Cyrus Chestnut (born January 17, 1963) is an American jazz pianist, composer and producer. In 2006, Josh Tyrangiel, music critic for Time, wrote: "What makes Chestnut the best jazz pianist of his generation is a willingness to abandon notes and play space."
Early life Cyrus Chestnut was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1963, the son of McDonald (a retired post-office employee and church pianist) and Flossie (a city social services worker and church choir director). Chestnut began learning the piano at the age of seven, and in his boyhood played at Mount Calvary Baptist Church. By the age of nine,"Biography", Cyrus Chestnut website. he was studying classical music at the Peabody Institute. In 1985, Chestnut earned a degree in jazz composition and arranging from Boston's Berklee College of Music.
Jazz career In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Chestnut worked with Wynton Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Donald Harrison, and other bandleaders. He joined the band of jazz vocalist Betty Carter in the early 1990s and appeared on her 1992 album It's Not About the Melody. That same year, he recorded his first albums as a bandleader, The Nutman Speaks and Nut. Chesnut has continued to work and record as a bandleader into the 21st century.
In 2006, Telarc released Genuine Chestnut, his first album for the label. On it he is accompanied by his regular trio of Michael Hawkins, bass and Neal Smith, drums. Additional artists on this session include Russell Malone, guitar and Steven Kroon, percussion. It includes jazz interpretations of some well-known pop numbers of the past half-century, including "If", the early 1970s soft-rock ballad by Bread. "This song has been with me ever since the sixth grade," Chestnut recalled, "I had to play it for my English teacher's wedding. I've played it in many and various contexts. I actually played it in a Top 40 band when I was just out of school. A lot of time has passed, but then recently I just started thinking about it again." Chestnut's own "Mason–Dixon Line" is one of the album's high points, a joyful bebop number.
Discography As leader/co-leader Recording dateTitle Label Year released Notes 1992–01The Nutman Speaks Alfa Jazz 1992 Trio, with Christian McBride (bass), Carl Allen (drums) 1992–01The Nutman Speaks Again Alfa Jazz 1992 Trio, with Christian McBride (bass), Carl Allen (drums) 1993?Another Direction Alfa Jazz 1993 Trio, with Christian McBride (bass), Carl Allen (drums) 1993–06Revelations Atlantic 1994 Trio, with Christopher J. Thomas (bass), Clarence Penn (drums) 1994–08Dark Before the Dawn Atlantic 1995 Trio, with Steve Kirby (bass), Clarence Penn (drums) 1995–11Earth Stories Atlantic 1996 With Eddie Allen (trumpet), Antonio Hart (alto sax), Steve Kirby (bass), Alvester Garnett (drums) 1996?Blessed Quietness Atlantic 1996 Solo piano 1997–02American Meditation Baybridge 1997 Manhattan Trinity+1, with Antonio Hart (alto sax), George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 1998–01Make Me a Memory Baybridge 1998 Manhattan Trinity+1, with Teodross Avery (tenor, soprano sax), George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 1998Cyrus Chestnut Atlantic 1998with James Carter (alto sax), Joe Lovano (tenor sax), Ron Carter (bass), Billy Higgins, Lewis Nash (drums), Anita Baker (vocals) 1998–11A Love Story M&I 1999 Manhattan Trinity+1, with Eric Alexander (tenor sax), George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 2000?A Charlie Brown Christmas Atlantic 2000 with Michael Brecker (tenor sax), Kenny Garrett (alto sax), Steve Gadd (drums), choir 2001–06–Soul Food Atlantic 2001with Marcus Printup (trumpet), Wycliffe Gordon (trombone), Gary Bartz (alto sax), James Carter (tenor sax), Stefon Harris (vibraphone), Christian McBride (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 2001–06Love Letters M&I 2001Manhattan Trinity, with George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 2002–05Misty M&I 2002 Manhattan Trinity, with George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 2002–11You Are My Sunshine Warner Bros. 2003 Trio, with Michael Hawkins (bass), Neal Smith (drums) 2003–08Alfie M&I 2004 Manhattan Trinity, with George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 2004–08Charade M&I 2005 Manhattan Trinity, with George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 2005–07Genuine Chestnut Telarc 2006 Some tracks trio, with Michael Hawkins (bass), Neal Smith (drums); some tracks quartet with Russell Malone (guitar) added; some tracks quartet with Steven Kroon (percussion) added; some tracks quintet 2006–03The Gentle Rain M&I 2006 Manhattan Trinity, with George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 2007?Cyrus Plays Elvis Koch 2007 Trio, with Dezron Douglas (bass), Neal Smith (drums) 2007–05Cyrus Chestnut Trio - Black Nile M&I 2008 Trio, with Buster Williams (bass), Al Foster (drums) 2008-07SpiritJazz Legacy 2009 Solo piano 2008–11Sunflower - Henry Mancini Songbook M&I 2009 Manhattan Trinity, with George Mraz (bass), Lewis Nash (drums) 2009–03Plenty Swing, Plenty Soul with Eric Reed Savant 2010 Co-lead with Eric Reed (piano), with Dezron Douglas (bass), Willie Jones III (drums) 2010?Cyrus Chestnut Trio - Journeys Jazz Legacy 2010 Trio, with Dezron Douglas (bass), Neal Smith (drums) 2010–12The Cyrus Chestnut QuartetWJ3 2012 Quartet, with Stacy Dillard (tenor and soprano saxophones), Dezron Douglas (bass), Willie Jones III (drums) 2011–03Cyrus Chestnut Trio - Moonlight Sonata Venus 2011 Trio, with Dezron Douglas (bass), Neal Smith (drums) 2013–03Soul Brother Cool WJ3 2013 Quartet, with Freddie Hendrix (trumpet), Dezron Douglas (bass), Willie Jones III (drums) 2013–11Midnight Melodies Smoke Sessions 2014 Trio, with Curtis Lundy (bass), Victor Lewis (drums) 2014–11A Million Colors in Your Mind Highnote 2015 Trio, with David Williams (bass), Victor Lewis (drums) 2015–11Natural Essence Highnote 2016 Trio, with Buster Williams (bass), Lenny White (drums) 2017–02There's a Sweet, Sweet Spirit Highnote 2017 Most tracks trio, with Buster Williams (bass), Lenny White (drums); some tracks quartet, with Steve Nelson (vibraphone) 2018–04Kaleidoscope Highnote 2018 Trio, with Eric Wheeler (bass), Chris Beck (drums) 2021–12My Father's Hands Highnote 2022 Trio, with Peter Washington (bass), Lewis Nash (drums)
As sideman With Betty Carter It's Not About the Melody (Verve, 1992) The Music Never Stops (Blue Engine, 2019)
With James Carter In Carterian Fashion (Atlantic, 1998) Gold Sounds (Brown Brothers, 2005)
With Michael Carvin Between Me and You (Muse, 1989) Revelation (Muse, 1991)
With Freddy Cole Always (Fantasy, 1995) A Circle of Love (Fantasy, 1996) To The Ends of the Earth (Fantasy, 1997) Le Grand Freddy (Fantasy, 1999)
With Carla Cook It's All About Love (MaxJazz, 1999) Dem Bones (MaxJazz, 2001) Simply Natural (MaxJazz, 2002)
With Dee Daniels State of the Art (Criss Cross, 2013) Intimate Conversations (Origin, 2014)
With Cynthia Felton Afro Blue: The Music of Oscar Brown Jr. (CD Baby, 2012) Freedom Jazz Dance (CD Baby, 2012) Save Your Love For Me (CD Baby, 2014)
With Donald Harrison Full Circle (Sweet Basil, 1990) For Art's Sake (Candid, 1991) Indian Blues (Candid, 1995) Big Chief (Past Perfect, 2002)
With Vincent Herring Folklore: Live at the Village Vanguard (MusicMasters, 1994) Don't Let It Go (MusicMasters, 1995) Days of Wine and Roses (MusicMasters, 1996) The Uptown Shuffle (Smoke Session, 2014) Hard Times (Smoke Sessions, 2017)
With Denise Jannah I Was Born In Love With You (Blue Note, 1995) A Heart Full of Music (Timeless, 2000)
With George Kawaguchi Between Me and You (Muse, 1989) Revelation (Muse, 1991) Plays Herbie Hancock (King Japan, 2004)
With Wynton Marsalis The Marciac Suite (Columbia, 2000) Higher Ground (Blue Note, 2005)
With George Mraz Bottom Lines (Milestone, 1997) Duke's Place (Milestone, 1999)
With Jimmy Scott Mood Indigo (Milestone, 2000) Moon Glow (Milestone, 2003)
With Jae Sinnett Blue Jae (Valley Vue, 1992) House and Sinnett (Positive Music, 1994) Listen (Heart Music, 1997)
With Tim Warfield Cool Blue (Criss Cross, 1995) A Whisper in the Midnight (Criss Cross, 1996) Gentle Warrior (Criss Cross, 1998) Jazz Is (Criss Cross, 2002) Eye of the Beholder (Criss Cross, 2013)
With Dave Young Two by Two, Volume Two (Justin Time, 1996) Side by Side (Justin Time, 1996)
With others Gerald Albright, Giving Myself to You (Atlantic, 1995) Carl Allen, Testimonial (Atlantic, 1995) Carl Allen & Rodney Whitaker, Get Ready (Mack Avenue, 2009) Tiffany Austin, Unbroken (Con Alma, 2018) Gary Bartz, The Blues Chronicles: Tales of Life (Atlantic, 1996) Kathleen Battle, So Many Stars (Sony, 1995) Alexander Berenson, Take Me With You (Butman Music, 2010) Dee Dee Bridgewater, Prelude to a Kiss: The Duke Ellington Album (Phillips, 1996) Jeri Brown, Fresh Start (Justin Time, 1996) Ronnie Burrage, Shuttle (Sound Hills, 1993) Ann Hampton Callaway, To Ella with Love (Sin-Drome Records, 1996) Elvis Costello and the Brodsky Quartet, The Juliet Letters (Warner Bros., 1993) Michael Dease, Grace (Jazz Legacy, 2010) Dr. John and the Donald Harrison Band, Funky New Orleans (Metro, 2000) The Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band, I'm BeBoppin' Too (Half Note, 2009) Jimmy Greene, Beautiful Life (Mack Avenue, 2014) Mark Gross, Blackside (Jazz Legacy, 2012) Roy Hargrove, With the Tenors of Our Time (Verve, 1994) Laird Jackson, Quiet Flame (Venus, 2016) The Keystone Quartet, A Love Story (32 Jazz, 2000) Kevin Mahogany, Another Time Another Place (Warner Bros., 1997) Christian McBride, Gettin' to It (Verve, 1995) Bette Midler, Bathhouse Betty (Warner Bros., 1998) Charnett Moffett, Music from Our Soul (Motéma Music, 2017) Roy Nathanson, Fire at Keaton's Bar & Grill (Six Degrees, 2000) Chiara Pancaldi, I Walk a Little Faster (Challenge Records, 2015) Madeleine Peyroux, Dreamland (Atlantic, 1996) Morris Robinson, Going Home (Decca, 2007) Jackie Ryan, Doozy (Open Arts, 2008) Ameen Saleem, The Groove Lab (Jando Music, 2013) Andy Scott, Angels (Jazz Legacy, 2015) Marilyn Scott, Every Time We Say Goodbye (Venus, 2008) Bud Shank, By Request: Bud Shank Meets the Rhythm Section (Milestone, 1997) Billy Taylor, Taylor Made at the Kennedy Center (Kennedy Center, 2005) Joris Teepe and The Don Braden Quintet, Pay As You Earn (Mons, 1995) Sadao Watanabe, Remembrance (Verve, 1999) Kim Waters, Tribute (Warlock, 1992) Rodney Whitaker, Children of the Light (Koch, 1996) Phil Wilson's Rainbow Band, Latin American Tour (Shiah, 1985) Steve Wilson, Step Lively (Criss Cross, 1995) Joh Yamada, Bluestone (Milestone, 1999)
Compilations YearTitleGenreLabelNotes1994Jazz at Lincoln Center Presents: The Fire of the FundamentalsJazzSonywith Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Wynton Marsalis, Kenny Barron, Betty Carter, Chris Thomas, Christian McBride, et al. 1996 Nut Jazz Alfa Jazz [2CD] Combined The Nutman Speaks and The Nutman Speaks Again1999Essential Young Lions Vol. 1JazzHip-Owith Roy Hargrove, Larry Goldings Trio, Stefon Harris, Donald Harrison, The Benny Green Trio, Stefon Harris, et al. 2000Piano Grand! A Smithsonian Celebrationclassical, jazz and rock & rollSonywith Diana Krall, Jean-Yves Thibaudet, Dave Brubeck, Billy Joel, Jerry Lee Lewis, Robert Levin, et al.2003Torch: A Six Degrees Collection of Modern Torch SongsJazzSix Degreeswith Cassandra Wilson, Bugge Wesseltoft, Roy Nathanson, Sylk 130, Elvis Costello, dZihan & Kamien, Sarah Cracknell, et al.2007Funky Jazz Party, Vol. 2: Love JamsJazzAtlanticwith Anita Baker, Steve Cole, Wayman Tisdale, Gerald Albright, Brian Culbertson, Rick Braun, et al.
References
External links Cyrus Chestnut official website
Jazz Police review Interview with and performance by Cyrus Chestnut at NPR.org Cyrus Chestnut, pianist, bandleader