Ambrose Akinmusire


Ambrose Olusiji Akinmusire is an American avant-garde jazz composer and trumpeter.
WWW ambroseakinmusire.com𝕏 ambroseireFB Ambrose-Akinmusire-348707...IG ambroseireTHR ambroseire

Biography

Born and raised in Oakland, California, Akinmusire was a member of the Berkeley High School Jazz Ensemble, where he caught the attention of saxophonist Steve Coleman who was visiting the school to lead a workshop. Coleman hired him as a member of his Five Elements band for a European tour. Akinmusire was also a member of the Monterey Jazz Festival's Next Generation Jazz Orchestra.
Akinmusire studied at the Manhattan School of Music before returning to the West Coast to take a master's degree at the University of Southern California and attend the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in Los Angeles.
In 2007, Akinmusire won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition and the Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Solo Competition, two of the most prestigious jazz competitions in the world. The same year he released his debut recording Prelude... to Cora on the Fresh Sound New Talent label. He moved back to New York City and began performing with Vijay Iyer, Aaron Parks, Esperanza Spalding, and Jason Moran, taking part in Moran's innovative multimedia concert event In My Mind: Monk At Town Hall, 1957. It was also during this time that he caught the attention of Bruce Lundvall, then President of Blue Note Records.
Akinmusire made his debut on the Blue Note label in 2011 with the album When the Heart Emerges Glistening, featuring his quintet of tenor saxophonist Walter Smith III, pianist Gerald Clayton, bassist Harish Raghavan, and drummer Justin Brown. Akinmusire's third album, entitled The Imagined Savior is Far Easier to Paint, was released in 2014. His album Origami Harvest was included in The New York Times Best Jazz of 2018. His sixth studio album On the Tender Spot of every Calloused Moment, again with his quartet of longtime bandmates – Sam Harris, Harish Raghavan, and Justin Brown, was released in spring 2020 and received a Grammy nomination for Best Jazz Instrumental Album.
Akinmusire is featured on the last track of Kendrick Lamar's 2015 release To Pimp a Butterfly.
He has received awards including the 2014 North Sea Jazz Festival's Paul Acket Award and both the Doris Duke Artist and Doris Duke Impact Awards; recognition in the DownBeat Critics Poll has included Jazz Artist of the Year and winning the trumpet category every year from 2013 to 2020.
For 2026 Grammy Awards, he received a nomination for the album Honey from a winter stone in the Best Alternative Jazz Album category.

Selected discography

As leader

YearTitleLabelPersonnel
2008Prelude... to CoraFresh SoundAmbrose Akinmusire, Aaron Parks, Chris Dingman, Walter Smith III, Joe Sanders, Justin Brown, Logan Richardson, Junko Watanabe
2011When the Heart Emerges GlisteningBlue Note/EMI RecordsAmbrose Akinmusire, Smith, Gerald Clayton, Jason Moran, Harish Raghavan, Justin Brown
2014The Imagined Savior is Far Easier to PaintBlue Note/Capitol/Universal RecordsAkinmusire, Walter Smith III, Harish Raghavan, Justin Brown, Sam Harris, Charles Altura, Theo Bleckmann, Cold Specks, Becca Stevens, Elena Pinderhughes and OSSO String Quartet: Maria Im, Brooke Quiggins Saulnier, Kallie Ciechomski, Maria Jeffers
2017A Rift in Decorum: Live at the Village Vanguard Blue Note/Capitol/Universal RecordsAmbrose Akinmusire, Sam Harris, Harish Raghavan, Justin Brown
2018Origami HarvestBlue Note/Capitol/Universal RecordsAmbrose Akinmusire, Kool A.D., LmbrJck_t, Sam Harris, Michael Aaberg, Marcus Gilmore, Olivia De Prato, Lauren Cauley Kalal, Victor Lowrie Tafoya, Mariel Roberts, Walter Smith III
2020On the Tender Spot of Every Calloused MomentBlue NoteAmbrose Akinmusire, Sam Harris, Harish Raghavan, Justin Brown
2023Beauty Is EnoughOrigami HarvestAmbrose Akinmusire
2023Owl SongNonesuch RecordsAmbrose Akinmusire, Bill Frisell, Herlin Riley
2025Honey from a Winter StoneNonesuch RecordsAmbrose Akinmusire, Kokayi, Sam Harris, Chiquita, Justin Brown, Mivos Quartet: Olivia Deprato, Maya Bennardo, Victor Lowrie Tafoya, Tyler Borden

As sideman

YearArtistTitleLabel
2001Steve ColemanResistance Is FutileLabel Bleu
2002Aaron ParksShadowsKeynoteRecords
2003Vijay Iyer & Mike LaddIn What Language?Pi Recordings
2006Walter Smith IIICasually IntroducingNew Talent Spain
2007Alan PasquaAnti Social ClubCryptogramophon
2007Sara GazarekReturn to YouNative Language
2007Josh RosemanNew Constellations: Live in Vienna Accurate Records
2008John EscreetConsequencesPosi-Tone
2008Esperanza SpaldingEsperanzaHeads Up
2008Danny GrissettFormCriss Cross Jazz
2009Le Boeuf BrothersHouse Without a Doorlbjazz
2009Roy Hargrove Big BandEmergenceEmArcy
2010John EscreetDon't Fight the InevitableMythology Records
2010Walter Smith IIIIIICriss Cross Jazz
2010David BinneyBarefooted TownCriss Cross Jazz
2011David BinneyGraylen EpicenterMythology Records
2011Vince MendozaNights on EarthHorizontal Jazz
2011Chris DingmanWaking DreamsBetween Worlds
2012Mette JuulMoon on my Shoulder
2012Jack DeJohnetteSound TravelsGolden Beams/eOne
2013Dayna StephensThat Nepenthentic PlaceSunnyside
2013Gerald ClaytonLife ForumConcord
2013YellowjacketsA Rise in the RoadMack Avenue
2015Marcus MillerAfrodeeziaBlue Note
2016Wolfgang MuthspielRising GraceECM
2017Blue Note All-StarsOur Point of ViewBlue Note
2018Camilla BattagliaEMIT: Rotator TenetDodicilune
2018Allison Miller & Carmen StaafScience FairSunnyside
2018Roscoe Mitchell QuartetCome and See What There Is to SeeThe Lab
2018Laila BialiLaila BialiACT
2018Raymond AngryOneJMI
2018Mary HalvorsonCode GirlFirehouse 12
2018Wolfgang MuthspielWhere the River GoesECM
2019Brad MehldauFinding GabrielNonesuch
2023Dhafer YoussefStreet Of MinaretsBeat Back Edition
2023Billy ChildsThe Winds Of ChangeMack Avenue