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Kenneth Barron (born June 9, 1943) is an American jazz pianist and composer who has appeared on hundreds of recordings as leader and sideman and is considered one of the most influential mainstream jazz pianists since the bebop era.
Barron cites Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan as his principal influences. "It was their touch ... and their lyricism, and the way they phrased," he said. "It was like a rubber band, their phrasing, it was very loose, it wasn't rigid. An ebb-and-flow kind of thing. I loved that." He has also mentioned synthesizing the influence of Wynton Kelly, fellow Philadelphia pianist McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, and "a bunch of other people."
After leaving Gillespie, Barron briefly performed with Stanley Turrentine before starting a three-year stint with Freddie Hubbard. He was then accompanist and arranger for vocalist Esther Marrow in 1970, after which he returned to Lateef for almost five years. He graduated in 1978 with a B.A. degree in arts from Empire State College (Metropolitan Center, New York City).
Barron co-led both the group Sphere, dedicated to performing the music of Thelonious Monk, from 1977 to 1988, and the Classical Jazz Quartet, which gave jazz performances of classical works, from 2001 to 2002.
Between 1986 and 1991, Barron recorded several albums with Stan Getz at the end of the great saxophonist's career, most notably Voyage (1986), Anniversary! (1987), Serenity (1987), Bossas & Ballads – The Lost Sessions (1989), and (1991), a 7-CD set. "It was great to work with him," Barron reflected. "I think we had an affinity for each other, because we're both intent on playing lyrically. That was my thing. That was his thing, as well. So we got along great." Getz reportedly said that Barron was his "favorite pianist of all time."Getz, Steve. liner notes, Yours and Mine, Concord Jazz CCD-4740, 1996.
Barron has composed more than 50 works, the best known of which is "Voyage" (1986), which has been covered at least 75 times. Some other of his signature compositions that he and sometimes others have recorded multiple times include "Dolores Street SF" (1973), "Sunshower" (1975), "Spiral" (1982), "And Then Again" (1982), "Joanne Julia" (1984), "Phantoms" (1986), "What If?" (1986), "The Only One" (1990), and "Twilight Song" (1993). Although Barron is best known for interpretations of jazz standards, modern jazz classics, and originals, he has occasionally also recorded pop/rock material, including various Stevie Wonder songs and Sting's "Fragile". "Kenny Barron Discography". JazzDiscography.com, July 21, 2024, Accessed June 11, 2025.
Barron is also known as "a remarkably sensitive accompanist," recording with notable singers such as Ann Hampton Callaway, Abbey Lincoln, Kevin Mahogany, Helen Merrill, Jane Monheit, Dianne Reeves, and Carol Sloane. In addition, Barron contributed to the scores of several Spike Lee films, including Do the Right Thing (1989) and Malcolm X (1992).
Barron has been nominated 14 times for Grammy Awards and was inducted into the American Jazz Hall of Fame in 2005. He was also elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2009. In May 2010, Barron was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music along with African-born singer/songwriter Angelique Kidjo, Spanish guitarist Paco de Lucia, and songwriting duo Leon Huff and Kenneth Gamble.Aubrey Everett (May 15, 2010), "Several Jazz Artists Honored at Berklee Commencement", JazzTimes. .
For more than 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 Earl MacDonald, Harry Pickens, Jon Regen, and Aaron Parks. In 2022, Barron was elected to the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame.
The Los Angeles Times called Barron "one of the top jazz pianists in the world," and Jazz Weekly named him the "most lyrical piano player of our time."
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