Cyrus_Chestnut

Cyrus Chestnut

Cyrus Chestnut

American jazz pianist and composer

Cyrus Chestnut (born January 17, 1963) is an American jazz pianist, composer and producer. In 2006, Josh Tyrangiel, music critic for Time, wrote: "What makes Chestnut the best jazz pianist of his generation is a willingness to abandon notes and play space."[1]

Quick Facts Background information, Born ...

Early life

Cyrus Chestnut was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1963, the son of McDonald (a retired post-office employee and church pianist) and Flossie (a city social services worker and church choir director).[2] Chestnut began learning the piano at the age of seven, and in his boyhood played at Mount Calvary Baptist Church.[2] By the age of nine,[3] he was studying classical music at the Peabody Institute.[2] In 1985, Chestnut earned a degree in jazz composition and arranging from Boston's Berklee College of Music.[4]

Jazz career

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Chestnut worked with Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, and other bandleaders. He joined the band of jazz vocalist Betty Carter in the early 1990s and appeared on her 1992 album It's Not About the Melody. That same year, he recorded his first albums as a bandleader, The Nutman Speaks and Nut. Chesnut has continued to work and record as a bandleader into the 21st century.

In 2006, Telarc released Genuine Chestnut, his first album for the label. On it he is accompanied by his regular trio of Michael Hawkins, bass and Neal Smith, drums. Additional artists on this session include Russell Malone, guitar and Steven Kroon, percussion. It includes jazz interpretations of some well-known pop numbers of the past half-century, including "If", the early 1970s soft-rock ballad by Bread. "This song has been with me ever since the sixth grade," Chestnut recalled, "I had to play it for my English teacher's wedding. I've played it in many and various contexts. I actually played it in a Top 40 band when I was just out of school. A lot of time has passed, but then recently I just started thinking about it again."[5] Chestnut's own "Mason–Dixon Line" is one of the album's high points, a joyful bebop number.[6]

Discography

As leader

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As sideman

With Gerald Albright

With Carl Allen

With Carl Allen & Rodney Whitaker

With Tiffany Austin

  • Unbroken (Con Alma, 2018)

With Gary Bartz

  • The Blues Chronicles: Tales of Life (Atlantic, 1996)

With Kathleen Battle

  • So Many Stars (Sony, 1995)

With Alexander Berenson

  • Take Me With You (Butman Music, 2010)

With Dee Dee Bridgewater

With Jeri Brown

  • Fresh Start (Justin Time, 1996)

With Ronnie Burrage

  • Shuttle (Sound Hills, 1993)

With Ann Hampton Callaway

  • To Ella with Love (Sin-Drome Records, 1996)

With Betty Carter

With James Carter

With Michael Carvin

  • Between Me and You (Muse, 1989)
  • Revelation (Muse, 1991)

With Freddy Cole

  • Always (Fantasy, 1995)
  • A Circle of Love (Fantasy, 1996)
  • To The Ends of the Earth (Fantasy, 1997)
  • Le Grand Freddy (Fantasy, 1999)

With Carla Cook

  • It's All About Love (MaxJazz, 1999)
  • Dem Bones (MaxJazz, 2001)
  • Simply Natural (MaxJazz, 2002)

With Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet

With Dee Daniels

  • State of the Art (Criss Cross, 2013)
  • Intimate Conversations (Origin, 2014)

With Michael Dease

  • Grace (Jazz Legacy, 2010)

With Dr. John and the Donald Harrison Band

  • Funky New Orleans (Metro, 2000)

With Cynthia Felton

  • Afro Blue: The Music of Oscar Brown Jr. (CD Baby, 2012)
  • Freedom Jazz Dance (CD Baby, 2012)
  • Save Your Love For Me (CD Baby, 2014)

With The Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band

  • I'm BeBoppin' Too (Half Note, 2009)

With Jimmy Greene

With Mark Gross

  • Blackside (Jazz Legacy, 2012)

With Roy Hargrove

With Donald Harrison

  • Full Circle (Sweet Basil, 1990)
  • For Art's Sake (Candid, 1991)
  • Indian Blues (Candid, 1995)
  • Big Chief (Past Perfect, 2002)

With Vincent Herring

With Laird Jackson

  • Quiet Flame (Venus, 2016)

With Denise Jannah

  • I Was Born In Love With You (Blue Note, 1995)
  • A Heart Full of Music (Timeless, 2000)

With George Kawaguchi

  • Between Me and You (Muse, 1989)
  • Revelation (Muse, 1991)
  • Plays Herbie Hancock (King Japan, 2004)

With The Keystone Quartet

  • A Love Story (32 Jazz, 2000)

With Kevin Mahogany

With Wynton Marsalis

With Christian McBride

With Bette Midler

With Charnett Moffett

  • Music from Our Soul (Motéma Music, 2017)

With George Mraz

  • Bottom Lines (Milestone, 1997)
  • Duke's Place (Milestone, 1999)

With Roy Nathanson

  • Fire at Keaton's Bar & Grill (Six Degrees, 2000)

With Chiara Pancaldi

  • I Walk a Little Faster (Challenge Records, 2015)

With Madeleine Peyroux

With Morris Robinson

  • Going Home (Decca, 2007)

With Jackie Ryan

  • Doozy (Open Arts, 2008)

With Ameen Saleem

  • The Groove Lab (Jando Music, 2013)

With Andy Scott

  • Angels (Jazz Legacy, 2015)

With Jimmy Scott

  • Mood Indigo (Milestone, 2000)
  • Moon Glow (Milestone, 2003)

With Marilyn Scott

  • Every Time We Say Goodbye (Venus, 2008)

With Bud Shank

  • By Request: Bud Shank Meets the Rhythm Section (Milestone, 1997)

With Jae Sinnett

  • Blue Jae (Valley Vue, 1992)
  • House and Sinnett (Positive Music, 1994)
  • Listen (Heart Music, 1997)

With Billy Taylor

  • Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center (Kennedy Center, 2005)

With Joris Teepe and The Don Braden Quintet

  • Pay As You Earn (Mons, 1995)

With Tim Warfield

  • Cool Blue (Criss Cross, 1995)
  • A Whisper in the Midnight (Criss Cross, 1996)
  • Gentle Warrior (Criss Cross, 1998)
  • Jazz Is (Criss Cross, 2002)
  • Eye of the Beholder (Criss Cross, 2013)

With Sadao Watanabe

  • Remembrance (Verve, 1999)

With Kim Waters

  • Tribute (Warlock, 1992)

With Rodney Whitaker

  • Children of the Light (Koch, 1996)

With Phil Wilson's Rainbow Band

  • Latin American Tour (Shiah, 1985)

With Steve Wilson

  • Step Lively (Criss Cross, 1995)

With Joh Yamada

  • Bluestone (Milestone, 1999)

With Dave Young

  • Two by Two, Volume Two (Justin Time, 1996)
  • Side by Side (Justin Time, 1996)

Compilations

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References

  1. [1]
    Tyrangiel, Josh (March 19, 2006). "Music: 5 Great New Albums". Time.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2006. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  2. [2]
    Leonard Feather, Ira Gitler (April 1, 2007). The Biographical Encyclopedia of Jazz. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-988640-1.
  3. [3]
    "Biography", Cyrus Chestnut website.
  4. [4]
    Prominent Berklee Alumni at the Wayback Machine (archived August 21, 2007)
  5. [5]
    "Concord Music Group". Telarc.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
  6. [6]
    "Genuine Chestnut by Cyrus Chestnut". Artistdirect.com. February 28, 2006. Retrieved May 22, 2015.
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