Kenny Barron

Kenny Barron

Kenny Barron in Munich (2001)
Background information
Genres Jazz
Instruments Piano

Kenny Barron (born June 9, 1943 in Philadelphia), is an American jazz pianist. Known for his lyrical style of playing, Barron has appeared on hundreds of recordings both leader and sideman and is consequently considered one of the most important and influential jazz pianists since bebop. [1]

Contents

Biography

Kenny Barron is the younger brother of tenor saxophonist Bill Barron (1927-1989). One of his first gigs was as pianist with the Dizzy Gillespie quartet.

He graduated in 1978 with a BA in Arts from Empire State College (Metropolitan Center, NYC).

He also co-led the groups Sphere and the Classical Jazz Quartet.[2]

Between 1987 and 1991, Barron recorded several albums with Stan Getz, most notably Bossas & Ballads – The Lost Sessions, Serenity, Anniversary and People Time, a 2CD set.

He has been nominated nine times for Grammy Awards and for the American Jazz Hall of Fame. He was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2009.[3]

For over 25 years, Barron taught piano and keyboard harmony at Rutgers University in New Jersey. He now teaches at the Juilliard School of Music. His piano students have included Noah Baerman, Earl MacDonald,[4] Harry Pickens, and Aaron Parks.[5]

Discography

As leader

Year Album Personnel Label
1968 You Had Better Listen Barron-Jimmy Owens Quintet with Bennie Maupin, Chris White, Freddie Waits, Rudy Collins Atlantic Records[6]
1973 Sunset To Dawn Bob Cranshaw, Freddie Waits, Richard Landrum, Warren Smith Muse Records
1974 Peruvian Blue Ted Dunbar, David Williams, Albert "Tootie" Heath, Richard Landrum, Sonny Morgan Muse
1975 Lucifer Carlos Alomar, Bill Barron, Billy Hart, James Spaulding, Charles Sullivan, Chris White Muse
1975 In Tandem Ted Dunbar Muse
1978 Innoncence Sonny Fortune, Jimmy Owens, Buster Williams, Gary King, Ben Riley, Brian Brake, Billy Hart, Rafael Cruz, produced by Joel Dorn Wolf
1980 Golden Lotus John Stubblefield, Steve Nelson Muse
1981 At the Piano Solo Xanadu Records
1983 Green Chimneys Buster Williams, Ben Riley Criss Cross Jazz
1984 1+1+1 Ron Carter, Michael Moore Black Hawk
1985 Autumn In New York (LP)
New York Attitude (CD)
Rufus Reid, Freddie Waits Uptown Records
1985 Scratch Dave Holland, Daniel Humair Enja Records
1986 What If Wallace Roney, John Stubblefield, Cecil McBee, Victor Lewis Enja
1986 Two as One Buster Williams Red Records
1988 Live At Fat Tuesdays Cecil McBee, Victor Lewis, John Stubblefield, Eddie Henderson Enja Records
1989 Rhythm-a-ning John Hicks Candid Records
1990 Invitation Ralph Moore, David Williams, Lewis Nash Criss Cross
1990 Live at Maybeck Hall Solo Concord
1990 The Only One Ray Drummond, Ben Riley Reservoir
1991 Lemuria - Seascape Ray Drummond, Ben Riley Candid
1991 Confirmation Ray Drummond, Ben Riley, Barry Harris Candid
1991 The Moment Victor Lewis, Rufus Reid Reservoir
1991 Quickstep John Stubblefield, Eddie Henderson, David Williams, Victor Lewis, Enja
1992 People Time Stan Getz Polygram
1993 Other Places Mino Cinelu, Bobby Hutcherson, Victor Lewis, Ralph Moore, Rufus Reid Verve Records
1993 Spiral Solo Enja
1993 Sambao Toninho Horta, Victor Lewis, Nico Assumpção, Mino Cinelu Verve
1994 Wanton Spirit Roy Haynes, Charlie Haden Verve
1996 Swamp Sally Mino Cinelu Polygram
1993 Things Unseen Eddie Henderson, John Scofield, John Stubblefield Verve
1998 Night and the City Charlie Haden Verve
2001 Freefall Regina Carter Verve
2001 Live At Bradley's Ray Drummond, Ben Riley Sunnyside
2002 Canta Brazil Trio da Paz Sunnyside
2003 Peace George Robert DIW Records
2004 Images Anne Drummond, Kimberly Thompson, Kiyoshi Kitagawa Sunnyside
2008 The Traveler Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Francisco Mela, Steve Wilson, Lionel Loueke Sunnyside
2009 Minor Blues George Mraz, Ben Riley Venus Jazz Japan

As sideman

With Ron Carter

With Continuum

With Charles Davis

With Booker Ervin

With Ella Fitzgerald

With Stan Getz

With Dizzy Gillespie

With Joe Henderson

With Ron Holloway

With Bobby Hutcherson

With Freddie Hubbard

With Marvin Peterson

With Charles Sullivan

With Tom Varner

With Tyrone Washington

With Jon Irabagon

With Yusef Lateef

References

External links