Kenny Garrett (born October 9, 1960) 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 saxophone and soprano saxophone and flute. Since 1985, he has pursued a solo career.
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, 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 CrissCross label.
Garrett signed to the Warner Bros. Records label, and beginning with Black Hope in 1992,
Garrett joined the "Five Peace Band" of Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Christian McBride and Brian Blade/Vinnie Colaiuta around 2008.
In 2011, Garrett was presented with an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Berklee College of Music, in Boston, Massachusetts.
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.
Garrett's Pushing the World Away album received a Grammy nomination in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category in 2013.
Honors
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2011: Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music, Commencement Speaker.
-
2023: NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship
-
2023: Chevalier de l'
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" by
The New York Times.
Discography
As leader/co-leader
-
Introducing Kenny Garrett (Criss Cross, 1985) – rec. 1984
-
Garrett 5 (Paddle Wheel, 1989) – rec. 1988
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Prisoner of Love (Atlantic Records, 1989)
-
African Exchange Student (Atlantic, 1990)
-
Black Hope (Warner Bros., 1992)
-
Triology (Warner Bros., 1995)
-
Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane (Warner Bros., 1996)
-
Songbook (Warner Bros., 1997)
-
Simply Said (Warner Bros., 1999)
-
Happy People (Warner Bros., 2002)
-
Standard of Language (Warner Bros., 2003)
-
Beyond the Wall (Nonesuch Records, 2006)
-
(Mack Avenue, 2008) – live
-
Seeds from the Underground (Mack Avenue, 2012)
-
Pushing the World Away (Mack Avenue, 2013)
-
Do Your Dance! (Mack Avenue, 2016)
-
Sounds from the Ancestors (Mack Avenue, 2021)
-
Who Killed AI? with Svoy (Mack Avenue, 2024)
Compilations
-
Old Folks (West Wind, 1999) with John Scofield, Michael Brecker and David Friesen
-
Casino Lights '99 (Warner Bros., 2000) – live at Montreux Jazz Festival
-
V.A., Relief: A Benefit for the Jazz Foundation of America's Musicians' Emergency Fund (Mack Avenue, 2021)
As a member
Out of the Blue
-
Out of the Blue (Blue Note, 1985) with Michael Philip Mossman, Ralph Bowen, Harry Pickens, Robert Hurst and Ralph Peterson, Jr.
-
Inside Track (Blue Note, 1986) with the same musicians
-
Live at Mt. Fuji (Blue Note, 1987) with Michael Philip, Mossman Ralph Bowen, Harry Pickens, Ralph Peterson, Jr. and Kenny Davis – live recorded in Mount Fuji Jazz Festival 1986 at Lake Yamanaka
Manhattan projects
General Music Project (G. M. Project)
Co-leader with Charnett Moffett
As sideman
With Donald Byrd
-
1987: Harlem Blues (Landmark Records, 1988)
-
1989: Getting Down to Business (Landmark, 1990)
With Chick Corea
-
Remembering Bud Powell (Stretch Records, 1997) – Grammy nominated
-
Five Peace Band Live with John McLaughlin (Concord Records, 2009)2CD – Grammy won
-
The Musician (Concord Jazz, 2017)3CD
With Miles Davis
-
1988-89: Amandla (Warner Bros., 1989)
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1990: Dingo (Warner Bros., 1991)
-
1988–91: Live Around the World (Warner Bros., 1996) – live
-
1991: Miles & Quincy Live at Montreux (Warner Bros., 1993) – live
-
1991: Merci Miles! Live at Vienne (Warner, 2021) – live
With Roy Haynes
With Freddie Hubbard
-
Double Take with Woody Shaw (Blue Note, 1985)
-
The Eternal Triangle with Woody Shaw (Blue Note, 1987)
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Topsy – Standard Book (Alfa Records, 1990) – rec. 1989
With Marcus Miller
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The Sun Don't Lie (Dreyfus Records, 1993)
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Tales (Dreyfus, 1995)
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Live & More (GRP, 1997)
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M² (Telarc, 2001)
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Dreyfus Night in Paris with Michel Petrucciani, Biréli Lagrène, Lenny White (Dreyfus Jazz, 2003) – live rec. 1994
With Mulgrew Miller
With Charnett Moffett
-
Beauty Within (Blue Note, 1989)
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Evidence (Telarc, 1993)
With Woody Shaw
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Double Take with Freddie Hubbard (Blue Note, 1985)
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The Eternal Triangle with Freddie Hubbard (Blue Note, 1987)
With Mike Stern
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These Times (ESC, 2004)
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All Over the Place (Heads Up International, 2012) – rec. 2011
With Jeff "Tain" Watts
With others
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Geri Allen, The Nurturer (Blue Note, 1991) – rec. 1990
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Clifton Anderson, Decade (Doxy, 2008)
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Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, Feeling Good (Delos Productions, 1986)
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Cindy Blackman, Arcane (Muse, 1987) – rec. 1986
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Terence Blanchard, Romantic Defiance (Columbia, 1995) – rec. 1994
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Richard Bona, "Painting a Whish" in (Verve, 2003)
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Cameo, Machismo (Atlanta Artists, 1988) – rec. 1987–88
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Dennis Chambers, Planet Earth (BHM Productions, 2005)
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The Duke Ellington Orchestra, Music is my Mistress (Musicmasters, 1989)
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Foley, 7 Years Ago ... Directions In Smart-Alec Music (MoJazz, 1993)
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Guru, (Chrysalis, 1995)
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Bobby Hutcherson, Skyline (Verve, 1999)
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Javon Jackson, When The Time Is Right (Blue Note, 1994) - rec. 1993
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Al Jarreau, Tenderness (Reprise, 1994) - live rec. 1993
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Rodney Kendrick, The Secrets of Rodney Kendrick (Verve, 1993)
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Christian McBride, Number Two Express (Verve Records, 1996) - rec. 1995
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John McLaughlin, Five Peace Band Live (Concord Records, 2009) – Grammy won
-
Meshell Ndegeocello, (Universal Music, 2005) – rec. 2003
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Michel Petrucciani, Dreyfus Night in Paris with Marcus Miller, Biréli Lagrène, Lenny White (Dreyfus Jazz, 2003) – live rec. 1994
-
Q-Tip, Kamaal the Abstract (Battery, 2009) – rec. 2001
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Tony Reedus & Urban Relations, People Get Ready (Sweet Basil, 1998)
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Wallace Roney, Intuition (Muse, 1988)
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Philippe Saisse, Masques (Verve Forecast, 1995)
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John Scofield, Works for Me (Verve, 2001) - rec. 2000
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Woody Shaw, Solid (Muse, 1987) – rec. 1986
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Patches Stewart, Blow (Koch, 2005)
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Stephen Scott, The Beautiful Thing (Verve Records, 1997)
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Sting, "The Burning Babe" in If on a Winter's Night... (Deutsche Grammophon, 2009)
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Wayman Tisdale, Power Forward (Motown Records, 1995)
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Steve Turre, Rainbow People (HighNote, 2008)
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Jack Walrath, Master of Suspense (Blue Note, 1987) – rec. 1986–87
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Cedar Walton, Cedar Walton Plays (Delos, 1986) – rec. 1986
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Lenny White, Present Tense (Hip Bop, 1995)
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Larry Willis, My Funny Valentine (Jazz City, 1988)
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Akiko Yano, "てぃんさぐぬ花" in Elephant Hotel (Epic, 1994)
Publications
Awards and nominations
|
| 1996 | | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone | |
| 1997 | | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone | |
| 1997 | | DownBeat Readers Poll | Jazz Album of the Year | Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane |
| 1998 | | Grammy Award | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance | Chick Corea – Remembering Bud Powell |
| 1998 | | Grammy Award | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance | Songbook |
| 1998 | | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone | |
| 1999 | | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone | |
| 2002 | | Grammy Award | Best Jazz Instrumental Album | Roy Haynes – |
| 2007 | | Grammy Award | Best Jazz Instrumental Album | Beyond the Wall |
| 2009 | | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone | |
| 2010 | | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone | |
| 2010 | | Grammy Award | Best Jazz Instrumental Album | Chick Corea & John McLaughlin Five Peace Band – Five Peace Band Live |
| 2012 | | NAACP Image Award | Outstanding Jazz Album | Seeds from the Underground |
| 2012 | | Soul Train Awards | Best Traditional Jazz Artist/Group | Seeds from the Underground |
| 2012 | | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone | |
| 2013 | | Grammy Award | Best Jazz Instrumental Album | Seeds from the Underground |
| 2013 | | Grammy Award | Best Improvised Jazz Solo | "J. Mac" in Seeds from the Underground |
| 2013 | | Echo Jazz | Best International Jazz Saxophone Performance | Seeds from the Underground |
| 2013 | | JJA Jazz Awards | Alto Saxophonist of the Year | |
| 2013 | | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone | |
| 2014 | | Grammy Award | Best Jazz Instrumental Album | Pushing the World Away |
| 2014 | | Soul Train Awards | Best Traditional Jazz Performance | Pushing the World Away |
| 2014 | | DownBeat Critics Poll | Alto Saxophone | |
| 2014 | | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone | |
| 2017 | | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone | |
| 2019 | | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone | |
Chart positions
|
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1989) | 20 | Prisoner of Love |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1990) | 5 | African Exchange Student |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1992) | 6 | Black Hope |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1995) | 22 | Triology |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1996) | 10 | Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1997) | 7 | Songbook |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1999) | 20 | Simply Said |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2002) | 19 | Happy People |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2003) | 11 | Standard of Language |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2006) | 13 | Beyond the Wall |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2008) | 11 | |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2012) | 10 | Seeds from the Underground |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2013) | 6 | Pushing the World Away |
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2016) | 24 | Do Your Dance! |
|
External links
