“Mr. Barron brings a suave touch, a command of be-bop filigree and a gift for bluesy phrasing to all sorts of material” – The New York Times

One of jazz’s most renowned and lyrical pianists, Kenny Barron has made significant contributions to the jazz world over the course of his five-decades-long career. He has helmed top-drawer bands, collaborated with a mélange of jazz greats, embraced musical challenges and mentored young musicians who have sought him out to develop their artistry.

Barron has been recognized for his jazz legacy by receiving several of the most prestigious awards in the U.S. In 2009, the National Endowment for the Arts announced that he would be a member of the 2010 class of Jazz Masters—the most esteemed prize given to jazz artists by the U.S. government. That same year, Barron was named a Fellow in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and received the Mid Atlantic Living Legacy Award. A multiple-Grammy Award nominee, Barron in 2005 was honored with induction into the American Jazz Hall of Fame and received the MAC Lifetime Achievement Award.

Barron broke into the jazz world most prominently in 1962 as a member of Dizzy Gillespie’s quintet, a gig that continued into 1966. Over the years, Barron also appeared as an invaluable sideman with, among many others, Chet Baker, Ron Carter, Stan Getz, Yusef Lateef, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard and Bobby Hutcherson. Yet it’s his significance as a leader in his own right as well as a composer, arranger and educator extraordinaire that has brought him recognition as a true jazz master.

In 2004, he made his Carnegie Hall debut as a leader, and the next year New York’s Jazz at Lincoln Center hosted a three-week Kenny Barron Festival.

In reflecting on the accolades and his achievements, Barron says, “I don’t think of myself necessarily as an innovator. What I have contributed to jazz is keeping a commitment to the honesty of the music.” He calls his artistic journey a work in progress, noting that he continues to learn: “I feel like I’m still evolving, trying to grow. As I get older, I find that I’m more willing to leave my comfort zone and take chances as an improviser.”

In recent years Barron has piloted a quintet that recorded Images in 2004. The CD was partly based on a composition commissioned by the Wharton Center at Michigan State University and featured a youthful band comprising vibraphonist Stefon Harris, flutist Anne Drummond bassist Kiyoshi Kitagawa and drummer Kim Thompson. Drummond was also featured on Barron’s 2003 musical adventure, Canta Brasil, a CD showcasing a variety of Brazilian music, co-starring the group Trio da Paz.

Kenny's most recent CDs include The Traveler (2008, Universal France) featuring his originals with vocals sung by Gretchen Parlato, Grady Tate and Ann Hampton Calloway and The Perfect Set (Live from Bradleys) featuring his classic trio at the last recording of the now closed famed NYC club.

About the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music: The Brooklyn Conservatory of Music has been serving the community for over a century promoting individual, professional and community growth through music, and making music accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels. One of the ways we fulfill our mission is by holding remarkable live music events at affordable prices. Our commitment to the community and our world-class faculty makes these events a reality.

Please join us for what promises to be an unforgettable Jazz at the Conservatory concert event, and check out the Brooklyn-Queens Conservatory of Music’s other great concerts, programs, classes and much more at www.BQCM.org

Welcome to the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, the oldest community music school in New York and the premier presenter of incredible and affordable concerts!

The Conservatory hosts several excellent concert series each year. These range from Jazz, New Music, Classical, Orchestra, Chorale and Music for Families. The Conservatory has presented incredible musicians such as Taj Mahal, Roy Hargrove, Joe Lovano, Guy Davis, Gramercy Trio, Momenta Quartet, and a plethora of other great talent including the Conservatory's own exceptionally talented, award-winning faculty members.

Founded in 1897, the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music has been serving the New York musical community for over a century. The Conservatory promotes individual and community growth through music, and is committed to making music accessible to people of all ages, backgrounds and skill levels. Through our long-standing commitment to the highest quality in arts education, the Conservatory has the distinction of being one of the oldest and largest community music schools in the nation.