Kenny Barron at Kumble Theater
Photo by Greg Cristman

jazz pianist Kenny Barron played Kimble Theater (pics, review)

Jazz maestro Kenny Barron, the 11-time Grammy nominee, American Jazz Hall of Fame inductee and virtuoso pianist, had a solo performance on Saturday (2/24) at Brooklyn’s Kumble Theater. Barron’s vast talent and deserved reputation was certainly on display in Brooklyn. His repertoire is vast and having over 40 albums under his own name and a couple hundred as a sideman, Barron has a lot of material and experience from which to draw.  Over the course of an uninterrupted 80-minute set he performed not only original material, but songs written by Thelonious Monk, Freddie Hubbard, Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn and others.

At 74 years old Barron has lost none of his touch and the audience was captivated with his elegant playing and beautiful melodies.  He told the crowd he liked performing such a short distance from his home and commented how nice it was to take a brief 15-minute subway trip to get to the gig.  He also recalled memories of old Brooklyn and a favorite record store from his era. When that trip down memory lane got vocal replies from the crowd, Barron noted that there were “some old people in the house.”

While I will readily admit 80 minutes of solo piano can get a bit daunting and not nearly as dynamic as a band setting, Barron mixed up the tempo and pace of the set and managed to keep it interesting throughout.  If you want to see one of the greatest mainstream jazz pianists since the start of the be-bop era you need look no farther then Kenny Barron. Pictures from the night are in the gallery above.

photos and review by Greg Cristman