Kenny Burrell

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Kenny Burrell
Kenny Burrell, 1977.jpg
Kenny Burrell in Buffalo, New York, 1977
Background information
Birth name Kenneth Earl Burrell
Born (1931-07-31) July 31, 1931 (age 81)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres Bebop, cool jazz
Occupations Guitarist
Instruments Guitar, banjo, vocals
Years active 1951–present
Labels Blue Note, Prestige, Verve, Fantasy. Fortune Records

Kenneth Earl "Kenny" Burrell (born July 31, 1931)[1] is an African American jazz guitarist. His playing is grounded in bebop and blues; he has performed and recorded with a wide range of jazz musicians.

Contents

Biography [edit]

Burrell was born in Detroit, Michigan to a musical family and began playing guitar at the age of 12. Guitarists who influenced him include Charlie Christian, Django Reinhardt, and Wes Montgomery. While a student at Wayne State University, he made his debut recording as a member of Dizzy Gillespie's sextet in 1951, following which he recorded the "Ground Round" single at Fortune Records in Detroit. He toured with Oscar Peterson after graduating in 1955 and then moved to New York City in 1956.[1]

A consummate sideman, Burrell has recorded with a wide range of prominent musicians. He has also led his own groups since 1951 and recorded many well-received albums.[1]

In the 1970s he began leading seminars about music, particularly Duke Ellington's. Although the two never collaborated directly, Ellington called Burrell his "favorite guitarist," and Burrell has recorded a number of tributes to and interpretations of Ellington's works.[2]

A highly popular performer, he has won several jazz polls in Japan and the United Kingdom as well as the United States. He has recorded around 106 albums, including Midnight Blue (1963), Blue Lights, Guitar Forms, Sunup To Sundown (1990), Soft Winds (1993), Then Along Came Kenny (1993), and Lotus Blossom (1995).

As of 1996, Burrell has served as Director of Jazz Studies at UCLA, mentoring such notable alumni as Gretchen Parlato and Kalil Wilson.[3] Burrell teaches a course titled "Ellingtonia", examining the life and accomplishments of Duke Ellington.

Discography [edit]

As leader [edit]

Compilations [edit]

As sideman [edit]

With Gene Ammons

With Paul Chambers

With Bill Evans

With Red Garland

With Terry Gibbs

With Dizzy Gillespie

With Coleman Hawkins

With Eddie Harris

With Johnny Hartman

With Jimmy Heath

With Milt Jackson

With Willis Jackson

With Illinois Jacquet

With John Jenkins

With Thad Jones

With Wynton Kelly

With Yusef Lateef

With Hubert Laws

With Jack McDuff

With The Prestige All Stars

With Ike Quebec

With Freddie Roach

With Sonny Rollins

With Charlie Rouse

With Lalo Schifrin

With Jimmy Smith

With Stanley Turrentine

With Randy Weston

With Kai Winding

With Jimmy Witherspoon

References [edit]

  1. ^ a b c Allmusic Biography
  2. ^ "KENNY BURRELL, 1999". 
  3. ^ "UCLA Ellington Sacred Music Concert". UCLA Department of Jazz. Retrieved 2010-02-24. [dead link]

External links [edit]

Authority control
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