Kenny Barron facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kenny Barron
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Barron at the Oslo Jazzfestival 2018
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| Background information | |
| Born | June 9, 1943 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer |
| Instruments | Piano |
| Years active | 1960s–present |
Kenny Barron (born June 9, 1943) is a famous American jazz pianist. He has played on many recordings, both leading his own groups and playing with other musicians. Many people think he is one of the most important jazz pianists since the bebop style of jazz.
Early Life
Kenny Barron was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He had four brothers and sisters. His older brother, Bill Barron, was also a jazz musician who played the tenor saxophone.
Kenny started playing music at a young age. When he was 15, he played with Mel Melvin's orchestra for a short time. In 1959, while still in school, he performed locally with saxophonist Jimmy Heath. He also played a show with Yusef Lateef just before finishing high school.
Music Career
After graduating, Kenny Barron went on a week-long tour with Yusef Lateef. To help his music career grow, Barron moved to New York City in 1961. He quickly found a regular spot in saxophonist James Moody's band.
In the same year, he also played briefly with bands led by Lou Donaldson, Roy Haynes, and Lee Morgan. From 1962 to 1966, Barron joined Dizzy Gillespie's band and toured around the world. He was also briefly part of the Jazztet around 1962.
After leaving Gillespie's band, Barron played with Stanley Turrentine. Then, he spent three years performing with Freddie Hubbard. In 1970, he worked as an accompanist and arranger for singer Esther Marrow. After that, he returned to play with Yusef Lateef for almost five years.
Kenny Barron also went to college. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1978 from Empire State College in New York City. He also helped lead two music groups called Sphere and the Classical Jazz Quartet.
Between 1986 and 1991, Barron recorded several albums with the famous musician Stan Getz. Some of these albums include Voyage (1986) and People Time: The Complete Recordings (1991).
Awards and Teaching
Kenny Barron has been nominated nine times for Grammy Awards. He has also been nominated for the American Jazz Hall of Fame. In 2009, he was chosen as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
In May 2010, Barron received an honorary doctorate degree in music from Berklee College of Music. This was a special award given to him for his achievements in music.
For over 25 years, Barron taught piano at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Now, he teaches at the Juilliard School of Music, which is a very famous music school. Some of his former piano students include Earl MacDonald and Aaron Parks.
In 2022, Kenny Barron was honored by being elected into the DownBeat Jazz Hall of Fame. This shows how important he is in the world of jazz music.
Images for kids
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Barron in 1986
See also
In Spanish: Kenny Barron para niños
