Jazz Articles about Lenny Pickett

The Pat Petrillo Big Rhythm Band: The Power Station Sessions

by Jim Worsley
September 29, 2022

To say that a record is all over the place is generally considered to be negative. However, that is not the case with this fun outing from drummer Pat Petrillo. His Big Rhythm Band pulsates through a wide variety of tunes. Not knowing what is coming next can come off as disjointed. But, again, not here. The surprising change of directions keeps it lively and entertaining. When it comes to Petrillo, entertaining is the right word to describe him and ...

Tower of Power: 50 Years of Funk and Soul

by John Pietaro
April 15, 2021

In the realm of power funk and jazz-rock, Tower of Power was an original voice, one carved from a unique place within an exceptionally heady moment. And this convergence of forces, clearly, has yet to cool some 53 years hence. Horns? They've carried up to six at a time, to hell with diminished door splits. A big band of scorching funk, Tower of Power traces its roots to 1968 Oakland, where it flourished in a thicket of sound ...

Lenny Pickett with the UMO Jazz Orchestra: The Prescription

by Angelo Leonardi
August 29, 2014

Lenny Pickett è stato membro distintivo dei Tower of Power per il decennio 1972-81, direttore musicale della Saturday Night Live Band fino al 1995, collaboratore di David Bowie}}, Elton John, David Byrne, Lenny Kravitz, il gruppo Little Feat e molti altri. Nonostante questo, il sassofonista ha inciso pochissimo a suo nome e questo è appena il secondo disco da leader. Lo accompagna la nota big-band finlandese diretta da Rich Shemaria, con cui ha avuto modo di collaborare negli ...

Lenny Pickett: Equal Opportunity Explorer

by R.J. DeLuke
August 4, 2014

Lenny Pickett is one of those tenor saxophonists who people have heard over and over and, if they're not paying attention, they don't realize it. If they are listening, they will probably pick up on his wailing altissimo phrases and his ballsy, funky sound. He's one of those players, like David Sanborn, who has played on a gazillion albums of people from the pop, soul and rock world. Like Sanborn, he has maintained a sound that is all ...

Lenny Pickett playing Dance Music for Borneo Horns in Ekenas, Finland

by Anthony Shaw
August 19, 2008

Lenny Pickett and some Finnish friends RasePori Jazz Knipan, Ekenas, Finland July 27, 2008

Readers familiar with the New York experimental or art music scene will be familiar with Lenny Pickett from his residence there for the last 25 years, and his involvement with fellow musicians such as Kenny Werner and John Hadfield. West coast veterans may remember his shimmying and jiving (and sax soloing) with the 1970s funk Tower of Power consortium alongside ...