Ken Chaney

Ken began his music career as a teenager, playing piano with bands in his hometown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. After a short stay in Detrioit, where he met and played with many fine musicians, Ken moved to Chicago where he studied composition at Roosevelt University and work with jazz greats such as Milt Jackson, Donald Byrd, Slide Hampton, Harold Land, Bobby Hutchenson, Max Roach, Randy Crawford, Chet Baker, John Klemmer and many others.

While touring and recording with Young-Holt Unlimited 'Soulful Strut' became a hit record which led to performances at Carnegie Hall, Madison Sq Garden, Apollo Theatre, Montreaux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and major clubs and concerts throughout the United States and Canada.

After Young-Holt, Ken formed the group the "The Awakening" and recorded three albums for Black Jazz Records, the albums were, "Hear, Sense & Feel" "Mirage" and "Brand New Feeling" the albums received strong critical approval. On their 25th anniversary Sept l998 they performed an the Chicago Jazz Festival in Grant Park.

Ken's next project was the Ken Chaney experience, the group performs a mixture of Jazz, Funk, Soul. KCX has appeared at the Ravinia Jazz Festival and throughout Chicago, the Midwest, Europe and Singapore. They have appeared in concert with Miles Davis, Roy Ayers, Natalie Cole, Angela Bofield, Dianne Reeves, Nancy Wilson and others. They were voted the best Jazz group in Chicago by the Ninth Annual Reggae Awards and on March 31st l992 the Ken Chaney experience was the first prize winners for the Hennesy best of Chicago Jazz Search.
 

He has produced and recorded on the following albums: "Soulful Strut", "Funky Duck" "Young & Hotful" and "Superfly" with Young-Holt Unlimited. "When We Were Lovers" with John Klemmer, "Hear, Sense & Feel" , "Mirage" and "Brand New Feeling" with The Awakening and "Live & Alive" with the Ken Chaney experience.
Ken has appeared and played in four movies, Trial Run The Last Affair, Cold Justice and Hoodlums.

Tags:Jazz, Piano

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