Kenny Garrett

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. His primary instruments are alto 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 Orchestra, 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. In the year, he became the founding member of Out of the Blue which was produced by Blue Note Records. In 1986, Garrett became a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.

Garrett signed to the Warner Bros. Records label, and beginning with Black Hope in 1992, he recorded eight albums for them. His music sometimes exhibits Asian influences, an aspect which is especially prevalent in his 2006 Grammy-nominated recording Beyond the Wall.

Garrett joined the "Five Peace Band" of Chick Corea, John McLaughlin, Christian McBride and Brian Blade/Vinnie Colaiuta around 2008. The CD Five Peace Band – Live won a Grammy Award in 2010.

In 2011, Garrett was presented with an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts. Garrett also was the Commencement Speaker for graduates.

In 2012, Garrett received a Soul Train Award nomination for his 2012 studio album Seeds from the Underground in the Best Traditional Jazz Artist/Group category. Also in 2012, Grammy nominations for Seeds from the Underground followed in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Improvised Jazz Solo categories, and Seeds From The Underground received an NAACP Image Award nomination in the Outstanding Jazz Album category. In 2013, Garrett won an Echo Award in the Saxophonist of the Year category.

Kenny Garrett's Pushing the World Away album received a Grammy nomination in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category in 2013. He followed with Do Your Dance! (2016), Sounds from the Ancestors (2021) and released his first electronic album, Who Killed AI? (2024), in collaboration with electronic producer/instrumentalist Svoy.

Honors

2011: Honorary Doctorate of Music from Berklee College of Music, Commencement Speaker.
2023: NEA Jazz Masters Fellowship
2023: Chevalier de l'ordre des Arts et des Lettres, Ministère de la Culture, République de France https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ordre_des_Arts_et_des_Lettres

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
Prisoner of Love (Atlantic, 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, 2006)
Sketches of MD: Live at the Iridium (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

Dreamboat (Timeless, 1990) with Roy Hargrove, Donald Brown, Ira Coleman, Carl Allen – recorded in 1989

General Music Project (G. M. Project)
Co-leader with Charnett Moffett

General Music Project (Evidence, 1997) with Charles Moffett and Geri Allen
Blacker (Sweet Basil, 1997) with Charles Moffett and Cyrus Chestnut
General Music Project II (Evidence, 1998) with the same musicians
Mr. J.P. (VideoArts, 2001) with Louis Hayes and Carlos McKinney

As sideman

Publications

The Kenny Garrett Collection. Artist Transcriptions. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States: Hal Leonard Corp. 2004.
Kenny Garrett. Jazz Play-Along. Vol. 153. Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States: Hal Leonard Corp. 2016.