TRUMPETER CHARMAINE MICHELLE

Faced with the obstacles of sexism, racism, social norms and the mere physicality of the instrument, very few African American women in history have been recorded playing jazz trumpet. Undaunted by such obstacles, in 2010, as a newly divorced mom of two, Charmaine Michelle set out to pursue her dream of becoming a jazz trumpeter. Even though she hadn’t played trumpet in 10 years, since she was already suffering from the loss of her family, she felt she had nothing to lose by auditioning for the jazz program at the prestigious Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, Maryland.  On her 39th birthday, July 4, 2017, with many of her friends who have supported her audacious musical journey, Charmaine Michelle makes her courageous recording debut as a band leader featuring some of her favorite jazz ballads. She hopes that her first CD, Love Takes Time, inspires the kind of eternal romance that great families are built upon.

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