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| Kenny Werner Quintet feat. Randy Brecker, David Sanchez, Scott Colley |
FEATURING:
Kenny Werner, piano
Randy Brecker, trumpet
David Sanchez, tenor saxophone
Scott Colley, bass
Antonio Sanchez, drums |
Kenny Werner was born on November 19, 1951 in Brooklyn, N.Y., U.S.A. At the age of eleven, he recorded a single with a fifteen-piece orchestra and appeared on television playing stride piano. He attended the Manhattan School of Music as a concert piano major. In 1970, he transferred to the Berklee School of Music. In 1977, recorded first LP that featured of the music of Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, James P. Johnson and George Gershwin and later that year with Charles Mingus on Something Like A Bird.
In the early 80's he toured extensively and recorded with Archie Shepp. In 1984 he joined the Mel Lewis Orchestra. He received performance grants from the National Endowment for the Arts in both 1985 and 1987, and was commissioned to compose and conduct a memorial piece for Duke Ellington at St. John of the Divine Church in New York performed by the Manhattan School of Music’s Stage Band and the New York City Choir. Has also written compositions for the Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra, now known as the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra.
In 1981, he formed his first trio with bassist Ratzo Harris and drummer Tom Rainey. Their first trio CD for Sunnyside records was entitled, Ken Werner - Introducing The Trio. They played together for fourteen years. Since 1971, Kenny has also enjoyed a close friendship and musical collaboration with brilliant saxophonist Joe Lovano. Since 1989-served as pianist, arranger and musical director for the noted film, television and Broadway star, Betty Buckley. Starting in the mid-90s, Werner also began collaborating in duo and quartet settings with harmonica superstar Toots Thielemans.
Werner is a prolific composer and bandleader and has made a number of significant recordings in his career. He has recorded extensively for Half Note Records, the in-house record label of the Blue Note Jazz Club, his first release being a 2004 trio recording entitled Peace featuring bassist Johannes Weidenmüller and drummer Ari Hoenig. His 2006 release on Half Note, titled Democracy Now, featured his quintet fronted by David Sanchez and trumpeter Kenny Wheeler. In March, 2008, Werner showcased his chops as an arranger alongside vocalist Roseanna Vitro with their audacious recording, The Delirium Blues Project: Serve Or Suffer, and just this past August 2009, Werner recorded his largest project to date, a wind ensemble piece featuring Joe Lovano and Judi Silvano to be released by Half Note in the coming year.
Werner is also a celebrated educator. His 1996 book Effortless Mastery: Liberating The Master Musician Within has had a major impact on the music world. The book provides aspiring musicians with a series of unique practice techniques that focus on psychological and spiritual aspects of playing music while instilling confidence through positive thinking. Werner currently teaches at NYU and has taught his theories at clinics all over the world.
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