Kenny Garrett


Kenny Garrett 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. Garrett's primary instruments are alto and soprano saxophone and flute. Since 1985, he has pursued a solo career.
WWW Official Site

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.
In 1984, Garrett recorded his first album as a bandleader, Introducing Kenny Garrett, on the Criss Cross label. During that year, he became the founding member of the ensemble Out of the Blue, which was produced by Blue Note Records. 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, he recorded eight albums for them. His music sometimes exhibits Asian influences, an aspect that is especially prevalent in his 2006 Grammy-nominated recording Beyond the Wall.
Garrett joined the "Five Peace Band" of Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Christian McBride, and Brian Blade/Vinnie Colaiuta around 2008. The CD Five Peace Band – Live won a Grammy Award in 2010.
In 2011, Garrett was presented with an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Berklee College of Music, in Boston, Massachusetts. Garrett also was the Commencement Speaker for graduates.
In 2012, Garrett received a Soul Train Music Award nomination for his 2012 studio album Seeds from the Underground in the Best Traditional Jazz Artist/Group category. Also in 2012, Grammy nominations for Seeds from the Underground followed in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Improvised Jazz Solo categories, and Seeds From The Underground received an NAACP Image Award nomination in the Outstanding Jazz Album category. In 2013, Garrett won an Echo Award in the Saxophonist of the Year category.
Garrett's album Pushing the World Away received a Grammy nomination in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category in 2013. He followed with Do Your Dance!, Sounds from the Ancestors and released his first electronic album, Who Killed AI?, in collaboration with electronic producer/instrumentalist Svoy.

Honors

Influence

Garrett was described as the "most important alto saxophonist of his generation" by the Washington City Paper and "one of the most admired alto saxophonists in jazz after Charlie Parker| Parker" by The New York Times.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

Introducing Kenny Garrett – rec. 1984Garrett 5 – rec. 1988Prisoner of Love African Exchange Student Black Hope Triology Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane Songbook Simply Said Happy People Standard of Language Beyond the Wall Sketches of MD: Live at the Iridium – liveSeeds from the Underground Pushing the World Away Do Your Dance! Sounds from the Ancestors Who Killed AI? with Svoy
CompilationsOld Folks with John Scofield, Michael Brecker and David FriesenCasino Lights '99 – live at Montreux Jazz Festival
  • Various artists, ''Relief: A Benefit for the Jazz Foundation of America's Musicians' Emergency Fund''

As a member

Out of the BlueOut of the Blue with Michael Philip Mossman, Ralph Bowen, Harry Pickens, Robert Hurst, and Ralph Peterson, Jr.Inside Track with Mossman, Bowen, Pickens, Hurst, and PetersonLive at Mt. Fuji with Mossman, Bowen, Pickens, Peterson, and Kenny Davis – live, recorded at the Mount Fuji Jazz Festival 1986 at Lake Yamanaka, Japan
Manhattan projects
Dreamboat – rec. 1989
General Music Project
General Music Project with Charles Moffett and Geri AllenBlacker with Charles Moffett and Cyrus ChestnutGeneral Music Project II with Moffett and ChestnutMr. J.P. with Louis Hayes and Carlos McKinney

As sideman

With Donald Byrd
With Chick CoreaRemembering Bud Powell – Grammy nominatedFive Peace Band Live with John McLaughlin – Grammy wonThe Musician
With Miles Davis
With Roy HaynesPraise Birds of a Feather: A Tribute to Charlie Parker – Grammy nominated
With Freddie HubbardDouble Take (Freddie Hubbard and [Woody Shaw album)|Double Take] with Woody Shaw The Eternal Triangle with Woody Shaw Topsy – Standard Book – rec. 1989
With Marcus MillerThe Sun Don't Lie Tales Live & More M² Dreyfus Night in Paris with Michel Petrucciani, Biréli Lagrène, Lenny White – live rec. 1994
With Mulgrew MillerWingspan Hand in Hand – rec. 1992
With Charnett MoffettBeauty Within Evidence
With Woody ShawDouble Take with Freddie Hubbard The Eternal Triangle with Freddie Hubbard
With Mike SternThese Times All Over the Place – rec. 2011
With Jeff Tain WattsCitizen Tain Detained at The Blue Note – live
With others