Kenneth Whalum III

A remarkable bandleader, composer, arranger, and tenor saxophonist, New York City-based jazz musician Kenneth Whalum has set a new direction in music that can be described as creatively engaging, intense, and artistically real, to push the conventional boundaries of contemporary emerging artists. Whalum fuses together straight-ahead jazz, pop, soul, gospel, R&B, blues, and country---creating Picasso-like colors and brimming textures, of even richer musical hues.
His music creates a soundscape of lyrical cities—towering sounds of romance and love, ornate acoustic funky rhythms, bridging emotion and melody, song and dance, wonder and faith. And it is within that eternal city, in the depths of our hearts, where we dream, we cry, and we laugh, but altogether never forget the transforming sensibility of music. Whalum’s sax playing makes us feel our vital aliveness. Catch Whalum in a performance, and at once, he will pull down his dark shades, grab his tenor sax, and transform the room into a sacred space, our believing ground of warmth and beauty, tragedy and hope; we follow him as he plunges into our private moments--sweat brimming from his forehead--he gets inside the music.
Whalum has performed and recorded along side this generation’s most renowned entertainers, singers, and musicians; including R&B crooner Maxwell, rap star Jay Z, and jazz stars Robert Glasper, Chris Dave, and his own uncle, Grammy-award winning musician Kirk Whalum; playing worldwide to sold-out audiences in sport arenas, concert halls, summer music festivals, or dim-lit NYC jazz clubs. Last year, he released his highly anticipated album, To Those Who Believe, which marked a bold, inventive direction for NYC’s vibrant young jazz community.
Whalum’s own musical journey is defined by strong family support, his religious background, and childhood exposure to music education. He grew up in Memphis, Tennessee and was exposed to the city’s rich cultural tradition. He originally started to develop as a drummer at Kirby Middle School but switched to the saxophone, at the request of his teacher. Thereafter, Whalum played professionally around town and in church, The New Olivet Baptist Church, under the leadership of his father, Rev. Kenneth T. Whalum Jr. Further musical development can also be attributed to his uncle, 8-time Grammy nominated saxophonist and recording artist Kirk Whalum. He also cites his great uncle Hugh “Peanuts’ Whalum, who has played with the legendary Lionel Hampton and Miles Davis, as a major contributor to his development.
The historic legacy of Memphis’ music life is reflected in Whalum’s playing. It is a blues-based city that has transformed American culture, beginning with legendary Beale Street musicians and performers such as B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and Robert Johnson. Even Memphis native and world-renowned saxophonist Charles Lloyd adds an influential lyrical depth to Whalum’s sound. Thus, Whalum relies on this rich cultural landscape to explore greater musical possibilities.
After a brief stay at Atlanta’s historic Morehouse College, he transferred to New York City’s prestigious The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, graduating in May 2008. Located in New York’s Greenwich Village, he was immersed in a rigorous jazz education curriculum. In addition, Whalum was surrounded by a versatile jazz community which have included rising stars such as Robert Glasper, E.J. and Marcus Strickland, and Brad Mehldau, to name a few.
In the summer of 2006, he was called upon to tour with music icon Sean "P Diddy" Combs. This engagement led to television appearances hosted by Ellen DeGeneres, Tyra Banks, Jimmy Kimmel, and David letterman. Whalum quickly played on more gigs and tours for the industry’s most sought after producers, musicians and entertainers. After Combs, Whalum toured with rapper and business leader Jay-Z. He wrote horn arrangement for Jay-Z’s popular song “Roc Boys (And the Winner is)” and is featured on the album, American Gangster. This song was named No. 1 by Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 best Songs of 2007.”
Whalum went on to record, tour, or write for the industry’s most leading musicians and entertainers, including multi-platinum artists 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg, Al Green, Mary J. Blige, Ciara and provided recording accompaniment for Fantasia, Beyonce, Joss Stone, and R&B producer Rodney Jerkins. More recently, he has toured across the world with R&B crooner Maxwell, playing in sold-out arenas, concert halls, and benefit concerts. Whalum can also be heard on BLACKSummers’night, Maxwell’s long awaited and platinum–selling album. In 2010, this album was nominated for six Grammys, including “Best Male R&B Vocal Performance” for “Pretty Wings” and “Best R&B Album,” for BLACKSummers’Night.
Whalum’s artistic approach embraces diverse musical genres of southern gospel, soul, R&B, jazz, and classical. His capacity to traverse the human experience through a personal musical journey is evidence