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Bryan Carter

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Bryan Carter
Carter at the 76th Tony Awards in 2023
Carter at the 76th Tony Awards in 2023
Background information
Born (1990-07-11) July 11, 1990 (age 35)
St. Louis, Missouri
OriginNew York City
GenresJazz
Occupationsdrummer, vocalist, composer, arranger, orchestrator, bandleader
LabelsBandstand Presents, La Reserve
Websitewww.bryancartermusic.com

Bryan Carter (born July 11, 1990, in St. Louis, Missouri) is an American drummer, vocalist, composer, arranger, orchestrator and bandleader.[1][2] In 2023, he and Charlie Rosen won the Tony Award for Best Orchestrations for Some Like It Hot. In 2024, he and Charlie Rosen won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album for co-producing the cast album.

Early life and education

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Bryan Carter was born in St. Louis, Missouri.[1] He was introduced to the drums by his father at the age of two. He began his formal musical training on the violin at the age of four using the Suzuki method.[2][3] Carter was raised in Sycamore, Illinois and attended Sycamore High School. While in high school he was a part of The Gibson/Baldwin Grammy Jazz Ensemble where he met future collaborators Emmet Cohen, Benny Benack III, Grace Kelly, Cody Fry and Chad Lefkowitz-Brown.[4]

Carter attended The Juilliard School in New York City, receiving a Bachelor of Music in 2012.[5][6]

Career

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Carter with NEA Jazz Master George Coleman

Music

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Bryan Carter is primarily known for his work in Jazz and Improvisational music. He has performed/recorded with Wynton Marsalis, Jon Batiste, Kenny Barron, McCoy Tyner, Marcus Roberts, Kurt Elling, Kris Bowers, Steven Feifke, Emmet Cohen, Braxton Cook, Marquis Hill, Veronica Swift, Martina DaSilva, Michael Feinstein and Steve Tyrell.[2][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13]

As a bandleader, Carter tours with his band, “Bryan Carter & The Swangers” which he describes as a diverse semi-acoustic band built upon a foundation of brash eclecticism as well as its expanded “concert-driven” counterpart, “The Swangers Orchestra.[14]

In 2024, Bryan Carter premiered his seven-movement jazz oratorio titled "Rustin in Renaissance" at Jazz at Lincoln Center's Appel Room. The piece highlights the life of civil rights pioneer Bayard Rustin and is scored for a 35-piece ensemble with four featured vocalists. It received critical acclaim, with Will Friedwald of the New York Sun stating, "Carter is the young musician who, in the current century, is doing the best job of anyone at navigating between the worlds of jazz and musical theater... He's the perfect individual to mastermind an evening of music dedicated to Bayard Rustin".[15][16]

Theatre

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In 2012 Bryan Carter was cast in Kyle Riabko’s “What’s it all About: Bacharach Reimagined” musical-workshop where he starred alongside Charlie Rosen, Daniel Bailen, Laura Dreyfuss and Ariana Debose.[17] In 2022, Carter contributed additional orchestrations to Michael R. Jackson's Pulitzer Prize winning musical, “A Strange Loop”. He co-orchestrated “Some Like It Hot”, a Broadway musical based on the film of the same name.[2][18][19][20] He has as performed with Tituss Burgess, Laura Osnes, Gavin Creel, Kristin Chenoweth, and Aaron Tveit.[21][22]

Bryan Carter is the first black orchestrator to win the "Outer Critics Circle Award" for "Outstanding Orchestrations." Carter and his co-orchestrator Charlie Rosen are the first orchestrators to win the Outer Critics Circle Award, The Drama Desk Award, and The Tony Award in a single season.

In 2025, Carter served in seven creative roles, including music direction and orchestrations, for George Clooney and Grant Heslov's play Good Night, and Good Luck.[23][24] It is the highest grossing play in Broadway history, and is the first play to surpass a gross of $4 million in a single week.[25] Carter also continued in these creative roles, including co-music supervision alongside Daniel Kluger (composer), for a live CNN broadcast on June 7, 2025, making it the first live televised performance of a Broadway show. [26][27][28]

Film/Television

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Bryan Carter served as the house drummer for NBC’s summer variety show “Maya & Marty” starring Maya Rudolph, Martin Short and Keenan Thompson. The show featured special guests in musical segments Jimmy Fallon, Steve Martin and Nick Jonas.[12][29] In 2021 and 2022 Bryan Carter worked on “The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo” and “Sesame Street”.[30]

Carter has appeared as the guest drummer on NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers".

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2023 Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Orchestrations Some Like It Hot Won [31]
2023 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Orchestrations Some Like It Hot Won [32]
2023 Tony Award Best Orchestrations Some Like It Hot Won [33]
2024 Grammy Award Best Musical Theatre Album Some Like It Hot Won [34]

Personal life

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Carter resides in the Hells Kitchen neighborhood of New York City. He identifies as Queer.[5][35]

Jazz at Pride

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In 2019, Bryan established “Jazz at Pride”—a non-profit organization dedicated to celebrating and creating safe spaces for the LGBTQIA+ community within the jazz community.[14]

Endorsements

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Carter endorses Vic Firth drumsticks, mallets and brushes, Zildjian cymbals, Remo drumheads and Ludwig Drums.

References

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  1. ^ a b Rivas, Rebecca S. (2 June 2011). "Bryan Carter - Son of ESL Lincoln Jazz". St. Louis American. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  2. ^ a b c d "Video From hobby to hustle". ABC News. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  3. ^ "Carter returns home on jazz tour". Shaw Local. 29 March 2012. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  4. ^ "Jazz Ensembles Start Busy Week". RecordingAcademy.com. 2014-12-02. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  5. ^ a b "#172 Bryan Carter- Drummer, Bandleader, Vlogger and More!". Discussions in Percussion. 19 April 2020. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  6. ^ a b "At Orientation, Frolic and New Friendships". The Juilliard School. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  7. ^ "Probing the Finished Work: Alex Strada Interviewed by Simon Wu - BOMB Magazine". bombmagazine.org. 11 November 2020. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  8. ^ "Up & Coming: Bryan Carter". Modern Drummer Magazine. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  9. ^ "Bryan Carter at All About Jazz". All About Jazz. 11 July 1990. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  10. ^ Star, TOM INECK / For the Lincoln Journal (20 November 2014). "Review: Kurt Elling channels Sinatra, with a twist". JournalStar.com. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  11. ^ "DownBeat Reviews". downbeat.com. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  12. ^ a b "Singer Bryan Carter Releases New Single "Making Love"". TheUrbanMusicScene.com. 2022-05-04. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  13. ^ "My View: New York City Welcomes Steve Tyrell at Cafe Carlyle". Times Square Chronicles. 2019-04-18. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  14. ^ a b Jazz at Pride | The Set List, retrieved 2022-05-25
  15. ^ Levere, Jane. "Civil Rights Activist Bayard Rustin Honored In New Jazz Oratorio". Forbes. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
  16. ^ "The Multitalented Bryan Carter Celebrates Bayard Rustin and Produces Grace Kelly's Latest". The New York Sun. 2024-10-21. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
  17. ^ Episode 61: Bryan Carter - "Off The Bandstand", retrieved 2022-05-25
  18. ^ "Some Like It Hot – Broadway Musical – Original | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  19. ^ "A Strange Loop – Broadway Musical – Original | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  20. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (2022-04-20). "'Some Like It Hot' Musical Sets Broadway Cast, Opening Night Date". Variety. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  21. ^ Tomeo, Marissa. "Drummer, Vocalist, and Composer Releases Track from Upcoming LP". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  22. ^ "Westport Country Playhouse". Audience Access. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  23. ^ "Bryan Carter – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". www.ibdb.com. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
  24. ^ Rooney, David (2025-04-04). "'Good Night, and Good Luck' Theater Review: George Clooney Makes Restrained Broadway Debut in an Adaptation Most Notable for Its Timeliness". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
  25. ^ Evans, Greg (2025-05-06). "George Clooney's 'Good Night, And Good Luck' Becomes First Play In Broadway History To Gross $4 Million In Single Week; 'Just In Time' Hits $1.1M – UPDATE". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  26. ^ Paulson, Michael (2025-05-15). "Clooney Brought Edward R. Murrow to Broadway. Next Stop: CNN". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  27. ^ "George Clooney's 'Good Night, and Good Luck' to broadcast live from Broadway on CNN". EW.com. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  28. ^ "Good Night, and Good Luck Sets Live Television Broadcast on CNN - TheaterMania.com". 2025-05-16. Retrieved 2025-05-19.
  29. ^ "Bryan Carter Releases New Single "Making Love" From Upcoming Album I Believe out June 3, 2022". Grateful Web. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  30. ^ "Bryan Carter". IMDb. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
  31. ^ Editors, American Theatre (2023-05-16). "Outer Critics Circle Announces 2023 Awards". AMERICAN THEATRE. Retrieved 2023-06-13. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  32. ^ Grein, Paul (2023-05-31). "'Some Like It Hot' Tops 2023 Drama Desk Awards With 8 Wins". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  33. ^ Sherman, Rachel (2023-06-11). "Tony Award Winners 2023". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-06-11.
  34. ^ Atkinson, Katie (2023-11-10). "2024 Grammy Nominations: Complete List". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  35. ^ "DetoxPod26: Bryan Carter from Detoxicity: By Men, About Men, For Everyone on Hark". harkaudio.com. Retrieved 2022-05-25.
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