Lenny White facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lenny White
White at the Oslo Jazz Festival in 2016
Background information
Birth name	Leonard White III
Born	(1949-12-19) December 19, 1949 (age 75) New York City, U.S.
Genres	Jazz fusion, funk
Occupation(s)	Musician, Bandleader, Producer, Professor
Instruments	Drums
Years active	1968–present
Labels	Nemperor, Elektra, Wounded Bird
Associated acts	Return to Forever, Twennynine, Azteca, Jamaica Boys

Leonard "Lenny" White III (born December 19, 1949) is an American jazz fusion drummer who was a member of the band Return to Forever led by Chick Corea in the 1970s. White has been called "one of the founding fathers of jazz fusion". He has won three Grammy awards, two nominations and one Latin Grammy.

His song Algorithm Takedown won Best Song at the Cannes World Film Festival in 2023.

Early life and education

Born in Queens, New York City, White became interested in music at a young age. As a self taught drummer he started off his career playing with groups at the New York jazz scene. While he was living at home, his father would take him to gigs. Early on he played clubs in Queens New York such as Slugs, and The Gold Lounge. It was at The Gold Lounge where he had his first gig with saxophonist Jackie McLean. During the late 1960s he began performing with Mclean around Queens. Through this, White was recommended to play on Miles Davis' landmark 1969 LP and feature on Freddie Hubbard's 1970 LP Red Clay. Within 1972 White joined the jazz group Return to Forever.

Career

White and Stanley Clarke, 1976

In 1975 White released his debut solo album entitled ‘’Venusian Summer,’’which featured guitarists Al DiMeola and fusion guitar pioneer, Larry Coryell. Big City was released in 1977. During 1978 he released his Space opera inspired The Adventures of Astral Pirates and his third solo album Streamline. He eventually formed the jazz/soul group Twennynine who went on to issue three studio albums, 1979's Best of Friends, Twennynine with Lenny White in 1980, and 1981's Just Like Dreamin'.

White then made a guest appearance on Chick Corea's 1982 album Touchstone and produced Chaka Khan's 1982 LP Echoes of an Era. He later released his 1983 album Attitude and co-produced Pieces of a Dream's 1986 LP Joyride. White now teaches at NYU Steinhardt where he has an ensemble.

Personal life

White has been a longtime resident of Teaneck, New Jersey. He endorses Vic Firth drum sticks and only plays his own signature epoch cymbals sponsored by Istanbul Agop.

Awards and honors

Grammy Awards

White has been nominated for five Grammy Awards, of which he has won three.

Cannes World Film Festival 2023

Best Song Winner with Algorithm Takedown

Discography

As leader/co-leader

• Venusian Summer (Nemperor, 1975)
• Big City (Nemperor, 1977)
• The Adventures of Astral Pirates (Elektra, 1978)
• Streamline (Elektra, 1978)
• Best of Friends (Elektra, 1979) - with Twennynine
• Twennynine with Lenny White (Elektra, 1980)
• Just Like Dreamin' (With the Twennynine) (Elektra, 1981) - with Twennynine
• Attitude (Wounded Bird, 1983)
• In Clinic (DCI, 1983)
• Present Tense (Hip Bop, 1995)
• Renderers of Spirit (Hip Bop Essence, 1996)
• Edge (Hip Bop, 1998)
• Collection (Hip Bop, 2002)
• The Love Has Never Gone: Tribute to Earth, Wind & Fire (Trauma, 2004)
• Hancock Island (Chesky, 2008)
• Anomaly (Abstract Logix, 2010)
• Lenny White Live (BFM Jazz, 2013)

As Return to Forever

With Chick Corea, Bill Connors and Stanley Clarke

• Hymn of the Seventh Galaxy (Polydor, 1973)

With Chick Corea, Al Di Meola and Stanley Clarke

• Where Have I Known You Before (Polydor, 1974)
• No Mystery (Polydor, 1975)
• Romantic Warrior (Columbia, 1976)
• Returns (Eagle, 2009)

As Corea, Clarke & White

• Forever (Concord, 2009)

With Chick Corea, Stanley Clarke, Jean-Luc Ponty, Frank Gambale

• The Mothership Returns (Eagle, 2012)

As producer

• Sylvia St. James – Magic (Elektra, 1981)
• Chaka Khan – Echoes of an Era (Elektra, 1982)
• Letizia Gambi - Introducing Letizia Gambi (Jando Music / Via Veneto Jazz, 2012)
• Letizia Gambi - Blue Monday (RP / IYOUWE, 2016)

As sideman

See also

In Spanish: Lenny White para niños