Kenny Kirkland

Born: September 28, 1955

Beginning his career as a teacher of classical music, Kenny Kirkland next became a jazz musician. Later he emerged from his jazz chrysalis as a practitioner of exotic pop/rock music and finally shed his wings to follow the mundane but financially more stable profession of studio musician. Kirkland was an associate of Wynton Marsalis, it is not surprising therefore that the five years Kirkland spent working for him (1981-85) should have been such a powerful influence on him. He was born Kenneth David Kirkland in Brooklyn, New York, on 28 September, 1955, and took up piano at the age of six. The enthusiasm and urgency Kirkland applied to his piano lessons at such an early age, confirmed that his life was to be devoted to music, "although it wasn't until I was 13 that it actually caught on for me," he remembered

Take Five with Pianist Irving Flores

by AAJ Staff
August 10, 2025

Meet Irving Flores From his early beginnings as a child prodigy leading Orchestra Tamalipas to victory at the tender age of ten, to becoming a nationally treasured artist in Mexico, Irving's journey has been nothing short of legendary. Now based in San Diego, California, Irving continues to push musical boundaries and innovate within the jazz genre, ...

Dominick Farinacci & Friends / Taylor Eigisti & Christian Tamburr Celebrate Chick Corea and Gary Burton at Tri-C JazzFest 2025

by John Chacona
July 18, 2025

Dominick Farinacci and Friends Taylor Eigsti and Christian Tamburr Celebrate Chick Corea and Gary BurtonMimi Ohio Theatre Tri-C JazzFest Cleveland, OH June 28, 2025 Afternoon presentations at multi-day jazz festivals tend to be low key--and often low-pressure--events. So it was on the final afternoon of the two-day Tri-C JazzFest. ...

Mitch Towne: Refuge

by Kyle Simpler
June 19, 2025

After organ trios came to prominence during the 1950s, jazz groove has never been the same. Performers like Jack McDuff, Jimmy McGriff, and most notably Jimmy Smith introduced a new level of soul to jazz music. With Refuge, organist Mitch Towne makes a compelling debut as a leader, adding his name to a who's who of ...

Kenny Garrett Speaks Through The Soul of His Jazz

by Dean Nardi
February 10, 2025

Mental bungee-jumping may not be their sport of choice, but a cerebral ledge exists that sooner or later every jazz musician must leap off. One day, ready or not, tuning up or shaking down their instrument, they will glance in a mirror, hug a pregnant mother-to-be, second-line a funeral, walk in the deepest, dark woods, chance ...

Branford Marsalis Quartet at The Triple Door

by Paul Rauch
December 13, 2024

Branford Marsalis Quartet The Triple Door Seattle, WA December 7, 2024 Gone are the days when the Branford Marsalis Quartet would take residence at Seattle's iconic Jazz Alley, and play nine sets over six nights--a true high point of the annual jazz calendar in the Emerald City. Of course Marsalis is ...

Philippe Vieux

Born: January 17, 1972

The musicianship of Philippe Vieux has touched and impressed audiences and peers worldwide for over four decades, while spanning five continents.  A native of San Francisco:  he is a composer/producer, multi award winning recording artist and educator.

Starting on piano at the age of three, Philippe diligently studied music; expanding into theoretical harmony and experimentation in composition and arrangement.   By 1990, Vieux had truly found his own voice and begun to win the respect of his musical elders.  While still in high school, he placed a concentration on the saxophone and began studying composition, while simultaneously staying active by playing in orchestras and jazz groups.

Miki Yamanaka: Chance

by Pierre Giroux
November 6, 2024

Miki Yamanaka's release Chance reflects her depth as a pianist and an interpreter of material from the jazz playbook. Complementing her nuanced lyrical touch with sensitive interplay is her working rhythm section featuring bassist Tyrone Allen and drummer Jimmy Macbride. The album's mix of jazz standards and tunes from the Great American Songbook, alongside work from ...

Detroit Jazz Festival 2024: The Year of Alice

by Paul Rauch
September 12, 2024

Detroit Jazz Festival 2024 Hart Plaza & Campus Martius Detroit, MI August 30-September 2, 2024 An annual pilgrimage to the Detroit Jazz Festival allows a jazz fan, or in this case, a jazz journalist, to reset to an internal default setting for what this music means to us on a very ...

Washington D.c. Based Jazz Pianist Geoffrey Dean Releases His New Quartet Album 'Foundations' Featuring Harish Raghavan, Justin Copeland, Eric Binder

March 8, 2024

Dr. Geoffrey Dean is a jazz pianist, composer, author and educator currently performing in the Washington D.C. area. Dean has recorded and performed with notable jazz musicians across the globe including Terell Stafford, Steve Turre, Greg Tardy, and many others. Dr. Dean recently published an educational book on jazz harmony titled Kenny Kirkland's Harmonic and Rhythmic ...