James Ford

James Ford is Professor of Trumpet and Jazz Studies at California State University Las Angeles.   He teaches studio trumpet and courses in jazz studies.  He is the current director of the CSULA Jazz Orchestra.

As an accomplished all-around trumpet player living in Los Angeles, Dr. Ford’s dexterity and warm sound has allowed him to cross many musical boundaries as he performs in diverse musical settings including big band, small groups, orchestral, chamber, pop, and early music ensembles. He is a member of the Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra, the Benjamin Wright Orchestra, and has played in venues in Europe, Asia, South America, South Africa, Canada, and throughout the U.S.  A few of the artists he has performed and/or recorded with include The Los Angeles Opera, Justin Timberlake, Aretha Franklin, Gladys Knight, Joss Stone, Michael Buble, Celine Dion, Queen Latifah, Paul Anka, Leon Russell, Renee Olstead, Eric Benet, The Temptations, Earth, Wind & Fire, Englebert Humperdink, John Pizzarelli, among many others.

Dr. Ford holds the Bachelor of Music from Valdosta State University, a Master of Music and Master of Music Education from UNT, and a DMA from UNT in Trumpet.  James worked extensively with Dr. Chesky on developing the first epidemiologic profile of brass musicians and the scientific characterization of mouthpiece forces generated during trumpet performance.  He has presented on musician health topics at conferences of the Performing Arts Medicine Association, College Music Society, and the International Trumpet Guild.

Publications

A Scientific Characterization of Trumpet Mouthpiece Forces in the Context of Pedagogical Brass Literature http://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc5183/

Chesky K, Devroop K, Ford J III.  Medical problems of brass instrumentalists: prevalence rates for trumpet, trombone, French horn, and low brass.  Medical Problems of Performing Artists. 2002 17(2):93-98.