| Kenny Garrett | |
| Background: | non_vocal_instrumentalist |
| Birth Date: | October 9, 1960 |
| Birth Place: | Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Occupations: | Musician |
| Years Active: | 1978–present |
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.
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.[1] [2]
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.[3] In 1986, Garrett became a member of Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers.
He signed to the Warner Bros. Records label, and beginning with Black Hope, in 1992, he recorded eight albums for them. Garrett's music sometimes exhibits Asian influences, an aspect which is especially prevalent in his 2006 Grammy-nominated recording Beyond the Wall.[4]
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.[5]
In 2011, Garrett was presented with an Honorary Doctorate in Music from Berklee College of Music, Boston, Massachusetts.[6] Garrett also was the Commencement Speaker for graduates.[6]
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.[7] Also in 2012, Grammy nominations for Seeds from the Underground followed in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album and Best Improvised Jazz Solo categories,[5] and Seeds From The Underground received a NAACP Image Award nomination in the Outstanding Jazz Album category.[8] In 2013, Garrett won an Echo Award in the Saxophonist of the Year category.[9]
Kenny Garrett’s Pushing the World Away album received a Grammy nomination in the Best Jazz Instrumental Album category in 2013.[10] 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.[11]
Garrett was described as "The most important alto saxophonist of his generation" by the Washington City Paper[13] and "One of the most admired alto saxophonists in jazz after Charlie Parker" by The New York Times.[14]
Compilations
Manhattan projects
General Music Project (G. M. Project)
Co-leader with Charnett Moffett
With Donald Byrd
With Chick Corea
With Miles Davis
With Roy Haynes
With Freddie Hubbard
With Marcus Miller
With Mulgrew Miller
With Charnett Moffett
With Woody Shaw
With Mike Stern
With Jeff "Tain" Watts
With others
| Year | Result | Award | Category | Work | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone[15] | |||
| 1997 | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone[16] | |||
| 1997 | DownBeat Readers Poll | Jazz Album of the Year | Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane | ||
| 1998 | Grammy Award | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance[17] | Chick Corea – Remembering Bud Powell | ||
| 1998 | 40th Annual Grammy Awards | Grammy Award | Best Jazz Instrumental Performance | Songbook | |
| 1998 | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone[18] | |||
| 1999 | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone[19] | |||
| 2002 | Grammy Award | Best Jazz Instrumental Album | Roy Haynes – Birds of a Feather: A Tribute to Charlie Parker | ||
| 2007 | Grammy Award | Best Jazz Instrumental Album[20] | Beyond the Wall | ||
| 2009 | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone[21] | |||
| 2010 | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone[22] | |||
| 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[23] | |||
| 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 Award | Best International Jazz Saxophone Performance | Seeds from the Underground | ||
| 2013 | JJA Jazz Awards | Alto Saxophonist of the Year[24] | |||
| 2013 | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone[25] | |||
| 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[26] | |||
| 2019 | DownBeat Readers Poll | Alto Saxophone[27] |
| Chart | Peak position | Work |
|---|---|---|
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1989)[28] | 20 | Prisoner of Love |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1990)[29] | 5 | African Exchange Student |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1992)[30] | 6 | Black Hope |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1995)[31] | 22 | Triology |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1996)[32] | 10 | Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1997)[33] | 7 | Songbook |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (1999)[34] | 20 | Simply Said |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2002)[35] | 19 | Happy People |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2003)[36] | 11 | Standard of Language |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2006)[37] | 13 | Beyond the Wall |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2008)[38] | 11 | Sketches of MD: Live at the Iridium |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2012)[39] | 10 | Seeds from the Underground |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2013)[40] | 6 | Pushing the World Away |
| Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2016)[41] | 24 | Do Your Dance! |