Kenny Barron

Kenny Barron's unmatched ability to mesmerize audiences with his elegant playing, sensitive melodies and infectious rhythms is what inspired "The Los Angeles Times" to name him "one of the top jazz pianists in the world" and "Jazz Weekly" to call him "The most lyrical piano player of our time."

Philadelphia is the birthplace of many great musicians, including one of the undisputed masters of the jazz piano: Kenny Barron. Kenny was born in 1943 and while a teenager, started playing professionally with Mel Melvin's orchestra. This local band also featured Barron's brother Bill, the late tenor saxophonist. At age 19, Kenny moved to New York City and was hired by James Moody after the tenor saxophonist heard him play at the Five Spot.

He joined Dizzy Gillespie's band in 1962, where he developed an appreciation for Latin and Caribbean rhythms. After five years with Dizzy, Barron played with Freddie Hubbard, Stanley Turrentine, Milt Jackson, and Buddy Rich. In 1971 he joined Yusef Lateef's band. It is Lateef who Kenny credits as a key influence in his art for improvisation. In 1973 Kenny joined the faculty at Rutgers University as professor of music. He held this tenure until 2000, mentoring many of today's young talents including David Sanchez, Terence Blanchard, and Regina Bell. In 1974 he recorded his first album as a leader for the Muse label, entitled "Sunset To Dawn." This was to be the first of over 40 recordings (and still counting!) as a leader.

Throughout the 1980's, Kenny collaborated with the great tenor saxophonist Stan Getz, touring with his quartet and recording several albums, one of which was nominated for a Grammy ("People Time") Also during the 80's, he co-founded the quartet "Sphere," along with Buster Williams, Ben Riley and Charlie Rouse. This band focused on the music of Thelonious Monk and original compositions inspired by him. Sphere recorded several outstanding projects for the Polygram label, among them "Four For All" and "Bird Songs." After the death of Charlie Rouse, the band took a 15-year hiatus and reunited, replacing Rouse with alto saxophonist Gary Bartz. This reformation made its debut recording for Verve Records in 1998.

Kenny Barron's own recordings for Verve have earned him five Grammy nominations, most recently for "Spirit Song" in 2000. Prior Grammy nominations went to "Sambao," "Night and the City" (a duet recording with Charlie Haden) and "Wanton Spirit" (a trio recording with Roy Haynes and Haden.) It is important to note that these three recordings each received double-Grammy nominations (for album AND solo performance.) Barron consistently wins the jazz critics and readers polls, including Downbeat, JazzTimes and Jazziz magazines. He has been named Best Pianist by the Jazz Journalists Association every year since 1997 and was as a finalist in the prestigious 2001 Jazz Par International Jazz Award.

Brandon Sanders, Aaron Parks, James Suggs, Kenny Barron and more

by Benjamin Boddie
November 13, 2025

Today's Music--Right Now! Fantastic music by Brandon Sanders, Aaron Parks, James Suggs, Kenny Barron, Scott Silbert, Enoch Smith Jr., Lafayette Harris Jr., Kenny Barron, Angela Verbrugge, Baltimore Jazz Collective, Mark Sherman, Jerry Weldon, Nicholas Payton, Maja Jaku, Nat Adderley Jr., Affinity Trio, Anthony Stanco, David Sneider, Charles Lloyd, Boz Scaggs, Andrew Carroll, Sean Mason, Horace Silver, Tierney Sutton, Johnathan Blake, Josie Falbo, and more.Playlist Brandon Sanders “8/4 Beat" from Lasting Impression (Savant) 00:00 Aaron Parks “Parks Lope" from ...

Album Review

Yusef Lateef: Atlantis Lullaby - The Concert from Avignon

Read "Atlantis Lullaby - The Concert from Avignon" reviewed by Stefano Merighi

by Stefano Merighi
November 7, 2025

Tra gli outsider del jazz più prolifici, Yusef Lateef fino alla scomparsa (a 93 anni nel 2013) ha continuato a comporre, incidere, sempre evitando con gentilezza di essere accostato alla parola jazz, inventando invece il termine “autophysiopsychic" per descrivere una musica che fin dagli anni Cinquanta ha messo in contatto molto seriamente la cultura asiatica con quella afro-americana (Lateef ha soggiornato quattro anni in Nigeria negli anni Settanta), lontano dall'industra musicale, vicino invece alla didattica e creativamente proteso verso la ...

Album Review

Kenny Barron: Sunset To Dawn

Read "Sunset To Dawn" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
October 17, 2025

The reissue of Kenny Barron's debut album Sunset To Dawn by Time Traveler Recordings invites listeners to revisit the moment when one of jazz's most lyrical and refined stylists first stepped into the spotlight as a leader. Initially recorded in 1973 for Muse Records, this session now appears as a limited-edition 180-gram LP, delivering a warm, analogue sound that enhances Barron's radiant tone and subtle sophistication. By 1973, Barron had already built an impressive résumé, having ...

Album Review

Freddie Hubbard: On Fire: Live from the Blue Morocco

Read "On Fire: Live from the Blue Morocco" reviewed by Stefano Merighi

by Stefano Merighi
September 8, 2025

Dice bene Bennie Maupin, nelle sue note incluse nel libretto del CD, quando ricorda che dopo aver suonato nei Jazz Messengers di Art Blakey, Freddie Hubbard era forse il più forte trombettista in circolazione. Hubbard ha suonato in tutte le situazioni chiave dal 1960 in avanti, scelto sempre dai migliori in campo, e pure affermando una buona leadership, forse soffrendo il ruolo di mattatore di Miles Davis, ma riuscendo ad evitare la sua ombra, tranne forse in qualche ...

In Pictures

Kenny Barron, Solo Piano at SFJAZZ

by Ronald Davis
May 14, 2025

A collection of photos from the Kenny Barron, solo concert at SFJAZZ Center in San Francisco on April 10, 2025 featuring Kenny Barron. ...

Album Review

Freddie Hubbard: On Fire: Live From The Blue Morocco

Read "On Fire: Live From The Blue Morocco" reviewed by Pierre Giroux

by Pierre Giroux
April 24, 2025

Freddie Hubbard was never one to play it safe. Even at a time when jazz was bending in myriad directions--from the structural freedom of Ornette Coleman's harmolodics to the modal explorations of Miles Davis--Hubbard maintained a singular focus on the power of his horn. In the newly unearthed performance On Fire: Live from Blue Morocco, Resonance Records, in conjunction with Record Store Day, has released a deluxe 2CD package that includes new interviews with Bennie Maupin and Kenny Barron, notes ...

Album Review

Freddie Hubbard: On Fire--Live From The Blue Morocco

Read "On Fire--Live From The Blue Morocco" reviewed by Jack Kenny

by Jack Kenny
April 23, 2025

Freddie Hubbard is a conundrum. His style has varied significantly over the years, as though he were unsure of himself at a deep level. There were the Blue Note years, then the funk years, where he gained money and lost credibility. The all-encompassing technique was displayed in so many contexts, with Art Blakey, Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and Eric Dolphy. Hubbard's casting around indicates an unresolved idea of what to do with his gifts. He was, after all, born at ...

Performance / Tour

Legendary Pianist Kenny Barron Makes Smoke Jazz Club Debut, August 22-25, 2024

Source: AMT Public Relations
August 7, 2024

Thursday-Sunday, August 22-25, 2024 Sets at 7:00 p.m. + 9:00 p.m. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are now on sale. $25-$55. To purchase tickets, visit SMOKEjazz.com. SMOKE Jazz Club today announced that NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron will make his SMOKE Jazz Club debut August 22-25, 2024. The legendary pianist Kenny Barron will lead an essential Trio with bassist Peter Washington and drummer Savannah Harris. Described as “one of the top jazz pianists in the world (The Los Angeles ...
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