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Cyrus Chestnut

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."

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). Chestnut began learning the piano at the age of seven, and in his boyhood played at Mount Calvary Baptist Church. By the age of nine, he was studying classical music at the Peabody Institute. In 1985, Chestnut earned a degree in jazz composition and arranging from Boston's Berklee College of Music.

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." Chestnut's own "Mason–Dixon Line" is one of the album's high points, a joyful bebop number.

Discography

As leader/co-leader

As sideman

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 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 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

  • ' (MusicMasters, 1994)
  • Don't Let It Go (MusicMasters, 1995)
  • Days of Wine and Roses (MusicMasters, 1996)
  • The Uptown Shuffle (Smoke Session, 2014)
  • Hard Times (Smoke Sessions, 2017)

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 Wynton Marsalis

With George Mraz

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

With Jimmy Scott

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

With Jae Sinnett

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

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 Dave Young

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

With others

Compilations

References

External links