He has been nominated nine times for Grammy Awards and for the American Jazz Hall of Fame.
For over 25 years, Barron taught piano and keyboard harmony at Rutgers University in New Jersey. He has been honored by the National Endowment of the Arts as a Jazz Master. (2009)
Selected recordings:
* Voyage, with Stan Getz, Black-Hawk BKH 511-2
* Piccolo, with the Ron Carter Quartet, Milestone MCD-55004-2
* People Time, with Stan Getz, Verve 314 510 823-2
* Standards, Reservoir RSR CD 126
* It's Time, with Nick Brignola, Reservoir RSR CD 123
* Scratch, Enja CD 4092-07
* The Only One, Reservoir RSR CD 115
* The Moment, Reservoir RSR CD 121
* Live at Maybeck Hall, Concord CCD-4466
* Rhythm-a-ning, a live Kenny Barron-John Hicks Quartet recording, Candid CCD79044
(2) A thorough examination of Kenny Barron's musical accomplishments over a span of 50 years necessitates a discography of more than 200 pages. That's because in addition to a distinguished career as soloist and leader he has served as one of the most dependable sidemen in all of post-bop mainstream modern jazz. More than 40 albums have appeared under his name, and his presence on literally hundreds of recordings by other musicians paints a panoramic picture of Barron's lifelong devotion to the music.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 9, 1943, he took on the piano at the age of 12, with a little help from Ray Bryant's sister, known today as the mother of guitarist Kevin Eubanks. Three years later, on the recommendation of his own big brother, saxophonist Bill Barron (1927-1989), he joined Mel Melvin's rhythm & blues band. The aspiring pianist gained more experience while working with drummer Philly Joe Jones and saxophonist Jimmy Heath, as well as multi-instrumentalist Yusef Lateef in Detroit. Lateef's album The Centaur and the Phoenix (1960) was Barron's first modern jazz recording project -- not as a performer (Joe Zawinul was the pianist on this date) but as composer and arranger.
His recording debut as an improvising artist took place shortly after he moved to New York in 1961 and cut the first of many albums with his brother, who often aligned himself with two graduates of the Charles Mingus Jazz Workshop, trumpeter Ted Curson and saxophonist Booker Ervin. A session in 1962 found Barron working with trumpeter Dave Burns, onetime member of sax and flute man James Moody's exciting bop orchestra. Moody himself played an important role in Barron's career, first hiring him to perform at the Village Vanguard, then bringing him into Dizzy Gillespie's band. Barron stuck with Diz and Moody until 1966, performing at clubs and festivals on both coasts and touring through France and England.
Barron's first great year of independent recording activity was 1967. In addition to co-leading a band with trumpeter Jimmy Owens, the pianist made records with trumpeter Freddie Hubbard and saxophonists Joe Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, Tyrone Washington, Booker Ervin, and Eric Kloss. Barron seldom recorded with anyone just once. His discography is thickly woven with inspiring names that recur with the regularity of intricate and colorful patterns that invite further scrutiny. Examples of artists who made a lot of records with Barron during the '70s are sax and flute men James Moody and Yusef Lateef and bassists Ron Carter and Buster Williams, with people like Earl and Carl Grubbs, Marion Brown, and Marvin "Hannibal" Peterson expanding the range of expression beyond perceived parameters of predictability and accessibility. This healthy combination of freedom and discipline would continue to bear fruit as Barron worked regularly with saxophonists Chico and Von Freeman, John Stubblefield, Nick Brignola, and Stan Getz (with whom he toured extensively during Getz's twilight years). The stylistic range continued to widen as Barron sat in with violinists Michal Urbaniak and John Blake, drummer Elvin Jones, and singing trombonist Ray Anderson.
During the '80s, Kenny Barron composed the score for Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing, appeared on multi-performer tribute albums honoring composers Nino Rota and Thelonious Monk, and became a founding member (with Charlie Rouse, Buster Williams, and Ben Riley) of the definitive Monk legacy band, known as Sphere. The '90s were an equally fruitful period for Barron, and found him working steadily for Verve, releasing such albums as People Time, Other Places, Wanton Spirit, and Night and the City.
By the turn of the century, Barron had established himself as both a piano virtuoso and journeyman artist who moved solo, duo, and large ensemble recordings. In 2000, he released the Grammy-nominated Spirit Song, followed quickly by the release of Freefall, featuring violinist Regina Carter, in 2001. Barron then moved to a quintet setting for 2004's Images. Four years later, he collaborated with West African guitarist Lionel Loueke on Traveler. Vocalist Claire Martin was the next beneficiary of Barron's deft accompanist skills on her album Too Much in Love to Care, in 2012, and in 2014, Barron paired with bassist Dave Holland for the duo album The Art of Conversation. ~ arwulf arwulf, Rovi
Body & Soul
Kenny Barron Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
For you I sigh, for you dear only
Why haven't you seen it
I'm all for you body and soul
I spend my days in longing
And wondering why it's me you're wronging
I tell you I mean it
I can't believe it
It's hard to conceive it
That you'd turn away romance
Are you pretending
It looks like the ending
Unless I could have just one more chance to prove, dear
My life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours for just the taking
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
My life a wreck you're making
You know I'm yours for the very taking
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
The lyrics to Kenny Barron's "Body & Soul" express the deep longing and sadness of a person who is completely devoted to someone else. The singer's heart is sad and lonely, sighing and longing for the object of their affection, the person they are all for, body and soul. They wonder why they are being wronged and express their genuine intention and willingness to surrender themselves to this person.
The lyrics convey a sense of desperation and yearning. The singer can't understand why their love is not reciprocated and finds it hard to believe that this person would turn away from the possibility of a romantic connection. They fear that this may be the end of their relationship unless they are given another chance to prove themselves and their love.
The repetition of the line "My life a wreck you're making" emphasizes the singer's vulnerability and emotional turmoil caused by the unrequited love. It highlights the extent to which they are willing to sacrifice and give themselves over completely to this person.
Overall, "Body & Soul" captures the intensity and depth of unrequited love, the longing and desperation of an individual who is hopelessly devoted to someone who may not feel the same way.
Line by Line Meaning
My heart is sad and lonely
I feel deep sadness and loneliness in my heart
For you I sigh, for you dear only
I yearn and long for you, my beloved, and no one else
Why haven't you seen it
I wonder why you haven't noticed my feelings
I'm all for you body and soul
I am completely devoted to you, with my entire being
I spend my days in longing
Every day is filled with longing and desire
And wondering why it's me you're wronging
I can't comprehend why you're treating me unfairly
I tell you I mean it
I sincerely and honestly express my feelings to you
I'm all for you body and soul
My devotion to you encompasses both my physical and emotional being
I can't believe it
It's difficult for me to accept and understand
It's hard to conceive it
I struggle to imagine and comprehend
That you'd turn away romance
I am surprised that you would reject love and affection
Are you pretending
I question whether you are pretending or not
It looks like the ending
It appears that our relationship is coming to an end
Unless I could have just one more chance to prove, dear
Unless I am given an opportunity to show you, my dear
My life a wreck you're making
You are causing chaos and destruction in my life
You know I'm yours for just the taking
You are fully aware that I am completely available to you
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
I would willingly give up myself entirely to you, both physically and emotionally
My life a wreck you're making
You are causing chaos and destruction in my life
You know I'm yours for the very taking
You are fully aware that I am completely available to you
I'd gladly surrender myself to you body and soul
I would willingly give up myself entirely to you, both physically and emotionally
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Paul Michael Barry, Phil Simpson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ron E
Sanchez really blew this away. Bean would have loved this rendition. They all sounded terrific.
Osvaldo Barco
Que grandes músicos, David Sánchez es uno de mis favoritos, tiene la magia necesaria para conmover a cualquier hora del día a quien quiera escuchar la vibración profunda que emite su tenor
chris hunte
This is one of the best versions of this I’ve heard in a long time
Charles Barry
Great band. One of the best contemporary jazz pianists.
jcbgonzealaise30
Une des plus belles, sinon la plus belle interprétation de Body and Soul que j'ai pu entendre....sans doute David Sanchez y ajoute-t-il une personnalité particulière, mais l'osmose des quatre Darryl, Jonathan et le maître Kenny nous émerveille profondément.....Là encore, la finesse de l'interprétation est impressionnante de simplicité apparente, au point de nous faire presque oublier la difficulté à jouer ce morceau avec.... âme
Pedro Sousa
Beautiful rendition so much body and soul on this!
pnojazz
Live in Marciac, France. Beautiful! The sax player could definitely play in my band. Kenny Barron is still at his peak with luscious chords!
LJ3Music Julien
Mr. Sanchez is a true tenor man. Very underrated master of the saxophone.
marcia toledo
Amazing bass, amazing quartet!
TeeCee Musumba
Incredible playing of a great tune! thank you!