Kenny Barron (born June 9, 1943 in
Philadelphia), is an
American jazz pianist. He is the younger brother of tenor saxophonist
Bill Barron, and known for his lyrical, adaptive style.
Biography
His talent first came to wider recognition when he took the piano chair in the 1960s
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.
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.
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, Harry Pickens, and Aaron Parks.
Discography
As leader
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!align="center" valign="bottom" width="15"|Year
!align="center" vallign="bottom" width="140"|Album
!align="center" valign="bottom" width="300"|Personnel
!align="center" valign="bottom" width="130"|Label
|-
| 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,
Frederick 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
|Drummond, Riley
|Candid
|-
|1991
|
Confirmation
|Drummond, Riley,
Barry Harris
|Candid
|-
| 1991
|
The Moment
|Victor Lewis, Rufus Reid
|Reservoir
|-
| 1991
|
Quickstep
| John Stubblefied, 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
|-
| 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
Piccolo (1977)
With Continuum
Mad About Tadd (1980,
Palo Alto Records)
With Charles Davis
Dedicated to Tadd (1979, West 54 Records)
With Booker Ervin
Tex Book Tenor (Blue Note, 1968 [2005])
With Ella Fitzgerald
All That Jazz (1989)
With Stan Getz
Bossas & Ballads - The Lost Sessions (1989)
With Joe Henderson
The Kicker (1967)
With Ron Holloway
Struttin' (1995)
With Bobby Hutcherson
Now! (1969)
With Freddie Hubbard
Outpost (1981)
With Marvin Peterson
Naima (1978)
The Angels of Atlanta (1981)
With Tyrone Washington
Natural Essence (1967)
References
External links
Kennybarron.com
Kenny Barron Discography at www.JazzDiscography.com
Int'l Jazz Prod.
Kenny Barron at NPR Music
I Remember Kenny Barron, by Steve Holt
Category:American jazz pianists
Category:American jazz keyboardists
Category:Jazz fusion pianists
Category:Mainstream jazz pianists
Category:Post-bop pianists
Category:Hard bop pianists
Category:Musicians from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Category:Enja Records artists
Category:Muse Records artists
Category:Red Records artists
Category:Verve Records artists
Category:Xanadu Records artists
Category:Criss Cross Jazz artists
Category:Candid Records artists
Category:1943 births
Category:Living people
Category:Fellows of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences