Palladium jazz favorite – one-of-a-kind pianist Kenny Drew Jr. – leaves us with some great musical memories

No one ever said Kenny Drew Jr. was easy to work with. He was quirky and temperamental. His moods would swing unexpectedly.

 

But when he was seated on a piano bench he was a man who could do no wrong. Kenny served up lyrical, classically inspired phrasing. He was famous for his lighting-fast runs.

 

His last sold-out show here with Nate Najar was called “Non-Stop Swing.” And the title was right on the mark.

I learned of his death – at age 56 – on Tuesday morning. I was meeting Nate for coffee. He kept the appointment, but was still reeling from call he got Monday night that Kenny was gone.

 

In the past year, Nate had done two memorable shows with Kenny in the Side Door and we were planning a concert for the coming season on our mainstage. That was going to be one of the topics Tuesday morning.

 

Instead, we mourned a brilliant, mercurial pianist who never earned the fame he deserved and died too young.

 

His health had not been good lately. When he didn’t show up for his Sunday church gig, friends checked on him. They found him dead at home.

 

I had been telling a Kenny story lately and it always gots laughs and nods of agreement. Typical Kenny, people would say.

 

Friends in Sarasota were planning a lavish wedding, with a ex-Broadway singer performing. They needed a great local band dressed in tuxes to play his charts.

 

Bassist Mark Neuenschwander put together the band at my request and he knew Kenny could handle the charts. He also knew he’d have to pick him up and drive him to rehearsal and the gig.

 

All was good until the day of the show when Kenny told Mark – “I don’t own a tuxedo.”

 

My buddy, Ron Sacino came to the rescue, and Kenny was tucked into a nice Sacino and Son’s tux on the way to the gig.

 

And, of course, that night he played the singer’s charts like he’d been playing with him for years.

 

Rest in peace, Kenny Drew Jr. We will miss your magical music.

 

Below is the WUSF Radio report on Kenny’s passing. Bob Seymour plans to play a lot of Kenny’s music on his show this Saturday night:

 

Kenny Drew Jr., a Bay Area pianist and composer known to jazz audiences around the world, died this past Sunday. WUSF 89.7 Jazz Director Bob Seymour shares this remembrance:

 

He was immensely talented and had a piano sound identifiable within just a few notes. Kenny Drew Jr., the son of a major jazz piano player, was taught largely by his aunt, and that early classical training was apparent in the virtuosity that was always a big part of his sound.

Kenny settled in St. Petersburg years ago and in addition to more than 20 albums as a leader, he worked at times with the Mingus Big Band, Stanley Turrentine and lots of others, while continuing to play European classical recitals on occasion.

 

But the jobs were never plentiful, despite the acclaim for his genius, and health problems had increased lately.

 

Kenny Drew Jr. has died at his home at age 56.

 

Drew last appeared on WUSF earlier this year with trumpeter Byron Stripling, which you can hear below. We’ll have a tribute to Kenny Drew Jr. on All Night Jazz on WUSF 89.7 this Saturday night, starting at 9 p.m.