Kenny Barron

Kenny Barron's unmatched ability to mesmerize audiences with his elegant playing, sensitive melodies and infectious rhythms is what inspired "The Los Angeles Times" to name him "one of the top jazz pianists in the world" and "Jazz Weekly" to call him "The most lyrical piano player of our time."

Philadelphia is the birthplace of many great musicians, including one of the undisputed masters of the jazz piano: Kenny Barron. Kenny was born in 1943 and while a teenager, started playing professionally with Mel Melvin's orchestra. This local band also featured Barron's brother Bill, the late tenor saxophonist. At age 19, Kenny moved to New York City and was hired by James Moody after the tenor saxophonist heard him play at the Five Spot.

He joined Dizzy Gillespie's band in 1962, where he developed an appreciation for Latin and Caribbean rhythms. After five years with Dizzy, Barron played with Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson, and Buddy Rich. In 1971 he joined Yusef Lateef's band. It is Lateef who Kenny credits as a key influence in his art for improvisation. In 1973 Kenny joined the faculty at Rutgers University as professor of music. He held this tenure until 2000, mentoring many of today's young talents including David Sanchez, Terence Blanchard, and Regina Bell. In 1974 he recorded his first album as a leader for the Muse label, entitled "Sunset To Dawn." This was to be the first of over 40 recordings (and still counting!) as a leader.

Throughout the 1980's, Kenny collaborated with the great tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, touring with his quartet and recording several albums, one of which was nominated for a Grammy ("People Time") Also during the 80's, he co-founded the quartet "Sphere," along with Buster Williams, Ben Riley and Charlie Rouse. This band focused on the music of Thelonious Monk and original compositions inspired by him. Sphere recorded several outstanding projects for the Polygram label, among them "Four For All" and "Bird Songs." After the death of Charlie Rouse, the band took a 15-year hiatus and reunited, replacing Rouse with alto saxophonist Gary Bartz. This reformation made its debut recording for Verve Records in 1998.

Kenny Barron's own recordings for Verve have earned him five Grammy nominations, most recently for "Spirit Song" in 2000. Prior Grammy nominations went to "Sambao," "Night and the City" (a duet recording with Charlie Haden) and "Wanton Spirit" (a trio recording with Roy Haynes and Haden.) It is important to note that these three recordings each received double-Grammy nominations (for album AND solo performance.) Barron consistently wins the jazz critics and readers polls, including Downbeat, JazzTimes and Jazziz magazines. He has been named Best Pianist by the Jazz Journalists Association every year since 1997 and was as a finalist in the prestigious 2001 Jazz Par International Jazz Award.

Kenny Barron, Richard X Bennett, Barry Harris & Louis Hayes

by Joe Dimino
December 8, 2024

Step into the 883rd episode of Neon Jazz, where the echoes of legends and the pulse of the future intersect. We open with the incomparable Kenny Barron, a living jazz icon still blazing trails, featuring music from his 2024 masterpiece, Beyond This Place. From there, we journey back to the roots with James Moody, the legend who set the stage for Kenny's rise. Next, we spotlight the remarkable Richard X Bennett, whose 2024 album and film, Scavenger, chronicles his triumphant ...

Album Review

Jeff Rupert: It Gets Better

Read "It Gets Better" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
November 14, 2024

Florida-based tenor saxophonist Jeff Rupert leads a superlative quartet on It Gets Better, a graceful and charming album recorded September 2021 at the renowned Van Gelder Studio in New Jersey. While comparisons to other musicians are as a rule less than viable, the striking similarities between Rupert and the late jazz giant Stan Getz cannot simply be overlooked or ignored. As John Coltrane once said of Getz, “We'd all sound like that if we could." Not only can Rupert sound ...

Album Review

Kenny Barron: Beyond This Place

Read "Beyond This Place" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
June 10, 2024

Kenny Barron, = 3659}}, the mastermind behind Beyond This Place, leads us on a journey through the corridors of jazz. As of of the genre's most outstanding pianists, Barron is accompanied by an ensemble of formidable talents, including alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist Steve Nelson, double bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa and drummer Johnathan Blake. Together, they orchestrate an exploration of Barron's legacy and the ever-evolving landscape of jazz. This meticulously selected nine-track session opens with “The Nearness ...

Album Review

Yusef Lateef: Atlantis Lullaby - The Concert From Avignon

Read "Atlantis Lullaby - The Concert From Avignon" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
April 27, 2024

Yusef Lateef's performance in Atlantis Lullaby is a masterclass in communication and demonstration of synergy. In this previously unreleased performance recorded in Avignon, France in 1972, Lateef, on soprano sax, tenor sax and flute, is accompanied by Kenny Barron on piano, Bob Cunningham on bass and Albert Tootie" Heath on drums. This two-CD package is being released by Elemental Music and produced for release by Zev Feldman. It contains a 23-page booklet with stories and reminiscences about Lateef from Feldman, ...

Album Review

Claudia Acuna: Duo

by Angelo Leonardi
March 12, 2024

Alcuni classici della canzone popolare latina costituiscono il nucleo del sesto disco da leader di Claudia Acuña. In questa celebrazione la cantante cilena ha coinvolto sette protagonisti del jazz contemporaneo in altrettante esecuzioni in duo caratterizzate da palpitante relazione con la loro identità tradizionale. I due brani conclusivi sono cantati in inglese e la vedono piena protagonista: “Cristal Silence" di Chick Corea è cantato a cappella; “YO" è una sua composizione originale eseguita con un sottofondo percussivo. ...

Live Review

Kenny Barron Residency at SFJAZZ Center

by Harry S. Pariser
February 21, 2024

Kenny Barron Residency SFJAZZ Center San Francisco February 1-4, 2024 Popularly dubbed an “elder statesman" of jazz, pianist Kenny Barron, needs no introduction to aficionados of contemporary American music. At 80, he is still actively playing, composing, mentoring, teaching, and releasing music (including two duets with Dave Holland). Barron joined his first orchestra at 15 and was hired by Dizzy Gillespie at 19. He went on to record numerous albums, co-founded the Thelonious Monk ...

Album Review

Kenny Barron: The Source

Read "The Source" reviewed by Maurizio Zerbo

by Maurizio Zerbo
December 18, 2023

Questo CD dimostra, se mai ce ne fosse bisogno, che solo il talento e l'estro possono sostenere efficacemente progetti discografici validi se imperniati sulla rivisitazione degli standard jazzistici. Un pianista dell'immensa classe come Kenny Barron non si accontenta di riproporre alcuni dei più fulgidi capolavori di Duke Ellington e Billy Strayhorn. Il suo obiettivo consiste nel rimodulare le strutture profonde del tessuto armonico-melodico attraverso un linguaggio pianistico aggiornato, ribollente di estroversa vitalità. Agendo come l'occhio umano quando ...

Performance / Tour

Legendary Pianist Kenny Barron Makes Smoke Jazz Club Debut, August 22-25, 2024

Source: AMT Public Relations
August 7, 2024

Thursday-Sunday, August 22-25, 2024 Sets at 7:00 p.m. + 9:00 p.m. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are now on sale. $25-$55. To purchase tickets, visit SMOKEjazz.com. SMOKE Jazz Club today announced that NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron will make his SMOKE Jazz Club debut August 22-25, 2024. The legendary pianist Kenny Barron will lead an essential Trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Savannah Harris. Described as “one of the top jazz pianists in the world (The Los Angeles ...
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