Cyrus Chestnut


Cyrus Chestnut 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, son of McDonald and Flossie. Chestnut started learning 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.

Later life and career

In 2006 Chestnut released his first album on Telarc International Records, entitled Genuine Chestnut. 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

As sideman

With Gerald Albright
With Carl Allen
With Carl Allen & Rodney Whitaker
With Tiffany Austin
With Gary Bartz
With Kathleen Battle
With Alexander Berenson
With Dee Dee Bridgewater
With Jeri Brown
  • Fresh Start
With Ronnie Burrage
  • Shuttle
With Ann Hampton Callaway
  • To Ella with Love
With Betty Carter
  • It's Not About the Melody
With James Carter
  • In Carterian Fashion
  • Gold Sounds
With Michael Carvin
  • Between Me and You
  • Revelation
With Freddy Cole
With Carla Cook
With Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet
  • The Juliet Letters
With Dee Daniels
  • State of the Art
  • Intimate Conversations
With Michael Dease
  • Grace
With Dr. John and the Donald Harrison Band
  • Funky New Orleans
With Cynthia Felton
With The Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band
  • I'm BeBoppin' Too
With Jimmy Greene
  • Beautiful Life
With Mark Gross
  • Blackside
With Roy Hargrove
  • With the Tenors of Our Time
With Donald Harrison
  • Full Circle
  • For Art's Sake
  • Indian Blues
  • Big Chief
With Vincent Herring
With Laird Jackson
With Denise Jannah
With George Kawaguchi
With The Keystone Quartet
With Kevin Mahogany
With Wynton Marsalis
With Christian McBride
With Bette Midler
With Charnett Moffett
With George Mraz
With Roy Nathanson
With Marilyn Scott
With Chiara Pancaldi
  • I walk a Little Faster
With Madeleine Peyroux
  • Dreamland
With Morris Robinson
  • Going Home
With Jackie Ryan
  • Doozy
With Ameen Saleem
  • The Groove Lab
With Andy Scott
  • Angels
With Jimmy Scott
  • Mood Indigo
  • Moon Glow
With Marilyn Scott
  • Every Time We Say Goodbye
With Bud Shank
With Jae Sinnett
  • Blue Jae
  • House and Sinnett
  • Listen
With Billy Taylor
  • Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center'
With Joris Teepe and The Don Braden Quintet
  • Pay As You Earn
With Tim Warfield
  • Cool Blue
  • A Whisper in the Midnight
  • Gentle Warrior
  • Jazz Is
  • Eye of the Beholder
With Sadao Watanabe
  • Remembrance
With Kim Waters
  • Tribute
With Rodney Whitaker
  • Children of the Light
With Phil Wilson's Rainbow Band
  • Latin American Tour
With Steve Wilson
  • Step Lively
With Joh Yamada
  • Bluestone
With Dave Young'