SOUND PROJECTIONS

AN ONLINE QUARTERLY MUSIC MAGAZINE

EDITOR: KOFI NATAMBU

SPRING, 2022

VOLUME ELEVEN NUMBER TWO

ROSCOE MITCHELL

Featuring the Musics and Aesthetic Visions of:

MORGAN GUERIN
(March 18-24)

KENNY KIRKLAND
(March 26-APRIL 1)

JUSTIN BROWN
(April 2-8)

CHARENÉE WADE
(April 9-15)

JAMAEL DEAN
(April 16-22)

MILES MOSELY
April 23-29)

JONTAVIOUS WILLIS
(April 30-May 7)

UNA MAE CARLISLE
(May 8-14)

STACEY DILLARD
(May 15-21)

TYLER MITCHELL
(May 22-28)

BENJAMIN BOOKER
(May 29-June 4)

CHRIS BECK
(June 5-11)

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/kenny-kirkland

KENNY KIRKLAND

(1955-1998)

Beginning his career as a teacher of classical music, Kenny Kirkland next became a jazz musician. Later he emerged from his jazz chrysalis as a practitioner of exotic pop/rock music and finally shed his wings to follow the mundane but financially more stable profession of studio musician. Kirkland was an associate of Wynton Marsalis, it is not surprising therefore that the five years Kirkland spent working for him (1981-85) should have been such a powerful influence on him.

He was born Kenneth David Kirkland in Brooklyn, New York, on 28 September, 1955, and took up piano at the age of six. The enthusiasm and urgency Kirkland applied to his piano lessons at such an early age, confirmed that his life was to be devoted to music, “although it wasn't until I was 13 that it actually caught on for me,” he remembered. He began by studying classical music, but distracted by the radio, he soon became interested in rhythm and blues. He absorbed the sounds of James Brown, Sly Stone and the Temptations. “I tried to learn something “from everyone.”

He studied classical piano performance at the Manhattan School of Music for 18 months and then classical theory and composition before graduating as a teacher. A month before he was due to graduate he broke both legs, his jaw, his wrist and one hip. On his recovery, Kirkland moved into one of New York's celebrated lofts and it turned out to be one that musicians used to turn up to after work to play at all-night jam sessions. This was not conducive to the germination of pedagogy and at the instigation of three jazz pianists who became his friends - Larry Willis, Herbie Hancock and Kenny Barron - he threw himself into the world of jazz, playing electric keyboards and acoustic piano.

Initially Hancock's playing had the most effect on his work but he was eclectic and developed his own style, becoming particularly effective in the difficult role of accompanist. He joined the band of another friend the violinist Michael Urbaniak playing electric keyboards when he toured Europe with the group in 1977. He worked with other bands and in 1979 recorded a fusion album, “What It Is,” with the saxophonist Dave Liebman.

The same year Kirkland joined Miroslav Vitous, the bassist who had become famous with Weather Report. By 1981 the pianist was working in a band led by the drummer Elvin Jones and moved from there to join the trumpeter Terumase Hino, one of Japan's outstanding musicians. It was while on tour with Hino in Japan that Wynton Marsalis, also on tour at the time, first heard Kirkland. Marsalis persuaded him to leave Hino and the longest association of Kirkland's life began.

While his work with the trumpeter's quintet opened Kirkland's horizons, the pianist also reciprocated with some of the finest accompanying work Marsalis had ever had. He had a part to play in all of Marsalis's projects and took a major role in the albums that first made the trumpeter's name. He also benefited from the exposure he got on Marsalis's ceaseless international tours.

Wynton Marsalls made no bones about his scorn when Kirkland left his band in extraordinary circumstances in 1985. The pianist and Marsalis's brother, the saxophone-playing Branford, changed idiom to play rock music with Sting. While with the pop star they recorded the album “The Dream of The Blue Turtles” (1985) and joined him for a lengthy term of international touring. At this time Kirkland played piano on Dizzy Gillespie's “New Faces” album (1984). Kirkland returned to New York as a freelance musician, and worked with Branford in the saxophonist's own band, including the albums “Royal Garden Blues,” (1986), “Renaissance,” (1987), “Random Abstract,” (1988) and “Crazy People Music,” (1990), as well as a further album with Sting, “The Soul Cages” (1991).

Kirkland became a session musician in the early Nineties and joined the band of the “Tonight Show,” when Branford Marsalis directed the band. Kirkland recorded one album under his own name in 1991 for the GRP label and also worked in the all-star big band sessions recorded for the company at the same period. He was also pianist on the “Thunder and Rainbows,” record for Sunnyside again in ’91. In 1993 he was the subject of one of Marian McPartlands distinguished Piano Jazz program for American public radio.

Kenny Kirkland was found dead at his apartment in Queen's, New York on November 13, 1998, a young promising musician whose time was much too short.

Source: James Nadal

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenny_Kirkland

Kenny Kirkland

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kenneth David Kirkland (September 28, 1955 – November 12, 1998)^[1] was an American pianist/keyboardist.

Biography

Early life

Born in Brooklyn, New York, United States,^[1] Kirkland was six when he first sat down at a piano keyboard. After years of Catholic schooling, Kirkland enrolled at the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied classical piano performance, classical theory and composition.

Career

Kirkland's first professional work came with Polish fusion violinist Michal Urbaniak, touring throughout Europe with his group in 1977.^[2] Coincidentally, his next high-profile gig was with another Eastern European jazz émigré, Miroslav Vitous. Kirkland is featured on Vitous' ECM recordings First Meeting^[3] and Miroslav Vitous Group.^[4]

In 1980, while Kirkland was on tour in Japan with Terumasa Hino, he met Wynton Marsalis, which began his long association with both Wynton and his older brother Branford.^[1] On Wynton’s self-titled debut album, Kirkland shared the piano duties with one of his musical influences, Herbie Hancock,^[5] but was the sole pianist on Marsalis's subsequent releases Think of One,^[6] Hot House Flowers^[7] and Black Codes (From the Underground).^[8] After his time in Wynton’s group, Kirkland joined Branford's quartet.^[9] He is also featured on Branford’s funk band album Buckshot Lefonque.^[10] When Branford Marsalis assumed the high-visibility role of bandleader for NBC TV's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Kirkland became the band's pianist.^[11]

In 1991, he released his debut as a leader, Kenny Kirkland, on GRP Records. Thunder And Rainbows (1991, Sunnyside Records), by "Jazz from Keystone", is a trio album with Kirkland, Charles Fambrough, and Jeff "Tain" Watts.^[12]

Leading up to and on June 1–3, 1998, Kirkland worked with long-time associate "Tain" Watts on the drummer's debut recording Citizen Tain. According to producer Delfeayo Marsalis, "He was clearly not in good shape." When asked about going to the doctor, Kirkland responded, "After the session. If I go now, they'll make me check into a hospital." On June 4, doctors told Kirkland he had a congestive heart condition that required an operation. He attributed his poor health to twenty years of touring without adequate vacations and exercise, and deemed his chances of surviving any surgery 50/50 or less. Fearful of having a cardiac procedure, Kirkland accepted his fate and was soon on the road with Branford Marsalis again. On November 7, 1998, Kirkland attended Marsalis's wedding in New Rochelle, New York. Kirkland was found dead in his Queens apartment on Friday, November 13, 1998.^[13]

The official doctor's report listed his death as due to congestive heart failure.^[14] He was survived by his mother, brother and two sisters.

Discography

As leader

Kenny Kirkland (GRP, 1991)

As sideman

With Chico Freeman

Peaceful Heart, Gentle Spirit (Contemporary, 1980)
Pied Piper (Jdc Records, 1999)

With Kenny Garrett

Black Hope (Warner Bros., 1992)
Songbook (Warner Bros., 1997)

With Dizzy Gillespie

Closer to the Source (Atlantic, 1984)
New Faces (GRP, 1985)

With Elvin Jones

Earth Jones (Palo Alto, 1982)
Brother John (Palo Alto, 1984) - recorded in 1982

With Rodney Jones

Articulation' (Timeless Muse, 1979)
Dreams and Stories' (Savant, 2005)

With Wynton Marsalis

Wynton Marsalis (Columbia, 1981)
Think of One (Columbia, 1983)
Hot House Flowers (Columbia, 1984)
Black Codes (Columbia, 1985)

With Branford Marsalis

Scenes in the City (Columbia,1983)
Royal Garden Blues (CBS, 1985)
Renaissance (Columbia, 1987)
Random Abstract (CBS, 1988)
Crazy People Music (Sony Music, 1990)
Mo' Better Blues Soundtrack (Sony Music, 1990)
I Heard You Twice the First Time (Sony Music, 1992)
Requiem (Sony Music, 1999)

With Sting

The Dream of the Blue Turtles (A&M, 1985)
Bring on the Night (A&M, 1986)
...Nothing Like the Sun (A&M, 1987)
...Nada como el sol (A&M, 1988)
The Soul Cages (A&M, 1991)
Mercury Falling (A&M, 1996)

With Miroslav Vitous

First Meeting (ECM, 1979)
Miroslav Vitous Group (ECM, 1980)

With Jeff "Tain" Watts

Megawatts (Sunnyside, 1991)
Citizen Tain (Columbia, 1999)

With others

John Scofield, Who's Who? (Arista, 1979)
Stone Alliance, Heads Up (PM, 1980)
Jay Hoggard, Rain Forest (Contemporary, 1980)
David Liebman, What It Is (CBS/Sony, 1980)
Franco Ambrosetti, Wings (Enja, 1984) – recorded in 1983
Carla Bley, Heavy Heart (Watt, 1984) – recorded in 1983
Hiram Bullock, From All Sides (Atlantic, 1986)
Michael Brecker, Michael Brecker (impulse!, 1987)
Lew Soloff, But Beautiful (Paddle Wheel, 1987)
Billy Hart, Rah (Gramavision, 1988)
Delfeayo Marsalis, Pontius Pilate's Decision (1992)
Arturo Sandoval, I Remember Clifford (GRP, 1992)
Robert Hurst, One for Namesake (DIW, 1994) – recorded in 1993
Terence Blanchard, Jazz in Film (Sony, 1999) – recorded in 1998
Niels Bijl, Mozaik (Aliud, 2010)

External links

Obituary reprinted from the Daily Telegraph

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/doctone-an-oral-history-of-legendary-pianist-kenny-kirkland-1955-1998-kenny-kirkland

DOCTONE: An oral history of legendary pianist Kenny Kirkland (1955-1998)

by Noah Haidu
September 28, 2020

AllAboutJazz

In chapter 2 of my book Doctone, I interviewed drummer Billy Hart and we discussed his interaction with Kenny Kirkland as he emerged in the 1970's fusion scene, his unique personality, the "Kirklandese" language and Kenny's legacy as one of the great pianists and composers in this music

Noah Haidu: What were your first impressions of Kenny?

Billy Hart: I don't remember the exact first time I met him. Because of our age difference, I saw him as a young musician coming up on the scene. He was always a happy-go-lucky kind of guy. Sometimes when you'd hear him laugh, it was surprising he could be that open, that outward.

NH: Did you think he was introverted?

BH: Yeah, sometimes he was quiet and introverted, but then he would laugh and be the head of the party for a minute. He was innovative, and some people, myself included, compare him to Lester Young, because he had his own vocabulary, he would make up words for certain situations.

NH: Verbal vocabulary?

BH: Yeah, to this day, some people still use his vocabulary when speaking about things. I'm sure if you talk to Jeff "Tain" Watts, he would. Do you know Adam Nussbaum, the drummer? He would. I know they got that way of speaking from Kenny Kirkland. So, if they got it, many other people got it. He was that kind of guy. A sort of happy go-lucky genius.

NH: Was he already going by the nickname Doctone?

BH: No, because this was way before Wynton Marsalis and all of that, and if that kind of name came up, that's the kind of thing he would have thought of or said. He liked parties, and he was happy around partying. That's how I thought of him.

As we started to interact in more projects, I got closer to him because I began to love his playing so much. Kenny Kirkland is one of my all-time favorite pianists. Every now and then I would try to analyze what it was about his playing that I liked so much, and I think part of it was that his mom was Puerto Rican, and he was so aware of that culture. He hung out with a lot of Latin guys like Jerry Gonzalez and the Fort Apache Band, and he was so familiar with that music in a way that you can't get from studying. It was part of him.

NH: You recorded Kenny's composition "Chance" on your album Oshumare. Why that tune, and what was it like to record?

BH: Well, Steve Coleman wrote a tune, Dave Holland wrote a tune. I asked Kenny to write a tune because I liked his concept of music, but he didn't even write "Chance" until it was time to record. He had written another tune that I really liked, and I thought he'd give me that one, but then he said, "I have another one." I said, "Okay, let me hear it."

NH: He was still working on the tune at the recording session?

BH: Yeah, everybody went out for lunch, and he finished writing and notating it then.

NH: You and Kenny played with lots of different groups, acoustic, electric, avant-garde. Can you talk about the different contexts where you either heard Kenny or played with him?

BH: His age group at that time was producing more pop-oriented musicians, so that's the way I thought of him. That's when pop music became more prevalent in the studios. Like the fusion music. He grew up in that era, the Brecker Brothers and Spyro Gyra and Buddy Williams. He played with the kind of guys that were considered innovators in a new kind of music, and that had a lot to do with the actual recording of that music. You had to have expertise with recording, you had to know about electronics, you had to know about acoustics, just because of the nature of that music.

NH: Speaking of the electronic and fusion movement, Kenny basically got into jazz through fusion and particularly Herbie Hancock's music.

BH: That's what he told me.

NH: Would you say there's a connection between Herbie's music and Kenny's?

BH: That's the way I feel about it.

NH: You were a part of Herbie's transition into electronic music, as well.

BH: Herbie Hancock, by the time I met him, had already composed a hit melody called "Watermelon Man." It was Donald Byrd who took Herbie Hancock to play with Mongo Santamaria, which was one of the very top Afro-Caribbean bands in New York at the time. That Latin influence made Herbie a star in his own right. I'm sure that's one of the reasons Kenny could relate to him.

Another thing about Kenny, I was interested in his playing because of his knowledge of what we were calling avant-garde music at the time. His way of looking at it came from an understanding of European classical. Berg, Webern, Stockhausen, Messiaen—he was very familiar with those, and so was Herbie.

I would ask Kenny, "Man, how did you get that, coming from your upbringing?" He said, "My mother pushed me in that direction, and after a while, I started liking it." That's another thing that connects him and Herbie Hancock, they both have this blues element, but also this uncommon knowledge of contemporary European classical music. Not Bach and Beethoven and so on, but contemporary. I found that very interesting. Very inspiring.

NH: What was it like to interact with Kenny socially?

BH: He was a guy who'd stay up late. He'd be up at four or five o'clock in the morning, hanging out and playing, what young men do. He was attractive, an exciting young guy. He partied a lot, and that made him one of the boys. It almost got to the point where we'd wonder how he got to be such a great pianist. Seemed like with that kind of talent he would have been spending all his time practicing instead of hanging out at clubs, not just the jazz clubs but the Latin clubs.

I assume he must have been going to some kind of symphony concerts, also. Yeah, he was a bon vivant kind of guy, the kind of guy people wanted to hang out with. I didn't hang out with him so much, because I was older, but we would run into each other.

NH: Why do you think people like Wynton Marsalis, Charles Fambrough, Miroslav Vitous, Jeff Watts and yourself are recording Kenny's compositions?

BH: Because his musicianship and his compositional concepts were extraordinary, not unlike McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, or Herbie Hancock. This man, if he could have lived longer, would have gained that kind of status. He was a brilliant, brilliant composer. I saw a movie with Sting in it not too long ago, and there was some rhapsodic music being played, and I remember thinking, boy, that's beautiful. I had to wait until the whole movie was over to see who the composer of the music was. It was Kenny.

NH: I'm hoping this project will bring greater appreciation for Kenny's compositions. He's not generally talked about as one of the great composers.

BH: He should be. I really enjoy your appreciation of him, because I appreciate him just as much. It's nice to find somebody else like that.

NH: Talking to you about him makes him feel closer. When I studied Kenny and learned about his life, I felt like I wanted to be around him. I want to keep it going, keep learning his tunes and studying his playing. But I didn't know him. I missed his whole generation. Branford told me there would be players hanging out, and Kenny would encourage them so much that even if they weren't such great players, by the time Kenny got done building them up, they were ready to jump on the bandstand with Branford and start sitting in. Branford was like, "No way, you're not going to sit in with the band! Kenny, what are you telling all these guys?" Kenny thought it was funny.

BH: The thing that came across about Kenny—he was a nice guy, a really nice, sweet guy. I'm just remembering another time I saw him towards the end. I remember saying, "Kenny, I'm really getting old." He said, "I can't wait until I get to be your age. I want to see what's happening when I'm your age." I said, "Oh man, come on," but he said, "No, I'm really serious."

I can still see Kenny's smile. I never saw him when he wasn't smiling. I never saw him unhappy. I've talked to Jeff Watts about him, of course. Jeff and I talk about his ability to swing, to get that swinging emotion. Because you don't say swing when you talk about straight-eighth pop music, but it's the same emotion.

NH: What was your reaction when you heard about Kenny's passing?

BH: I was in a recording studio. Besides being shocked, I was hurt, because outside of Herbie Hancock, Kenny was the man for me. If I was going to have a band of my own, he would have been my pianist.

I was hurt, disappointed, and shocked. I loved him as a friend. There was a gathering, not a wake because I went to that, also. This was just some people getting together to talk about him. He meant a lot to a lot of people.

https://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-genius-of-kenny-kirkland-part-1-kenny-kirkland

The Genius of Kenny Kirkland - Part 1

by Ludovico Granvassu

Mondo Jazz

October 13, 2020

AllAboutJazz

Click the play button to listen:

https://www.mixcloud.com/MondoJazz/the-genius-of-kenny-kirkland-part-1-mondo-jazz-129-1/

On September 28th, Kenny Kirkland would have turned 65. This week we celebrate his legacy as leader or co-leader, as side-man invited to add power and sophistication to the bands he joined, and as composer, through renditions of his music by peers and contemporary musicians. Among these, pianist Noah Haidu has recently released the first-ever album entirely dedicated to the Kenny Kirkland Songbook, which we feature here and in the second part of the show, which will be online in a few days.

Happy listening!

https://downbeat.com/news/detail/noah-haidu-salutes-kenny-kirkland

Noah Haidu Salutes Kenny Kirkland

News, From the Magazine, Noah Haidu

by Sean J. O’Connell

December 17, 2020

Downbeat

**PHOTO: Pianist Noah Haidu’s latest album, *Doctone*, features compositions by the late Kenny Kirkland. (Photo: Isaac Rosenthal)**

Pianist Kenny Kirkland (1955–’98) left us far too soon, succumbing to congestive heart failure. The versatile musician was at home across a wide range of music, from Western classical to bayou funk. He recorded with dozens of musicians, including titans such as Michael Brecker, Dizzy Gillespie and John Scofield. In the ’80s and ’90s, Kirkland was an essential member of bands led by Sting, Wynton Marsalis and Branford Marsalis, but his only leader date was an eponymous disc released in 1991.

Several years ago, pianist Noah Haidu, 48, wanted to find a way to honor Kirkland’s legacy and unique compositional style. He had a few options: An album? A book? A documentary? Haidu’s answer was an all-encompassing “yes.” The result is the multimedia project Doctone, the title of which is a nod to Kirkland’s nickname. Drummer Billy Hart, who worked with Kirkland, anchors the Sunnyside album.

Growing up, Haidu was lucky enough to see Kirkland perform in several venues, from Los Angeles’ sprawling Greek Theatre to New York’s intimate Sweet Basil club. While earning his master’s degree, Haidu’s thesis focused exclusively on Kirkland.

Calling from his Brooklyn home, Haidu described the origin of his latest project: “We did the album in two days and we had enough breathing time to chat on sessions. Within a month or two of that recording, we were able to start interviewing people. The book [is a compilation of] the interviews. The documentary has excerpts from the book. I managed to do the book and the documentary in one fell swoop.”

While some artists might spend a lifetime producing a full-scale multimedia onslaught, Haidu managed to multitask all of these projects simultaneously, recording parts of the documentary during the pandemic. The brisk film, directed by Jeffrey Chuang, features Haidu’s interviews with Kirkland collaborators, including Sting, who whispers in a vulnerable, seemingly late-night Zoom chat, and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, who lounges under darkening skies. Saxophonist Steve Wilson lent his voice to not only the documentary but also to the album.

“Noah brings a great insight,” Wilson said. “He’s really done his homework. It’s been great to see him go beyond ‘I’ll just do a collection of Kenny Kirkland tunes.’ He really wanted to get inside Kirkland’s history and what inspired him and his roots.”

Doctone includes five tunes from Kirkland’s lone album, which featured Watts and Branford Marsalis, and bassist Christian McBride on one track—a roster of pugilistic Young Lions. Today, nearly 30 years after its release, Kirkland’s leader album is a seldom-referenced gem.

Haidu assembled a stellar rhythm section for his sessions, with bassist Todd Coolman joining Hart. Reedists Jon Irabagon and Gary Thomas contribute to a rendition of Kirkland’s “Fuchsia,” which appeared on Wynton Marsalis’ 1983 album Think Of One. Haidu sits in the pocket of respectful interpretation: He’s not trying to match Kirkland’s pounding technique, but rather highlight the flexibility of the compositions.

The accompanying book is a commuter train-friendly version of Chuang’s documentary. Transcriptions of extended interviews are mixed with reflections from pianist Jason Moran, family members and Kirkland collaborators, including guitarist Rodney Jones and trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis. It’s an easygoing read, focused squarely on its underappreciated subject. The entire Doctone project is a testament to Haidu’s passion and determination to uphold the tradition.

“I think Kenny had a special rhythmic and harmonic concept,” Haidu said. “I had to pick things for the album that were inspirational—that I wouldn’t have to play like Kenny—to make it work. These tunes are hard, but once you get into them, it was easy to find my sound on them.” DB

This story originally was published in the January 2021 issue of DownBeat

https://straightnochaserjazz.libsyn.com/podcast-767-a-conversation-with-noah-haidu-on-kenny-kirkland

Straight No Chaser - A Jazz Show

Podcast 767: A Conversation with Noah Haidu on Kenny Kirkland

Welcome to Straight No Chaser, the Award-winning Podcast hosted by Jeffrey Siegel

Podcast 767: A Conversation with Noah Haidu on Kenny Kirkland

September 28, 2020

" I view Kenny as the most unique composer and pianist of his generation. Because he died young and avoided the spotlight, his brilliant compositions have been overlooked for too long" - Noah Haidu

On the occasion of what would have been Kenny Kirkland's 65th birthday, pianist Noah Haidu is getting ready to release the first endeavor dedicated entirely to Kirkland’s original music. Noah's CD, Doctone (Sunnyside Records) will have a release party and trio concert at the Bop Stop in Cleveland tonight A short film Noah has prepared on Kenny's life will be shown as well. Doctone, featuring pianist Haidu with Billy Hart, Steve Wilson, Gary Thomas, Todd Coolman, Jon Irabagon and Daniel Sadownick, will be formally released on Friday.

That same day, October 2,"The Music of Kenny Kirkland," a livestream from the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, will take place, and features a concert and interviews with Haidu, saxophonist Steve Wilson, bassist Todd Coolman, and drummer Billy Hart, as well as film excerpts.

And if that is not enough, there is also an original book about Kirkland’s life coming, featuring interviews with Sting, Jason Moran, Billy Hart, Delfeayo Marsalis, Jeff "Tain” Watts, Ronnie Burrage, Rodney Jones, Steve Wilson, Mark Sherman, Todd Coolman and Kenny’s brother, among others.

In early 2019 Haidu had begun to tour with a new band featuring Billy Hart and Tod Coolman and the inception of this trio gave Haidu the opportunity to present a fresh repertoire centered around Kirkland’s original compositions. Hart had a strong connection with the music. Kenny had been on his first two recording dates as a leader and they had played together during the 1970’s on various fusion, Afro-Latin, and avant-garde projects.

By summer 2019 the band decided to record nine of Kenny’s songs over a couple of days. The sessions were documented on video, and the musicians talked throughout about their relationship to Kenny and his music. Hart recalled the origins of some of the pieces and shared that he was having an “emotional reaction” to recording the music. Steve Wilson talked about the inspiration he felt when first hearing Kirkland with the Wynton Marsalis Quintet in the early 1980’s and how that band had inspired him and his contemporaries. The results are now available for us all to enjoy.

Podcast 676 is my conversation with Noah, as we talk about the origins of the project, what he learned from delving into the life and music of Kenny Kirkland, and how he hopes the project to continue to grow over time.

Musical selections from Doctone include Kirkland tunes "Blasphemy,", "Chambers of Tain," and "Mr. JC."

https://adolphesax.com/en/videos/remembering-kenny-kirkland/

Home

Remembering Kenny Kirkland

by saxo3

November de 2020

“Giant Steps” with the Kenny Garrett Quartet, featuring Kenny Kirkland on piano, Nat Reeves, bass and the Tainish one, Jeff Watts

Kenneth David “Kenny” Kirkland (September 28, 1955 – November 12, 1998) was an American pianist/keyboardist. Born in Brooklyn, New York in 1955, Kirkland was six when he first sat down at a piano keyboard. After years of Catholic schooling, Kirkland enrolled at the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied classical piano performance, classical theory and composition.

Kirkland’s first professional work came with Polish fusion violinist Michal Urbaniak, touring throughout Europe with his group in 1977.Coincidentally, his next high-profile gig was with another Eastern European jazz émigré, Miroslav Vitous. Kirkland is featured on Vitous’ ECM recordings First Meeting and Miroslav Vitous Group.

In 1980, while Kirkland was on tour in Japan with Hino, he met Wynton Marsalis, which began their long association. On Marsalis’s self-titled debut album, Kirkland shared the piano duties with one of his musical influences, Herbie Hancock] but was the sole pianist on Marsalis’s subsequent releases Think of One, Hothouse Flowers and Black Codes.After his association with Wynton Marsalis, Kirkland joined Branford Marsalis’s band. He is also on Marsalis’s funk band album Buckshot Lefonque. When Branford Marsalis assumed the high-visibility role of bandleader for NBC TV’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Kirkland became the band’s pianist.But his time on the Los Angeles-based The Tonight Show was short-lived, for while he finally received publicity, he felt he was not making “real music”[citation needed], and thus returned to the East Coast and more creative work after two years as The Tonight Show’s pianist. He also ran contrary to jazz orthodoxy when he left Wynton Marsalis’s acoustic traditional jazz combo to join Branford Marsalis, accompanying ex-Police pop star Sting. With Sting, and Marsalis (plus others) he played the keyboard synthesizer in the album Dream of the Blue Turtles.

In 1991, he released his debut as a leader, Kenny Kirkland, on GRP Records. Thunder And Rainbows (1991, Sunnyside Records), by “Jazz from Keystone”, is a trio album with Kirkland, Charles Fambrough, and Jeff “Tain” Watts.

Leading up to and on June 1–3, 1998, Kirkland worked with long-time associate Jeff “Tain” Watts on the drummer’s debut recording Citizen Tain. According to producer Delfeayo Marsalis, “He was clearly not in good shape.” When asked about going to the doctor, Kirkland responded, “After the session. If I go now, they’ll make me check into a hospital.” On June 4, doctors told Kirkland he had a congestive heart condition that required an operation. However, due to 20 years of road work without adequate vacations and a lack of physical exercise for many years, his chances of surviving any surgery were deemed 50/50 or less. Fearful of going under the blade, Kirkland accepted his fate and was soon on the road with Branford Marsalis again. On November 7, 1998, Kirkland attended Marsalis’s wedding in his home town of New Rochelle, New York. Kirkland was found dead in his Queens apartment on Friday, November 13, 1998.[13]

The official doctor’s report listed his death as due to congestive heart failure. He was survived by his mother, a brother and two sisters.

Please help support my work as the Jazz Video Guy: https://www.patreon.com/bretprimack

Posted on 3 de November de 2020

JAZZ Interpretaciones / Performances

http://gertonline.free.fr/kkirkland-interview-en01.htm

September 28, 1955 / November 12, 1998

TRIBUTE INTERVIEW

(May 1990)

◊

◄ Kenny : Music Is A Gift From God ►

Gert : Hi Kenny, it's such a pleasure to meet you again. There are many people around who know you because of your long time collaboration with Sting. All jazz listeners know you but for all those who want to learn more about you, could you please sum up your musical career before 'The Dream Of The Blue Turtles' album and tour?

Kenny : when I started to play piano I was very young... seven years old, playing classical music with a teacher from my neighbourhood. Then I didn’t really love music. My parents made music for me more like going to school. When you go to school , you have maths, you have English, you have science... music was the same. You must do that or you get beat. I had very strict parents. So I studied music and then I went to high-school, I went to college, I got into jazz, I took piano lessons and I started to play fusion with Michael Urbaniak and different fusion groups. Later I began to play with jazz bands : Branford Marsalis, Wynton Marsalis, Elvyn Jones... I can’t remember now... Michael Breaker ... Many different people, many musicians I played with before Sting when he wanted to start the first band, ‘The Dream of the Blue Turtles’. He wanted jazz musicians and Branford... I really owe it to Branford ! He told Sting « You must get Kenny, you must get Kenny », now you have Kenny (He laughs, saying these words as if he's talking to Sting in person).

It’s been working out cause we have a good relationship.

G : I’ve heard that you've played with Crosby, Still & Nash...

K : Many years ago I did a record with them, yeah... It was fun but... In this Kind of commercial music Sting is the best.

G : Do you realise that you are one of the best Keyboard player of your generation ?

K : (he laughs and a smile of shyness appears on his face) I don’t really think so. When I hear music from real masters like Thelonius Monk, Herbie Hancock, Keith Jarret... when I hear musicians like them it makes me keep straight on the path of knowing that I have many things to get through. I appreciate the people who says that... all I can say is that I really love music. And I believe in God too. And I consider it something from God. I respect and like that. He gave me an extra, a bonus. I don’t know why...

G : What can influence your way of playing ?

K : I listen to a lot of commercial music, I listen to rap as well as classical music... Everything is good. When I play with Wynton or Branford, many music styles they don’t like. But for me I like everything, so I play all styles. This album we are doing with Sting ('The Soul Cages'), I think it’s very good. I think it’s gonna be much commercially successful than any other one. He has a new great guitar player, Dominic Miller. He helps the music so much that I think It’s going to sell very good.

G : Who are your preferring pop singers ?

K : Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Sting. I like Phil Collins cause is very simple and his songs are immediate hits. He doesn’t mind being simple and it turns out to give him millions of sellings world-wide. Sting is more like... He’s very serious. The thing I’ve learned from Sting is not only... musically I’ve learned from him but what I’ve learned also is about simplicity. I’ve learned more about pop music... But with him I’ve learned, definitely much more than anything else, about life cause he is a very determined man, very... focused and disciplined too. He works very hard. That’s what I’ve learned from him cause I can get lazy sometimes.

G : I’ve noticed that you didn’t choose your preferring singers only for their music but also for what they are...

K : For what they are as for their music too. If a man is a great musician but inside, spiritually, not good, I don’t like him. He has to be clean in these ways too. If someone is bursting of to play music I think he should really be modest, and he should learn to share.

G : What is the most important thing for you in this life ?

K : To grow, to be in secure... Right now in my life, I don’t really want anything. All that I need are only material things like a house, a place where I can play music. I have anything else I need. At the moment, I live in the Queens. It’s about 12 kilometres from New-York.

G : Were you born there ?

K : Yeah, I was born in Brooklyn. I grew up in a ghetto (he laughs).

◄ Sting's Vibration ►

G : Do you feel concerned about Sting’s involvement for the Rainforest ?

K : I would like to help the Rainforest Foundation, it’s something I really believe in. After I met Raoni... he came to Sao-Polo that’s when I met him ; he came on stage in front of a huge audience to dance... He has a very good vibration. Sting is like that, I feel a very good vibration from him too. Do you know what I mean ? If more people in the world were like you, the world would be OK. And that’s why I get Good vibrations from certain people. From certain people I get bad vibrations : If the world was like them, it would be crazy ! I manage not to be around these people.

The vibration I get from you is very peaceful, you know. It’s good. And you’re very young, I’m thirty three years old, so... When I was twenty years old... you know, you seem to be very together for twenty years old. You seem much older for sure. Does people tell you that all the time ?

G : sometimes (embarrassed)

K : I think in Europe young people are more accomplished than in America. People of your age as usually like children in my country. You already have a life objective, you know what you want to do. My objective is music, God made this for me. You just have a good objective although you’re very young.

G : Thank you Kenny... Well now, coming back to Sting, you are now busy with studio sessions at the Guillaume Tell Studio, can you tell me more about his next album ?

K : I believe it’s gonna be the best of his solo albums. He’s getting better, he’s growing. When I first met Sting he was not as open as he is now. He was very English, very stiff. I think being around black americans in America and being in New-York, that helped him to become more light-hearted. He still is very serious but not as he used to be. He is much more open, very easy going.

Somebody with Sting’s stature could be such an asshole (laughing). But Sting is not an asshole, he’s very smart. Someone like him doesn't have to but he’s very dedicated to everything he does. And now with his music, he keeps growing. When I first met him, he couldn’t play much piano at all ; now he play classical pieces : Bach for example. It inspires me because he learns all the time. He just grow like a seed can grow. That’s what everybody is supposed to do and he's doing it.

His record is gonna be the best. There are many good songs on it, with very great lyrics. Usually when I hear songs on the radio, the lyrics are about nothing. It’s always « I love you » or « I need your love »... Sting always like to do songs about something deep... personal. Some of the new songs are very personal but the music is commercial... I mean people will like it. In his lyrics, he can put whatever he wants, he doesn’t need to write « I love you ». His lyrics, his voice, his chords, his music, everything is getting so much better. I tell him everyday.

I have a book here, I read it all the time, everyday... it’s called ‘What are you ?’ written by Imelda Octavia SHANKLIN (take a look at this page about Unity Church). She’s like a prophet. You can turn to any page and it says things very important for life. I’ve never showed this book to Sting but I know that these stuff in this book, he has read about before. He knows a lot of this book. The way he is, he has to know it. He is very constant, very... consistent that’s the word. He knows about people, they study themselves and they know about God. I really respect him a lot. He is a great source of inspiration too. He does a lot of things and he doesn’t complain... Well, he has no reason to complain, he is very rich, very happy (laughing) but I think It’s more than money ; money helps him not having to worry about pain and so he has more time to give to the Rainforest Foundation.

Sting never really talks about God a lot. But I know he believes in God. I’m not gonna ask him. The way he is he has to, he has too... cause God has been good to him. Sting is very giving, a very generous man : Amnesty, the Rainforest, he gives of himself all the time. When you give of yourself, you get back. Sting is building himself. He builds his character, his music, his personality, his sharing with people... God has made his life abundant because of the way he his. So he has to believe in God. Sting is here to help life. I don’t need to talk to him about this cause I really understands him and I think he understands me. We never talk about philosophy but I ‘m just sure that he knows the things in this book. He knows a lot of things about life... but I talk too much.

Kenny Kirkland with Gert-Peter Bruch in 1988

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◄ If I Die Tomorrow ►

G : No, don’t worry . I’m listening, what you say is very instructive.

K : You know, I’m always travelling on plane... but I’m very human as a person. I grew up, just like I said before, in the ghetto, I grew up with many poor people. I was lucky cause a lot of my friends had no good parents. Parents who drink all day, not taking care of their kids... I was part of the one or two families out of ten that had very good parents. In my life, I spent time with the poorest person as well as the richest ones. In New York, people always beg for money. And I always give, even a quarter. Friends tell me : « You shouldn’t give them money, they use it for drugs. ». But if I have 20 dollars in my pocket and a person ask me for one quarter, one little silver quarter... I must give to him, I don’t care what he uses it for. Being able to give makes you being able to have. I always have been a person who was giving... I’ve never been someone who were asking for.

I’m only thirty-three years old but I really had a full life. I talk to people, I play music, that’s a big gift. I had a very abundant life. If I die tomorrow... I don’t want to die but I’ll have no regrets with my life cause it’s been so good ! And I think the reason why is that I always try to give, to anybody... I give time, I give money, I give whatever I can give... And Sting is like that too. But he’s a big star so it’s different. It’s more difficult for him to... They are some people that God puts in your life and you’re supposed to cross path with them. And Sting, a lot of time, he misses these people because he thinks... cause he’s a big star. And everybody around is like « Sting, Sting, Sting... » ; and he’s like « get away », you know ? But out of twenty people calling for him, there are three or four people who could have been very important for his life. And he misses that all. There are some people that really have something to offer to Sting, like you... when he sees you outside with many people, people wanting photographs or anything, it’s cool but you are not somebody, you are mixed with them. You know, he has nothing to say to groupies. I told him a while ago that he misses out people who are supposed to be in his path... supposed to help his growth. But it’s difficult for somebody who is very famous, cause people always try to get a piece of Sting.

G : Do you think that’s the reason why people think he’s arrogant ?

K : He can get arrogant but I don’t think he really is. He’s never arrogant around me. People always tell me he is and I tell them that to me, he never play that arrogant thing... Maybe only a very few times I had this feeling. He has a family, some kids and as a father he should see himself as a link. God made him a superstar for a reason...

G : What are the reasons that make you stay with him ?

K : I just like... among the people who sell records, in the rock idiom, he's just the best one. He’s like the ‘cream off the crap’. He’s the best of all, by far. When I first got to play with him, I didn’t realise how much effects he had on me. But he had a lot affected my life. Sting is supposed to be in my life. When we went on tour last time we were with my girlfriend (Tracy Wormworth) playing bass. Sting asked me « are you sure you want to go on and on for one year with your girlfriend ? »(laughing), he asked this like five times. And I said « I know I could say no, but the right thing to do is to help her » and Sting said to Tracy « come on, you can be in. ». We went to a lot of problems by being in the road together -we never did before- but from doing that, Sting brought me and my girlfriend closer. Now we understand each other better and I learned that from Sting. He’s very dedicated, he doesn’t quit, he hates to lose... He don’t like to loose, I can tell you that for sure. Person who likes to win will win. You see, I’m the kind of person who don’t care if I win. I’m not... aggressive.

Sting just has to focus his energy and he’s making me do that more. Seeing how he was and seeing how things worked for him, I started finding out where my power was, what my strength is, I believe in that. Cause Sting really believe in himself. He should. He writes great music... I’ve learned a lot of things about music from him but the most important thing I’ve learned from him is not about music, is about life. Whitout him telling a word, just from seeing how he is. He is a very good man, he has helped me a lot. Maybe he should hear this tape cause I never says this to him. I say it to you but I never did to him. But he never says things like that to me neither, you know ? We just have an understanding. I feel like I really understands him. We were both born two days apart, we have something like four years of difference but... I was born 28th of September, he was born on the 2nd of October. It’s very close. I don’t know if I believe in that so much... astrology, but we were born at the same time... and that means something. I believe that a little of astrology is true... a little of everything is true!

Buddhism, Christianity even Scientology. I listen to any religion or self-improvement. The Indians in the amazon forest, these people know what I’m talking about. They know that there is only one power. They just live with nature.

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◄ "I'm Not Into Show-Business, I'm Into Music" ►

Kenny at the Sunset Jazz Club in Paris

G : What is your feeling about show-business ?

K : I’ m not so much into show-business. I’m not like that. As I told you, I’m not very aggressive, I’m not very flashy. I’m not into being under limelights. I don’t like being in the front so much. I could never be like Sting. This is not for me. I like being behind. I don’t like people to make a fuss on me, I like to just be there like a regular person, not as Sting keyboard player. I like to go to places where nobody knows who I am. Some people only get around me because they know I play with Sting...

It’s funny that I’m in show-business cause I really don’t have a big ego. I’m not really into show-business, I’m into music. If I was a very rich man with millions of dollars, I would just have my piano, my studio... I wouldn’t have to try to make a record and sell it. I wouldn’t even care if people know who I am. That’s how I am. It is not in my goal to be famous. I just want to be good and dedicated. I don’t need the audience to play music, I can do it home.. Of course the energy of the audience will help you play but I always try to do the best I can. I never took advantage of the fact that I play with Sting. I never to a club and say « yeah, I play with Sting, you should let me in ». I’d rather go to a club where nobody knows me. If I go there and they say « you can’t come in », I just walk away.

G : When you’re on stage, are you a different person ?

K : I guess a little sometimes, but basically no. I try just to be myself. When you play with Sting, you have to be visual and I’m not into being visual. When Sting used to do the tour, everybody was doing dance steps. I’m against that, I don’t want to do that (he laughs), it’s not in my character. Sting is cool with that, he accepts that. Sometimes when I play with Sting, I feel like out of place... I feel more home playing with Branford. With Sting, I play in a territory that is not totally mine.

Branford don’t have the same opinions about his way of playing music. He's more... star ! He likes that. He wants to be famous. He’s ambitious... but he’s a great musician.

G : What is the difference whether you play with Sting or Branford Marsalis ?

K : With Branford the music is much more open, much more creative and... involved. Sting’s music is involved too and is creative also but jazz music is at a very very high level... to me. Playing with Branford is like more what I do for real. Sometimes with Sting, I feel like an outsider. But I’m lucky he likes that, so it’s OK. With Branford, we’ve just did a new record ; it’s coming out in September. I’m also doing my own record now, from GRP records. This is my first record and it’s only instrumental music. It’s not a commercial record but a jazz one. This will be pretty different than Branford’s records. In my record there are many influences : jazz, classical music, latino style...

G : Thank you very much Kenny, see you next time for more good music.