Kenny Kirkland

About

Kenny Kirkland made side-player appearances with Miroslav Vitouš, Elvin Jones, John Scofield, Dave Liebman, and others before taking off as the piano powerhouse in influential groups led by Wynton and Branford Marsalis. His spellbinding piano on <i>Think of One</i>, <i>Black Codes (From the Underground)</i>, <i>Scenes in the City</i>, <i>Random Abstract</i>, and other early Marsalis fare—not to mention membership alongside Branford in Sting’s Blue Turtles band and <i>The Tonight Show</i> band—made Kirkland a focal point in what became known as the Young Lions era. <i>Kenny Kirkland</i>, from 1991, is his debut and only album as a leader, but as Branford writes in his liner notes for the 1999 reissue, one year after Kirkland’s untimely death at 43: “All of the volume in the world does not produce songs and interpretations like the ones on this record. Genius, whether it inundates us or skims by, does not show its face very often.” A number of lineups and sonic conceptions coexist on this tremendous one-off of an album. The finest examples of Kirkland’s writing are the waltz “Chance” (the only track to feature bassist Christian McBride, aged 19) and the multilayered keyboard tapestry “Midnight Silence.” “Steepian Faith,” “Mr. J.C.,” and Ornette Coleman’s “When Will the Blues Leave?” feature bassist Charnett Moffett and drummer Jeff “Tain” Watts, the limpid and incendiary <i>Black Codes</i> rhythm section. All have Branford Marsalis on tenor or soprano except the Coleman tune, which has the fiery Roderick Ward on alto. Bud Powell’s “Celia” and the closing “Blasphemy” are multitracked duets with Kirkland on keyboards and Don Alias on percussion. Wayne Shorter’s “Ana Maria” and Thelonious Monk’s “Criss Cross” have a full-fledged Latin jazz rhythm section with Andy Gonzalez on bass, Jerry Gonzalez on congas, and Steve Berrios on drums, revealing another area of Kirkland’s musical interest and passion.

via Apple Music