Frank Kimbrough (November 2, 1956 – December 30, 2020) was an American post-bop jazz pianist. He was born and raised in Roxboro, North Carolina. He did some work at Chapel Hill before moving to Washington, D. C. in 1980 and then New York City in 1981.[1]

His influences included Herbie Nichols, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, Vince Guaraldi, Keith Jarrett, Cecil Taylor, Paul Bley, and Andrew Hill.[1][2][3] After signing with Mapleshade Records, he released his first album, Star-Crossed Lovers, on cassette tape in 1986 and his first CD in 1988. Kimbrough often shifted labels but is mostly affiliated with Palmetto.

In the 1990s he was a member of the Herbie Nichols Project, a repertoire ensemble dedicated to performing both known and undiscovered works by the pianist and composer Herbie Nichols. He also co-founded The Jazz Composers Collective with Allison.

Throughout his career Kimbrough recorded albums with a cast of illuminates in the field of jazz music including Paul Murphy, Joe Locke, Michael Blake Ron Horton and Ted Nash. He also played in the Maria Schneider Jazz Orchestra.

Kimbrough was also a music educator, teaching piano at New York University during the 1990s, and became a professor at the Juilliard School in 2008.[1]

Following Kimbrough's death, Newvelle Records produced a digital tribute album, Kimbrough, in 2021 that featured multiple ensembles covering 58 of his compositions. [4]

Discography

Year recorded Title Label Notes
1986 Star Crossed Lovers Mapleshade
1987 Double Visions Mapleshade Duo with Steve Williams.
1988 Lonely Woman Mapleshade Trio, with Ben Wolfe (bass), Jeff Williams (drums)[5]
1996 Love Is Proximity Soul Note With The Herbie Nichols Project
1997? Chant Igmod Trio, with Ben Allison (bass), Jeff Ballard (drums)[6]
1997 Saturn's Child OmniTone Duo, with Joe Locke (vibraphone)[7]
1997 Noumena Soul Note With Scott Robinson (tenor sax, baritone sax), Ben Monder (guitar), Tony Moreno (drums, percussion); in concert[7]
1998 Quickening OmniTone With Ben Allison (bass), Jeff Ballard (drums); in concert[7]
1999 Dr. Cyclops' Dream Soul Note With The Herbie Nichols Project
2000 The Willow OmniTone With Joe Locke (vibraphone)[7]
2001 Strange City Palmetto With The Herbie Nichols Project
2002 Autumn LoNote Duo with Ron Brendle[8]
2003 Lullabluebye Palmetto With Ben Allison (bass), Matt Wilson (drums)[7]
2005 Play Palmetto With Masa Kamaguchi (bass), Paul Motian (drums)[7]
2007 Air Palmetto [9]
2008 Verrazano Moon OmniTone Duo with Joe Locke[10]
2010 Rumors Palmetto [11]
2012 Live at Kitano Palmetto [12]
2013 Afar ScienSonic Duo with Scott Robinson[13]
2014 Quartet Palmetto With Steve Wilson, Lewis Nash, and Jay Anderson[14][15]
2015 Meantime Newvelle On vinyl[16]
2016 Solstice Pirouet[17] Trio with Jay Anderson, Jeff Hirshfield
2018 Monk's Dreams: The Complete Compositions of Thelonious Sphere Monk Sunnyside Quartet with Rufus Reid, Billy Drummond, Scott Robinson
2021 Ancestors Sunnyside Trio with Kirk Knuffke, Masa Kamaguchi[18]

With Ted Nash

With Maria Schneider

With Ben Allison

With Michael Blake

With Dawn Upshaw and Maria Schneider

With Ryan Truesdell's Gil Evans Project

Literature

References

  1. ^ a b c Russonello, Giovanni (January 12, 2021). "Frank Kimbrough, Pianist With a Subtle Touch, Is Dead at 64". New York Times. Retrieved January 12, 2021.
  2. ^ Freitas, Filipe (September 17, 2019). "Frank Kimbrough Interview, NYC". Jazz Trail. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  3. ^ Marriner, Douglas (January 4, 2021). "Tribute: Frank Kimbrough (1956-2020)". London Jazz News. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  4. ^ Kaplan, Fred (December 15, 2021). "The Best Jazz Albums of 2021". Slate. Retrieved October 24, 2022.
  5. ^ Henderson, Alex. "The Frank Kimbrough Trio: Lonely Woman". AllMusic. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  6. ^ Adler, David R. "Frank Kimbrough: Chant". AllMusic. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  7. ^ a b c d e f Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2008). The Penguin Guide to Jazz Recordings (9th ed.). Penguin. p. 824. ISBN 978-0-141-03401-0.
  8. ^ Nathan, Dave (April 18, 2002). "Ron Brendle/Frank Kimbrough: Autumn". All About Jazz. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  9. ^ Henderson, Alex. "Frank Kimbrough: Air". AllMusic. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  10. ^ "Frank Kimbrough: Verrazano Moon". AllMusic. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  11. ^ Bilawsky, Dan (March 4, 2010). "Frank Kimbrough: Rumors". All About Jazz. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  12. ^ Bilawsky, Dan (October 17, 2012). "Frank Kimbrough Trio: Live At Kitano". All About Jazz. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  13. ^ "Frank Kimbrough / Scott Robinson: Afar". Jazz Music Archives. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  14. ^ "Frank Kimbrough: Quartet". AllMusic. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  15. ^ Bilawsky, Dan (October 1, 2014). "Frank Kimbrough: Quartet". All About Jazz. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  16. ^ "Frank Kimbrough: Meantime". Jazz Music Archives. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
  17. ^ "Frank Kimbrough Solstice". pirouet.de. Retrieved February 16, 2021.
  18. ^ "Frank Kimbrough: Ancestors". jazztimes.com. Retrieved October 12, 2021.

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