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Kirk
Whalum |
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Listen to & Buy "The Best
of Kirk Whalum"
One of the most exciting memories
of my whole career is standing before a combined
live/video audience of over 12 million people on
stage with Whitney Houston in Johannesburg, South
Africa, playing the very song I honked out on my
horn the first day I brought it home from jr. high,
"Amazing Grace." I'll never forget it. God has a way
of proving His power in some pretty impressive ways"
Smooth Jazz with grace. |
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One has to
speak in superlatives when describing Kirk Whalum. He is
one of the most influential contemporary saxophonist of
his generation.
Highlights in Whalum's career include a Grammy nomination
for his collaboration with Bob James, Joined At The Hip,
Kirk has also captured three No. 1 album slots on the
Billboard Jazz Charts, and has had several albums chart in
the Jazz Top 10. As for his romantic interpretive ability,
his is the standout sax solo on Whitney Houston's
worldwide smash hit "I Will Always Love You." His
trademark saxophone stylings have been heard on stage and
on hundreds of recordings with the preeminent pop, jazz,
R&B and gospel musicians of our time, including Babyface,
Take 6, Nancy Wilson, Kevin Mahogany, George Benson,
Yolanda Adams, Bebe & Cece Winans, Barbra Streisand, Edwin
Hawkins, Rev. Al Green, Luther Vandross and Quincy Jones.
A seasoned veteran of the studio and the road, a catalogue
of Kirk's featured session work would fill a Who's Who of
modern music.
Kirk started on the road that would lead him to jazz
distinction in Memphis, where he played in his father's
church choir. Raised on gospel music, R&B and Memphis
blues. Whalum ultimately discovered jazz during high
school. He received a music scholarship from Texas
Southern University in Houston, where he formed his own
band, playing original compositions on the Texas club
circuit. After opening for Bob James in Houston one night,
Whalum was invited to New York by the pianist to appear on
his album 12. Bob James, in recalling that night, said,
"He [Kirk Whalum] was opening for a concert I played in
Houston. I was actually able to watch part of his
show-unlike most of the time when I don't get to hear the
opening act. I just loved him."
Whalum signed to Columbia shortly thereafter, and released
five albums for the label: Floppy Disk, And You Know
That!, The Promise, Cache and In This Life (three of which
were produced by Bob James). Next came the
Grammy-nominated Joined At The Hip with Bob James in '96
on Warner Bros. Records.
In 1997, Kirk signed with Warner Bros. Records and
released his solo debut for the label and his sixth solo
project, Colors. A most inclusive endeavor, the album paid
tribute to musical and cultural diversity, a theme
reflected in Kirk's association with Hearts Against Racism
& Prejudice (H.A.R.P) for which he serves as president.
Next came his Gospel According to Jazz, Chapter 1 release
which ascended both the gospel and jazz charts, followed
by his monster hit For You, an album that relentlessly
occupied the rarified atmosphere at the top of the jazz
charts, two years after it's release.
Impressive would, indeed, sum up Kirk's career, but if you
asked him, he would simply say, " it's grace."
Source:
www.kirkwhalum.com |
