Kenny Werner

by Stacia Proefrock
Born November 19, 1951 in Brooklyn, Kenny Werner got an early start as a pianist. At the age of 11 he recorded a single with a fifteen-piece orchestra and appeared on television playing stride piano. He got an early start at the Manhattan School of Music, attending while still in high school, then becoming a concert piano major upon graduation. He felt the pull of jazz and decided to leave the Manhattan School for the Berklee School of Music in Boston, coming under the influence of two teachers, Madame Chaloff and Ju?o Assis Brasil, both strong pianists who helped him integrate spiritual aspects with strong performances.
His first jazz recording was in 1977, when he released an LP that featured piano solos of the music of Bix Beiderbecke, Duke Ellington, James P. Johnson, and George Gershwin. Soon after that Werner got a plum job when he was invited to record with Charles Mingus on Something Like a Bird. In 1981, he released his first album of original work, Beyond the Forest of Mirkwood. 298 Bridge Street, which was inspired by the sounds surrounding his Brooklyn studio, followed a year later.
The early 80s brought extensive touring, including a tour with Archie Shepp and the Mel Lewis Orchestra. He also performed in duos with Rufus Reid, Ray Drummond and Jaki Byard. His accomplishments were honored by the National Endowment for the Arts, which awarded him two grants in the 80s — in 1985 and 1987, allowing him to present his own music in a concert hall setting at Symphony Space in New York. He also played with Ratzo Harris and Tom Rainey throughout the 80s but the trio wouldnt make their first album until 1988s Introducing the Trio. The band recorded only one more album after that but stayed together until 1995. Another long-term relationship was set up in 1987 when Werner joined the faculty of New School in 1987.
Throughout the 80s and 90s, Werner played with a variety of famed jazz artists, from John Abercrombie and Joe Henderson to Tom Harrell and Chico Freeman. One of his strongest alliances, however, was with Joe Lovano, who he recorded several albums with. He also served as pianist, arranger and musical director for famed Broadway star Betty Buckley. The 90s also brought more recognition from the NEA, which awarded him grants in 1993 and 1995 to produce tribute concerts to Mel Lewis and Duke Ellington.
Werner produced a series of acclaimed records in the 90s, including three albums for the Concord Jazz label, Maybeck Recital Hall Series, Volume 34 and Concord Duo Series, Volume Ten, and Live at Visiones. The albums were all award-winning and helped further Werners commercial success. 1998 brought two new albums, A Delicate Balance, which featured Dave Holland and Jack DeJohnette and Unprotected Music for Double-Time, which was a trio with Marc Johnson and Joey Baron. Both albums showed Werners diverse style, as well as his ability to work as part of a musical team with strong players like Baron. In 2000 he released Beauty Secrets for the RCA label, a gentle yet innovative album that shows the delicacy that Werner was capable of.