Delbert Anderson Quartet is releasing it latest effort, Live at Kuumbwa Jazz recorded at the Kuumbwa Jazz Center in Santa Cruz, California.
Anderson had been writing and producing new jazz since his youth and his achievements include multiple awards from Chamber Music America, the Cultural Capital Fellowship from the First Peoples Fund, and the Jazz Road Program at South Arts. His contributions to music and culture have been featured in prominent outlets like The New York Times, JazzTimes, Grammy.com, and NPR.
Delbert Anderson, a Diné jazz trumpet artist, composer, and educator, stands at the forefront of a vibrant Native American jazz scene. His work, deeply rooted in his Diné heritage, seamlessly integrates Navajo “spinning songs” of love, healing, and courtship with jazz and funk, thus marking him as a community-minded Indigenous individualist. Through his Delbert Anderson Quartet, Anderson revives the improvised sounds of the Diné circle, blending them with jazz, funk, and hip-hop. His compositions are inspired by Navajo Nation landscapes, historical events, and the desire to preserve and educate about Diné history.
Anderson first found acclaim with the release of his 2021 tribute album to Don Cherry, Dear Don, recorded at Frogville Studios in Santa Fe. For that project, he brought together musicians from across the globe including Christopher Beaty, Mali Obomsawin, Nicholas Lucero, Robert Muller, Pura Fe, Julia Keefe, James Pakootas and Alexandria Holiday. That same year, he was featured on PBS’s New Years Concert United in Song: Celebrating the American Dream filmed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
Anderson’s other notable projects include “The Long Walk: 1,674 Days,” a poignant composition reflecting on a critical period in Navajo history, and “Manitou,” which fuses ancient Native American melodies with jazz and funk. The Delbert Anderson Trio (DAT) showcases DAT jazz standards and original tunes, capturing the essence of his musical beginnings. He also scored music for the 2023 film Coyo.
His commitment to community and education is evident through his “Build A Band” educational program, which teaches jazz improvisation to young students through a Diné and family curriculum, wellness programs, and community outreach initiatives aimed at evoking change for the well-being of all humans.
Live at Kuumbwa Jazz features the current line up of Delbert Anderson on trumpet, Robert Muller – Keys, Evan Suiter – Bass and Khalill Brown – Drums. Listen or download now at https://delbertanderson.com/music