the renowned West Coast branch of the jazz club chain will officially launch, featuring Robert Glasper – a Blue Note representative – performing two sets every Thursday and Friday.

In the ’50s and ’60s, Ornette Coleman led a band that played a significant role in developing free jazz – a style characterized by its departure from the structured coolness of bebop. This genre featured abrupt bursts of atonality and complex song structures. Ornette Coleman was also a notable bandleader with his own impressive catalog. He contributed to Coleman’s 1972 album “Science Fiction,” alongside Asha Puthli, an Indian vocalist. As Bradford noted, Coleman played with such raw emotion that the same note could sound completely different when played in a different chord. To play his music, it was essential to learn this concept. Ornette Coleman’s long-term collaboration with clarinetist John Carter established the blueprint for post-bop in Los Angeles, embodying potential and lyricism, while also expressing longing.

Bradford takes equal pride in his years spent in academia and his role in teaching young students about the rich history of Black American music that led to jazz. He has done this at Pomona College and Pasadena City College, where Robinson himself studied and developed his athletic skills. By instilling in his students the dual perspective needed by Black artists to thrive, create, and progress in America – from the field songs of slavery to Southern religious music, up through Louis Armstrong, Charlie Parker, Sarah Vaughan, and into contemporary times – Bradford has helped them navigate the complexities of the artistic landscape.

He chuckled, admitting there was usually someone who believed they knew more about the topic than him. However, he would clarify that grasping the evolving Black identity requires acknowledging the obstacles Louis Armstrong faced, such as how he needed to present himself in specific ways for white audiences to create his music.

Music

L.A. jazz reeled when Highland Park’s ETA closed. There’s still great music, but clubs are nervous.

He’s been practicing music alongside a blend of both seasoned and novice local artists at Healing Force of the Universe, a cherished Pasadena record store and stage that takes him back to his homemade jazz club situated close to Pasadena’s Ice House during the ’70s.

In recent times, certain spots around L.A. find themselves in a challenging situation. Establishments such as ETA and the Blue Whale (where Bradford recorded a live album in 2018) have either shut down or struggled following the pandemic. Yet, others, like the new Hollywood Blue Note, are aiming high. Bradford remains optimistic that L.A.’s jazz scene – an art form known for its improvisational nature – will persevere and prosper even after the displacement of artists from areas like Altadena. “I recall a person entering our club in the ’70s and expressing disdain for the music we were playing,” Bradford reminisced, chuckling. “When I asked him why he didn’t like it, he replied, ‘Well, everything.’ I responded, ‘Perhaps this isn’t the place for you then.'” Bradford concluded, “You can’t live in Los Angeles without that spirit. There will always be new venues to perform.

Despite the current administration, he’s been left with concerns about America’s identity, as many long-standing questions on who constitutes an American citizen have resurfaced. The unpredictable wildfires in January underscored for him that even the most permanent aspects of one’s life and connections can be at risk.

Despite Jackie Robinson’s impressive achievements that have long been considered a source of national pride for Americans, there has recently been a move to remove mentions of his military career from various government websites as part of what appears to be a broader effort targeting perceived revisions to historical accounts deemed “progressive” or “woke.

Bradford remarked, shaking his head, ‘I assumed we’d made it across the River Jordan by rowing, but it seems we’ve returned to the same side. I guess we didn’t quite reach our destination.’

It’s uncertain how much longer Bradford will continue to perform, but hearing the mournful notes of his horn on that scorching hot day in Pasadena made it all worthwhile. It was a reminder of how fortunate we are to still have him with us, performing despite his losses.

In his debut game, Jackie Robinson failed to get a hit in three turns at bat, and some people commented, “This is disheartening. We warned you he wouldn’t be able to play at a professional level.” However, upon closer examination, it was revealed that instead of getting a hit, he made a sacrifice bunt to score the winning run.

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2025-08-13 23:01