A. Bruce Frazier is a distinguished trumpeter, arranger, bandleader, educator, and arts advocate whose musical career spans more than four decades. Renowned for his lyrical tone and expressive melodic phrasing, he has built a reputation for excellence across a wide variety of musical settings.
A Philadelphia native, Frazier's musical foundation is deeply rooted in the church. For thirty years, he served as Trumpeter-in-Residence at White Rock Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Throughout his career, he has performed as a soloist and with orchestras, brass ensembles, choral ensembles, and jazz groups. His appearances have included national and regional conventions such as the National Baptist Convention, USA, the North American Pastoral Musicians Association, and the Episcopal Tribunal.
In collaboration with American Baptist Churches USA, Frazier was featured on the live national telecast Mission Advocates Commissioning and Celebration. His televised performances have also included the installation ceremony of Philadelphia Mayor John Street and the memorial service for Dr. Ruth Wright Hayre, former president of the Board of Education of the School District of Philadelphia.
Among his notable performances are presentations of excerpts from Duke Ellington's Sacred Concerts, directed by Roland M. Carter and performed with mass choir and jazz quartet in Chattanooga, Tennessee; Houston, Texas; Savannah and Atlanta, Georgia; and Silver Spring, Maryland.
Much of Frazier's creative energy is devoted to Grace Notes, the music organization he founded and leads. Grace Notes began as an ensemble dedicated to presenting church music through a unique blend of classical, jazz, sacred, and popular styles, creating what became known as liturgical jazz. Through Grace Notes, Inc., Frazier has produced two recordings, In the Midst and That Old Time Religion: Now and Then, both featuring his work as trumpeter and arranger.
Frazier also founded the Grace Note All-Star Jazz Ensemble, a group of master musicians established to promote health and wellness through music for senior audiences. The ensemble presented hundreds of performances throughout Philadelphia and surrounding counties and was featured in a major advertising campaign for Health Partners, Inc. Their images appeared on billboards, bus wraps, magazine covers, and displays throughout The Gallery, Philadelphia's downtown shopping center.
A lifelong educator and advocate for the arts, Frazier serves as President of the Board of Directors of Settlement Music School's Willow Grove Branch. He previously served two terms on the Board of Directors of the Settlement Music School's Germantown Branch. His educational service also includes teaching elementary music and serving as Adjunct Trumpet Instructor at Lincoln University.
Beyond his musical accomplishments, Frazier is an accomplished mathematics educator and consultant. He taught mathematics for twenty-five years and served as a school administrator. He worked as a Mathematics Consultant to the administration and faculty of Morton McMichael Elementary School and Elkins Park Middle School in the Cheltenham Township School District. He holds both a Bachelor of Science in Education and a Master of Education in Mathematics from Temple University.
Outside of his professional pursuits, Frazier enjoys hiking, kayaking, and camping. He also serves as a volunteer leader with Boy Scout Troop 358 at Grace Baptist Church of Germantown. Currently, he continues to perform as a freelance trumpeter throughout the greater Philadelphia region.