Go to
http://jazzheaven.com/kenny1 for more
FREE Kenny Werner Videos! This was an excerpt from the Kenny Werner
Jazz Improvisation Video "
Effortless Mastery: The 4
Steps".
Get a rare look behind the scenes of this master jazz improviser & master
TEACHER.
Visit http://jazzheaven.com also for other killer jazz instructional videos with
Lee Konitz,
Eric Harland,
Jerry Bergonzi,
Jean-Michel Pilc,
Walt Weiskopf, Vince
Herring, Oz Noy,
Lage Lund,
Gilad Hekselman,
Ingrid Jensen,
Geoffrey Keezer,
Enrico Pieranunzi & more.
Go to http://jazzheaven.com to check out the madness!
Kenny Werner is a world-class pianist and composer. His prolific output of compositions, recordings and publications continue to impact audiences around the world.
Kenny was awarded the
2010 Guggenheim Fellowship Award for his seminal work, No
Beginning No End. No Beginning No End is a musical journey exploring tragedy and loss, death and transition, and the path from one lifetime to the next. Utilizing over 70 musicians, Kenny's third
album for
Half Note Records is an expansive composition featuring
Joe Lovano,
Judy Silvano,
Wind Ensemble,
Choir and
String Quartet.
Born in
Brooklyn, NY on
November 19,
1951 and then growing up in
Oceanside, Long Island, Kenny began playing and performing at a young age, first recording on television at the age of 11. Although he studied classical piano as a child, he enjoyed playing anything he heard on the radio. In high school and his first years of college he attended the
Manhattan School of Music as a classical piano major.
His natural instinct for improvisation led Kenny to the
Berklee School of Music in
1970. There he sought tutelage of the renowned piano teacher
Madame Chaloff. A Her gracious wisdom and inspiration became a driving force in Kenny's conception: A music conscious of its spiritual intent and essence.
Kenny has written many original compositions featuring trios and other small group configurations, but in the mid
1980's, he became the pianist for the
Mel Lewis Orchestra (currently known as the
Village Vanguard Orchestra). Challenged by Mel and
Bob Brookmeyer to write for the band, he produced his first compositions and arrangements for jazz orchestra, consequently leading him to write for the major bands in
Europe including the
Cologne,
Danish, and
Stockholm Jazz Orchestras, The Umo Jazz Orchestra of
Finland and several times as the guest composer and soloist with the
Metropole Orchestra of
Holland. He's released two CDs with the
Brussels Jazz Orchestra. One released in
2011 is called "
Institute Of
Higher Learning."
Werner has had many commissions to write for large ensembles such as jazz orchestras, full orchestras and most recently, wind ensemble, choir and string quartet as featured on his latest CD, No Beginning, No End. He continues to release Cds . A new solo cd and new
Quintet Cd is set for release in
2012.
In
2007, Kenny Werner released his first album for
Blue Note Records.
Lawn Chair Society, featuring
Chris Potter,
Dave Douglas,
Scott Colley, and
Brian Blade, received critical acclaim for its fusion of electro and acoustic elements. For several years now he has also toured with his quintet featuring
David Sanchez on sax, the legendary trumpet player
Randy Brecker,
Antonio Sanchez on drums and Scott Colley on bass. There recent release on
Half Note is titled "
Balloons."
Quincy Jones has said of Kenny, "
Perfection,
360 degrees of soul and science in one human being. My kind of musician."
Kenny groundbreaking work on
Improvisation, Effortless Mastery -- Liberating the
Master Musician Within, was published in
1996.Using his life experiences as a microscope into the artist's mind, Effortless Mastery is a guide to distill the emotional, spiritual, and psychological aspects of an artists life.
Today it is one of the most widely read books on music and improvisation, helping thousands of musicians around the world unlock their talent and potential.The book is required reading at many universities. Werner, without intention, touched off a revolution of inspiring musicians to do inner work on the mind, body, and soul in attempt to upgrade their musical experience from the mundane to the profound. The book is also popular with artists of other mediums and business professionals. Kenny continues to teach and give clinics in the
United States and abroad. He is currently an Artist-in-Residence at
New York University.
Kenny Werner's influence is unsurpassed. He has impacted an entire generation of musicians and artists.
Despite his creative output, Kenny is still focused on the music."I am still more and more aware of the true purpose of the music and the people who play it: to heal and unite the planet.
Hope you enjoyed this Kenny Werner
Interview on
Keith Jarrett
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JcI0qs6tv4
- published: 24 May 2013
- views: 7048