Alumnus Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah '04

October 10, 2007

New Orleans-bred trumpeter Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah escapes the "new Miles Davis" trap with a contemporary sound that's all his own. At 24, the trumpeter already possesses one of the most elusive virtues required of a top-notch jazz artist: a signature sound. Like a whisper in the ear, his tone is warm, breathy and intimate, yet there is tensile strength and definition to his notes. "Tavis Smiley [the public TV talk-show host] gave my CD to Prince and told him to check it out, and I guess he enjoyed it," said Scott aTunde Adjuah, who was subsequently contacted by Prince. Scott aTunde Adjuah played a track on Prince's new disc, Planet Earth, and joined him for a concert in Las Vegas. Scott aTunde Adjuah plays at Scullers in Boston on Thursday, October 25th.