Kenny Garrett: saxophone jazz from the artist known for working with Miles Davis

Saxophonist, composer and arranger Kenny Garrett, who plays traditional jazz with his band, is widely known as an unpredictable artist who encourages concertgoers to rise from their seats and release their emotions. In Spain, a man from Cameroon jumped up and performed an African dance, soon joined by a young breakdancer; in Germany, a clearly trained ballet dancer took to dancing. Improvisational madness also occurred in Poland, where one spectator literally jumped from the balcony onto the stage to dance!

The spectacle is always the same: the spirit of music passes through the listener, and movement comes naturally. It is this spirit, witnessed by Garrett on stages worldwide, that inspired him and now fills Do Your Dance!, the saxophonist's fourth record for Mack Avenue Records.

‘I look out and see people waiting for songs they can enjoy and express themselves to,’ confirms Garrett, a nine-time winner of DownBeat’s Readers Poll for Alto Saxophonist of the Year.

“Do Your Dance!” was inspired by audiences who would get up from their seats during Kenny's performances and dance to their own rhythm. “Some people are reluctant to join in because they think others are better than they are. I tell them: Do your dance! Don't worry about what the other person is doing. Let everyone have a good time and ‘Do your dance!’”

“Do Your Dance!” is a journey through rhythms, from the melodic “Calypso Chant” and soothing, Brazilian-inspired “Bossa” to the summer atmosphere of “Backyard Groove” and “Philly”.

“It was a whirlwind,” Garrett concludes. “Recordings and concerts are incredibly meaningful to me. I take people on a ride; I want to introduce them to my visions. We can start with beautiful ballads, then add some intensity, and then we can have fun! When music fans leave, I hope they feel we have taken them on a journey. And when they come back to us or put the record in the player, I hope they will have an even broader perspective on music.”

The Wrocław concert will feature the following line-up:

• Kenny Garrett – sax
• Nat Reeves – bass
• Ronald Bruner – drums
• Benito Gonzalez – piano
• Rudy Bird – percussion

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