Kirk Lightsey's biography |  United States

Biography

Pianist Kirk Lightsey was born in Detroit in 1937. He studied with Johnson Flanagan, Tommy Flanagan’s brother. Hugh Lawson and Paul Chambers introduced him into jazz. The three performed in the school orchestra with Ron Carter and Kiane Zawadi.

His professional life began with Harold “Beans” Bowles’s sextet. He has worked with Yusef Lateef, Melba Liston and Ernestine Anderson. After military service – he played the flute and bassoon in the army band – he returned to Detroit and formed a duo with Cecil McBee. He studied with classical pianist Boris Maximovich but also draws influences from Hank Jones and Tommy Flanagan. In 1965, he took Albert Dailey’s place in Damita Jo’s band. Later in 1979, after moving to Los Angeles to play with Pharoah Sanders, Bobby Hutcherson, Esther Philips and Harold Land, he followed Dailey once gain, this time into Dexter Gordon’s group.

Based in Paris since 1993, he recorded the trio album Good Bye Mr. Evans (Evidence Records) with Famoudou Don Moye (drums) and Tibor Elekes (bass). He currently plays with Johnny Griffin, Benny Golson, Freddie Hubbard, Eddie Henderson and Marcus Belgrave. He is part of The Leaders, a sextet with Arthur Blythe and Chico Freeman (saxes), Lester Bowie (trumpet), Cecil McBee (double bass) and Don Moye (percussion). Also, he leads his Latin jazz quartet, including Santi Debriano (bass), Eddie Gladden (drums) and Jerry Gonzales (trumpet).