American jazz musician and composer
Kenny Garrett
Kenny Garrett performing in 2013
Born (1960-10-09 ) October 9, 1960 (age 64) Detroit , Michigan, U.S.Genres Occupations Musician Instruments
Alto saxophone
Soprano saxophone
Flute
Piano
Years active 1978–present Labels Website www .kennygarrett .com
Musical artist
Kenny Garrett (born October 9, 1960) is an American post-bop jazz musician and composer who gained recognition in his youth as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and for his time with Miles Davis 's band. His primary instruments are alto and soprano saxophone and flute . Since 1985, he has pursued a solo career.
Biography
Kenny Garrett was born in Detroit , Michigan , on October 9, 1960. He attended Mackenzie High School . His father was a carpenter who played tenor saxophone as a hobby. Garrett's own career as a saxophonist took off when he joined the Duke Ellington Orchestra , under the leadership of Mercer Ellington , in 1978. Garrett also played and recorded with Art Blakey , Miles Davis , Freddie Hubbard , and Woody Shaw before developing his career as a leader.[ 1] [ 2]
In 1984, Garrett recorded his first album as a bandleader, Introducing Kenny Garrett , on the CrissCross label.[ 3] In the year, he became the founding member of Out of the Blue which was produced by Blue Note Records .[ 4]
In 1986, Garrett became a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers .
Garrett signed to the Warner Bros. Records label, and beginning with Black Hope in 1992,[ 1] he recorded eight albums for them.[ 3] His music sometimes exhibits Asian influences, an aspect which is especially prevalent in his 2006 Grammy-nominated recording Beyond the Wall .[ 3]
Christian McBride , John McLaughlin , Vinnie Colaiuta and Garrett in 2008
Garrett joined the "Five Peace Band " of Chick Corea , John McLaughlin , Christian McBride and Brian Blade /Vinnie Colaiuta around 2008.[ 1] The CD Five Peace Band – Live won a Grammy Award in 2010.[ 5]
In 2011, Garrett was presented with an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Berklee College of Music , Boston, Massachusetts.[ 6] Garrett also was the Commencement Speaker for graduates.[ 6]
In 2012, Garrett received a Soul Train Award nomination for his 2012 studio album Seeds from the Underground in the Best Traditional Jazz Artist/Group category.[ 7] Also in 2012, Grammy nominations for Seeds from the Underground followed in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Improvised Jazz Solo categories,[ 5] and Seeds From The Underground received an NAACP Image Award nomination in the Outstanding Jazz Album category.[ 8] In 2013, Garrett won an Echo Award in the Saxophonist of the Year category.[ 9]
Kenny Garrett's Pushing the World Away album received a Grammy nomination in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category in 2013.[ 10] He followed with Do Your Dance! (2016), Sounds from the Ancestors (2021) and released his first electronic album, Who Killed AI? (2024), in collaboration with electronic producer/instrumentalist Svoy .[ 11]
Honors
Influence
Garrett was described as "The most important alto saxophonist of his generation" by the Washington City Paper [ 13] and "One of the most admired alto saxophonists in jazz after Charlie Parker " by The New York Times .[ 14]
Discography
As leader/co-leader
Introducing Kenny Garrett (Criss Cross , 1985) – rec. 1984
Garrett 5 (Paddle Wheel , 1989) – rec. 1988
Prisoner of Love (Atlantic , 1989)
African Exchange Student (Atlantic, 1990)
Black Hope (Warner Bros. , 1992)
Triology (Warner Bros., 1995)
Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane (Warner Bros., 1996)
Songbook (Warner Bros., 1997)
Simply Said (Warner Bros., 1999)
Happy People (Warner Bros., 2002)
Standard of Language (Warner Bros., 2003)
Beyond the Wall (Nonesuch , 2006)
Sketches of MD: Live at the Iridium (Mack Avenue , 2008) – live
Seeds from the Underground (Mack Avenue, 2012)
Pushing the World Away (Mack Avenue, 2013)
Do Your Dance! (Mack Avenue, 2016)
Sounds from the Ancestors (Mack Avenue, 2021)
Who Killed AI? with Svoy (Mack Avenue, 2024)
Compilations
As a member
Out of the Blue
Out of the Blue (Blue Note, 1985) with Michael Philip Mossman , Ralph Bowen , Harry Pickens , Robert Hurst and Ralph Peterson, Jr.
Inside Track (Blue Note, 1986) with the same musicians
Live at Mt. Fuji (Blue Note, 1987) with Michael Philip, Mossman Ralph Bowen, Harry Pickens, Ralph Peterson, Jr. and Kenny Davis – live recorded in Mount Fuji Jazz Festival 1986 at Lake Yamanaka
Manhattan projects
General Music Project (G. M. Project)
Co-leader with Charnett Moffett
As sideman
With others
Geri Allen , The Nurturer (Blue Note , 1991) – rec. 1990
Clifton Anderson , Decade (Doxy, 2008)
Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers , Feeling Good (Delos Productions , 1986)
Cindy Blackman , Arcane (Muse, 1987) – rec. 1986
Terence Blanchard , Romantic Defiance (Columbia, 1995) – rec. 1994
Richard Bona , "Painting a Whish" in Munia: The Tale (Verve, 2003)
Cameo , Machismo (Atlanta Artists , 1988) – rec. 1987–88
Dennis Chambers , Planet Earth (BHM Productions, 2005)
The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Music is my Mistress (Musicmasters, 1989)
Foley , 7 Years Ago ... Directions In Smart-Alec Music (MoJazz , 1993)
Guru , Guru's Jazzmatazz, Vol. 2: The New Reality (Chrysalis , 1995)
Bobby Hutcherson , Skyline (Verve, 1999)
Javon Jackson , When The Time Is Right (Blue Note, 1994) - rec. 1993
Al Jarreau , Tenderness (Reprise, 1994) - live rec. 1993
Rodney Kendrick , The Secrets of Rodney Kendrick (Verve, 1993)
Christian McBride , Number Two Express (verve , 1996) - rec. 1995
John McLaughlin , Five Peace Band Live (Concord , 2009) – Grammy won
Meshell Ndegeocello , The Spirit Music Jamia: Dance of the Infidel (Universal Music , 2005) – rec. 2003
Michel Petrucciani , Dreyfus Night in Paris with Marcus Miller , Biréli Lagrène , Lenny White (Dreyfus Jazz , 2003) – live rec. 1994
Q-Tip , Kamaal the Abstract (Battery , 2009) – rec. 2001
Tony Reedus & Urban Relations, People Get Ready (Sweet Basil, 1998)
Wallace Roney , Intuition (Muse, 1988)
Philippe Saisse , Masques (Verve Forecast, 1995)
John Scofield , Works for Me (Verve, 2001) - rec. 2000
Woody Shaw , Solid (Muse, 1987) – rec. 1986
Patches Stewart, Blow (Koch, 2005)
Stephen Scott , The Beautiful Thing (Verve , 1997)
Sting , "The Burning Babe" in If on a Winter's Night... (Deutsche Grammophon , 2009)
Wayman Tisdale , Power Forward (Motown , 1995)
Steve Turre , Rainbow People (HighNote, 2008)
Jack Walrath , Master of Suspense (Blue Note , 1987) – rec. 1986–87
Cedar Walton , Cedar Walton Plays (Delos, 1986) – rec. 1986
Lenny White , Present Tense (Hip Bop, 1995)
Larry Willis , My Funny Valentine (Jazz City, 1988)
Akiko Yano , "Chinsagu No Hana (てぃんさぐぬ花 ) " in Elephant Hotel (Epic, 1994)
Publications
Awards and nominations
Chart positions
References
^ a b c Skelly, Richard. "Kenny Garrett: Biography" . Allmusic. Retrieved 2010-03-21 .
^ "Kenny Garrett" . Arts.gov . National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved 2024-04-03 .
^ a b c "Nonesuch Records Beyond the Wall" . Nonesuch.com .
^ "Out of The Blue" . Blue Note Records . Retrieved December 27, 2020 .
^ a b "Awards Nominations & Winners" . Grammy.com . April 30, 2017.
^ a b c "Kenny Garrett Addresses Berklee's Largest Graduating Class | Berklee College of Music" . Berklee.edu .
^ "Soul Train Licensing Info" . BET.com . Archived from the original on August 3, 2020.
^ "Kenny Garrett NAACP Image Award Nomination" (PDF) . Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-03-19.
^ Music, Mack Avenue (April 5, 2013). "Kenny Garrett won the Echo Award for saxophonist of the year! Make sure to pick up "Seeds From the Underground." " . Twitter.com .
^ "Kenny Garrett" . Grammy.com . November 19, 2019.
^ "Who Killed AI? by Kenny Garrett & Svoy" . AllMusic.com . April 12, 2024.
^ "2023 NEA Jazz Masters Announced" . jazztimes.com . 2022-07-14. Retrieved 2022-12-31 .
^ "Jazz Setlist, May 31-June 8: The Unfestive Alley" . Washington City Paper . 31 May 2012.
^ Ratliff, Ben (August 25, 2013). "A Young Jazz Singer Reminds Her Elders How It Was Done" . The New York Times .
^ "Kenny Garrett 1996 DownBeat Readers Poll Win" . Archived from the original on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2013-11-08 .
^ a b "Kenny Garrett 1997 DownBeat Readers Poll Win" . Archived from the original on 2015-06-04. Retrieved 2013-11-08 .
^ a b c d e f g h "Kenny Garrett" . Recording Academy .
^ "Kenny Garrett 1998 DownBeat Readers Poll Win" . Archived from the original on 2015-06-04. Retrieved 2013-11-08 .
^ "Kenny Garrett 1999 DownBeat Readers Poll Win" . Archived from the original on 2015-06-04. Retrieved 2013-11-08 .
^ "Four Nonesuch Albums Nominated for 2006 Grammy Awards" . Nonesuch Records . December 6, 2006. Retrieved January 17, 2021 .
^ "Kenny Garrett 2009 DownBeat Readers Poll Win" . Archived from the original on 2013-05-12. Retrieved 2013-11-08 .
^ "Kenny Garrett 2010 DownBeat Readers Poll Win" . Archived from the original on 2013-05-12. Retrieved 2013-11-08 .
^ "Kenny Garrett 2012 DownBeat Readers Poll Win" . Archived from the original on 2016-07-30.
^ "JJA Jazz Awards 2013 Nominees/Winners" . Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2021 .
^ "Kenny Garrett 2013 DownBeat Readers Poll Win" . Archived from the original on 2013-11-09. Retrieved 2013-11-08 .
^ "Marsalis, Krall, Corea Among DownBeat Readers Poll Winners" . October 24, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2021 .
^ "Shorter, Salvant and Benson Among DownBeat Readers Poll Winners" . October 21, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2021 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 1989" . Billboard Magazine. 1989. Retrieved November 7, 2013 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 1990" . Billboard Magazine. 1990. Retrieved November 7, 2013 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 1992" . Billboard Magazine. 1992. Retrieved November 7, 2013 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 1995" . Billboard Magazine. 1995. Retrieved November 7, 2013 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 1996" . Billboard Magazine. 1996. Retrieved November 7, 2013 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 1997" . Billboard Magazine. 1997. Retrieved November 7, 2013 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 1999" . Billboard Magazine. 1999. Retrieved November 7, 2013 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 2002" . Billboard Magazine. 2002. Retrieved November 7, 2013 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 2003" . Billboard Magazine. 2003. Retrieved November 7, 2013 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 2006" . Billboard Magazine. 2006. Retrieved November 7, 2013 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 2008" . Billboard Magazine. 2008. Retrieved November 7, 2013 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, June 25, 2012" . Billboard.com. Retrieved June 25, 2012 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, October 5, 2013" . Billboard Magazine. Retrieved October 5, 2013 .
^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, July 30, 2016" . Billboard Magazine. Retrieved July 30, 2016 .
External links
Years given are for the recording(s), not first release, unless stated otherwise.
Studio albums Live albums Compilations Related articles
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