Saxophonist KENNY GARRETT Receives Critical Acclaim on Latest Album, Seeds From The Underground

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African American, Composer, DL Media, Kenny Garrett, Mack Avenue Records, NAACP Image Award Nomination, Saxophonist

Project Receives a Wide Range of Award Nominations and Press Accolades

Kenny Garrett on the Cover of DownBeat Magazine

2013 GRAMMY® Awards Nominations:
Best Improvised Jazz Solo: “J. Mac”

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

2013 ECHO Jazz Awards Nomination:
International Instrumentalist of the Year

2013 NAACP Image Award Nomination:
Outstanding Jazz Album

2012 Soul Train Award Nomination:
Best Traditional Jazz Artist

2012 DownBeat Readers Poll Winner:
Best Alto Saxophonist

Kenny Garrett -]|[- SEEDS FROM THE UNDERGROUND – [Mack Avenue, 2012 | Review] –

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African American, BENITO GONZÁLEZ, Composer, Kenny Garrett, Nat Reeves, Nedelka Prescod, Ronald Bruner, Rudy Bird, Saxophonist

Kenny Garrett, SEEDS FROM THE UNDERGROUND

Kenny Garrett-]|[- SEEDS FROM THE UNDERGROUND –MP3– [Mack Avenue, 2012 | Review]

“And the ‘seeds’ have been planted, directly or indirectly, by people who have been instrumental in my development.” –Kenny Garrett

It’s time for jazz aficionados to celebrate because monster saxophonist, composer and arranger Kenny Garrett returns with highly anticipated album on Mack Avenue titled “SEEDS FROM THE UNDERGROUND” co-produced by pianist, composer and educator, Donald Brown will be stored in the racks in a record store near you tomorrow.

KENNY GARRETT Returns to ACOUSTIC format with SEEDS FROM THE UNDERGROUND, available APRIL 10 on MACK AVENUE RECORDS

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African American, Jazz, Kenny Garrett, Saxophone

FIRST STUDIO AND ACOUSTIC ALBUM SINCE 2006

Kenny Garrett, Seeds From The Underground

Over the course of a stellar career that has spanned more than 30 years, saxophonist Kenny Garrett has become the preeminent alto saxophonist of his generation. From his first gig with the Duke Ellington Orchestra (led by Mercer Ellington) through his time spent with musicians such as Freddie Hubbard, Woody Shaw, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers and Miles Davis, Garrett has always brought a vigorous yet melodic, and truly distinctive, alto saxophone sound to each musical situation. As a bandleader for the last two decades, he has also continually grown as a composer. With his latest recording (and second for Mack Avenue Records), Seeds From The Underground, Garrett has given notice that these qualities have not only become more impressive, but have provided him with the platform to expand his horizons and communicate his musical vision clearly. Seeds From The Underground is a powerful return to the straight-ahead, acoustic and propulsive quartet format that showcases Garrett’s extraordinary abilities.

LISTEN TO EXCLUSIVE TRACKS FROM
SEEDS FROM THE UNDERGROUND

KENNY GARRETT TO RECEIVE HONORARY DOCTORATE OF MUSIC DEGREE FROM BERKLEE COLLEGE OF MUSIC

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African American, Honorary Doctorate of Music, Jazz, Kenny Garrett, Saxophone

KENNY GARRETT

Mack Avenue Records recording artist Kenny Garrett will be presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Music degree from Berklee College of Music. The presentation will be made at the college’s commencement ceremony, Saturday, May 7, at the 7,000-seat Agganis Arena at Boston University. Additionally, Garrett will serve as the commencement speaker, addressing more than 900 Berklee graduates, their parents, and invited guests. Other musicians to receive an honorary degree with Garrett include: Chucho Valdés, Bebo Valdés, Mavis Staples, and Michael McDonald. “I was totally elated when I was advised that I’d be receiving an Honorary Doctorate from the world’s largest college of contemporary music!” reflects Garrett. “This is a dream come true and I’m deeply appreciative and honored to be a member of this illustrious group of recipients.”

Flux Music [Jazz] Essentials … [Garrett, Return to Forever, Sanchez, Clayton & Jones]

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Antonio Sanchez, Gerald Clayton, Jazz, Kenny Garrett, Return to Forever, Sean Jones

Flux Music Essentials

Greeting’s jazz enthusiasts, it’s a pleasure to be with as we delve deeper into the infinite treasures of music to expand the provocative and youthful voices as we encounter them on this wonderful musical exodus of tantalizing yet satisfying blend of original jazz that’s shaken and stirred to perfection from the shelves of “Flux Music Essentials.”

Kenny Garrett - Simply Said

Kenny Garrett -\\- Simply Said – [Warner Jazz, 1999]

The widest range of stylistic and emotional expression of any recent jazz album – beautiful compositions, played masterfully by superb musicians – what’s not to love? Furthermore, this is one of those rare recordings that is a composition in itself; the order of the tunes is carefully chosen so that each complements the previous, and leads you to the next.

Lots of folks put down this CD for being too “smooth jazzy”. Nothing could be further from the truth.

As a contemporary musician, how can he not be aware of and influenced by R&B and funk? Kenny Garrett played with Miles Davis in a funk/jazz setting, and has appeared with Marcus Miller both live and on record. The history of jazz is intertwined with the history of popular music. Don’t forget that all of the so-called “standards” are just pop tunes from Broadway shows. It’s the performance that counts in jazz, and with Kenny Garrett, you will never hear anything but a superlative performance.

This is one of those few recordings that stand repeated (and repeated!) listening, each time revealing something new. I have owned 5 copies of this CD, I keep having to buy new ones because I give them away to my friends, “You have GOT to hear this!”

I own every one of Kenny Garrett’s CDs (and many more upon which he appears). This is his best recorded effort; and that is surely saying something. If I could give it 100 stars, I would. —Steve Keller /Amazon.com

Flux Music Essentials – [Garrett, Yellowjackets, Wright & Harris … 5/10/2010]

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African American, Jazz, Kenny Garrett, Lizz Wright, Stefon Harris, Yellowjackets

Flux Music Essentials

Greeting’s fellow jazz enthusiasts, as usual thanks so much for dropping by The Urban Flux! As you see, today I’ve added four fabulous recordings from the shelves of “Flux Music Essentials” … peace and blessings, Rob

Kenny Garrett - Songbook

Kenny Garrett | Songbook – [Warner Jazz, 1997]

Although I am merely a 19-year-old, I have spent the last 9 years living, learning, and breathing jazz. About a year ago, I had known who Kenny Garrett was but had not heard any of his music. It was at this point that a friend of mine played me “Songbook”. About a week later, I had this album in my possession.

Ever since I have had this album, I have not been able to stop listening to it.

Each track provides a different ambiance, in such away that alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, along with fellow performers Nat Reeves on bass, Jeff “Tain” Watts on drums, and the late Kenny Kirkland on piano, is trying to tell a story or perhaps bring the listener on a journey.

Kenny Garrett | Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane

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African American, Jazz, John Coltrane, Kenny Garrett, Saxophone

Kenny Garrett | Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane – [Warner Jazz, 1996]

Kenny Garrett - Pursuance: The Music of John Coltrane

Here we have a tribute to John Coltrane from young alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, with support from Pat Metheny on guitar, Rodney Whitaker on bass, and Brian Blade on drums. Ten of the 11 songs on Pursuance are Coltrane compositions (surprisingly, “Naima” is not included), plus there is one original composition attributed to the quartet. Although his recordings with his own group might lead one to assume otherwise, Metheny really shines when accompanying saxophonists (his recordings with Gary Thomas and Josh Redman are both excellent), and his guitar really adds to the musical tapestry woven by this tight group.

Kenny Garrett | Songbook

Tags

African American, Jazz, Kenny Garrett, Saxophone

In the early nineties, I had the pleasure to see the talented virtuoso and saxophonist Kenny Garrett perform at a local jazz festival nettled in the mountains of western North Carolina. The noble journeymen Kirkland, Reeves, & Watts performed with him as they also appear on this amazing project titled “Songbook.” Perhaps, much like on “Songbook,” Garrett’s gutty and definitive sound was punctuality numbing as if Coltrane where playing the set. The interplay by his cohorts was simply splendid that evening as their cohesiveness transcended into a transparent state as they enveloped a stage presence that exalted passion and unyielding conviction. In the meantime, this ensemble performance emboss a profound impression of what great jazz is really all about in the heart, mind and spirit of the concert goers that evening. ~ The Urban Flux

Kenny Garrett | Songbook – [ Warner Bros/WEA, 1997]

Kenny Garrett, Songbook

Although I am merely a 19-year-old, I have spent the last 9 years living, learning, and breathing jazz. About a year ago, I had known who Kenny Garrett was but had not heard any of his music. It was at this point that a friend of mine played me “Songbook“. About a week later, I had this album in my possession.

Ever since I have had this album, I have not been able to stop listening to it.

Each track provides a different ambiance, in such away that alto saxophonist Kenny Garrett, along with fellow performers Nat Reeves on bass, Jeff “Tain” Watts on drums, and the late Kenny Kirkland on piano, is trying to tell a story or perhaps bring the listener on a journey.

Every solo taken by both Garrett and Kirkland is captivating, both with Kirkland’s more mainstream, and Garrett’s eastern influences evident at parts.

The tunes on “Songbook“, all of which are Garrett originals, each possess their own unique feel and characteristics, everything from A funk tune, to syncopated swing, to eastern-influence, to a modified blues, to ballads.

This album clearly deserves 5 stars! There are no flaws in any part of the recording; clearly the former Miles Davis saxophone player’s best work!!! —Adam Janjigian, 2002

Source: Amazon.com

Kenny Garrett w/ Marcus Miller | Maputo

Tags

African American, Contemporary Jazz, Kenny Garrett

The Urban Flux is kicking  off the new year with one of the most talented saxophonist in the world of jazz Kenny Garrett. He performs on the “Video of The Week.” This session includes Marcus Miller – Bass Clarinet, Michael “Patches” Stewart – Trumpet, Hiram Bullock – Guitar, Dave Delhomme – Keys and Poogie Bell on Drums.

Kenny Garrett w/ Marcus Miller | Maputo (Kenny’s Solo)