Kirkland "Kirk" Lightsey is an American jazz pianist.

Biography

Lightsey had piano instruction from the age of five and studied piano and clarinet through high school. After serving in the army, Lightsey worked in Detroit and California in the 1960s as an accompanist to singers. He also worked with jazz musicians such as Yusef Lateef, Betty Carter, Pharoah Sanders, Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Stitt, Chet Baker, and Kenny Burrell. From 1979 to 1983 he toured with Dexter Gordon and was a member of The Leaders in the late 1980s. During the 1980s he led several sessions of his own, including duets with pianist Harold Danko.

He is also an accomplished flutist and occasionally doubles on flute in live performances. He has been living in Paris since 2000.

Discography

As leader

• Habiba (Gallo, 1974) with Rudolph Johnson
• Lightsey 1 (Sunnyside, 1983)
• Isotope (Criss Cross, 1983)
• Everything Happens to Me (Timeless, 1983) with Chet Baker
• Shorter by Two (Sunnyside, 1983) with Harold Danko
• Lightsey 2 (Sunnyside, 1984)
• Lightsey Live (Sunnyside, 1985)
• First Affairs (Limetree, 1986)
• Everything Is Changed (Sunnyside, 1986)
• Kirk 'n Marcus (Criss Cross, 1986) with Marcus Belgrave
• From Kirk to Nat (Criss Cross, 1990)
• Goodbye Mr. Evans (Evidence, 1994)
• The Nights of Bradley's (Sunnyside, 1984 [2004])
• Estate (Itinera, 2006)
• Everybody’s Song But Our Own (33 Records, 2008) with Louise Gibbs
• Lightsey To Gladden (Criss Cross Jazz, 2008)
• Le Corbu (Unit Records, 2015) with Tibor Elekes, Don Moye
• Some Place Called Where (Losen Records, 2017) with Marilena Paradisi
• Coltrane Revisited (SteepleChase LookOut ,2021)

As sideman