Kenny Kirkland — piano solo transcriptions
As a jazz musician, a commonly used approach to learning jazz is listening to, studying, and emulating the styles of various performers. Transcribing, analyzing, and recreating performances are integral to the tradition. In my younger days, I was deeply impressed by jazz pianist Kenny Kirkland, who built an impressive résumé performing alongside musical greats including John Scofield, Branford and Wynton Marsalis, Michael Brecker, Kenny Garrett, and Sting.
As an undergrad, in an attempt to understand Kenny’s unique style, I listened to his recordings hundreds of times, spending countless hours transcribing his solos note-for-note for both hands, analyzing the techniques and theory behind his approach. Having compiled 14 different transcriptions into a book, with the hopes of inspiring other musicians and for didactic purposes, and I am now sharing them here.althought sadly I cannot find my original accompanying written theory analysis.
A longtime student of both classical and modern music, Kenny’s performances are extraordinarily expressive, incorporating elements of blues, gospel, 20th-century polytonality, and rhythmic virtuosity. But don’t just take my word for it—take a look at the sheet music I’ve transcribed, find the recordings, take a listen, and decide for yourself.
And if you happen to be a performing musician, grab the PDF, find your instrument, and practice your heart out.
F.Y.I. – I had the privilege of meeting Kenny before he passed. As amazing a player as he was, he was also a sweetheart of a guy. I also learned that all of his fingers and both of his thumbs were double-jointed.
My Students
As a music teacher within the UK–based education system, I’ve found that the requirements for high school. examinations can be quite extensive. With benchmarks comparable to those of music conservatories, some exams include a 3,000 to 5,000 word research paper focused on a specific aspect of the exam, ranging from theory and performance to the history of a particular piece.
One thing that never surprised me was that, as young musicians, my students almost. always composed music they knew—primarily pop music. Proud of their work, here is a short medley showcasing compositions from some of my past students: Joyce, Mindy, Choo, Kate, and Kris.
- Student Mixes
Thank you !
I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to the incredible team who brought this novel and project to life. A very special thanks to editor Allister Thompson for his invaluable feedback, guidance, and dedication in shaping my novel into the best possible form.
My gratitude to Lorna Reid for her amazing work and layout design, and to the wonderful book cover artist Lee Matthews, and blade vehicle designer Tom Edwards, whose work and imagination added depth and beauty—your creativity is a gift and shines throughout.
A further thank you to all the musician —Caley Mayhall, Jehdiah Woodrow, Anna Santiago, Paul Cierley, Milly Song, and Mayyor (梅也)—for their outstanding contributions in recording the accompanying soundtrack.
Your music talents added a powerful dimension to the story, creating an immersive experience that I hope will resonate deeply with audiences.
This novel, project, and musical wouldn’t be the same without each of you—thank you for your passion, skill, and support.