Murray Jazz Residency

Founded in 2008, the Murray Jazz Residency brings internationally acclaimed jazz and improvisation artists to the campus for a full week of engagement with the students of Towson University’s Department of Music.

These guest artists provide valuable models of the potential for creating a niche in today’s world of creative music making.

Featuring TU alumn Drew Gress as recurring biannual guest artists has proven to be a potent example that life in creative music is available through dedication and determination.

The Murray Jazz Residency continues to inspire future musical artists through the sustained generous gifts of Bill Murray, Vira J. Denney and the Murray Family. 

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About the Fall 2026 Artist: Cameron Brown

Bassist, composer and educator Cameron Brown began his career in the mid-1960s, recording in Europe with George Russell and Don Cherry. These important innovators remain life-long inspirations and influences, along with early mentors and band leaders Sheila Jordan, Roswell Rudd, Archie Shepp and Beaver Harris. Mr. Brown has anchored some of the most important ensembles of the past fifty years, including Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, and various ensembles led by Dewey Redman, Don Cherry, Dannie Richmond, Lee Konitz, Chet Baker, Terumasa Hino, Mal Waldron, Marco Tamburini, Betty Carter, Houston Person/Etta Jones, Lou Donaldson, Lisa Sokolov, Jim McNeely, Joe Locke, Dave Ballou, Salvatore Bonafede, George Cables, Tony Malaby, and Carl Størmer (Jazz Code). The Don Pullen/George Adams Quartet, featuring Dannie Richmond, developed into an intense and rewarding partnership which lasted nearly ten years, and Mr. Brown has enjoyed special relationships with master drummers Philly Joe Jones, Edward Blackwell, Ben Riley, Eddie Moore, Idris Muhammad, Billy Hart, Joe Chambers, Lewis Nash, and Matt Wilson. He has helped young people around the world nurture their passion for jazz and is on the faculty of the New School University. At present, Mr. Brown performs and records with Sheila Jordan in a long-standing Bass and Voice duo (20+ years), and with Joe Lovano, Rob Scheps, Jason Rigby, Neils Vincentz, Jane Ira Bloom, Jay Clayton, Don Byron, Harvey Diamond, Lena Bloch, Russ Lossing, Billy Mintz, Krzysztof Popek, John Bailey, Kazuki Yamanaka, Kristen Lee Sergeant and the Royal Bopsters.

Additional Featured Artists

• Drew Gress (2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2024, 2026)
• Ellery Eskelin (2010, 2011, 2014, 2017)
• Tim Hagans (2009)
• John Hollenbeck (2009)
• Gerald Cleaver (2010)
• Craig Taborn (2012)
• Matt Wilson (2012)
• Ralph Alessi (2013)
• Mary Halvorson (2014)
• Tony Malaby (2015)
• Tim Berne (2016)
• Kris Davis (2017)
• William Parker (2018)
• Mark Guiliana (2019)
• Oliver Lake (2021)
• Angelica Sanchez (2022)
• Wadada Leo Smith (2023)
• Gretchen Parlato (2023)
• Joe Lovano (2024)
• Ingrid Laubrock (2025)
• Mike Holober (2025)