Kirk Lightsey

Kirkland "Kirk" Lightsey (born February 15, 1937, Detroit, Michigan) is an American jazz pianist.

Photo by Tom Beetz

Biography

Lightsey had piano instruction from the age of five and studied piano and clarinet through high school. After service in the Army, Lightsey worked in Detroit and California in the 1960s as an accompanist to singers. He also worked with jazz musicians such as Yusef Lateef, Betty Carter, Pharoah Sanders, Bobby Hutcherson, Sonny Stitt, Chet Baker, and Kenny Burrell. From 1979 to 1983 he toured with Dexter Gordon and was a member of The Leaders in the late 1980s. During the 1980s he led several sessions of his own, including duets with pianist Harold Danko. In the 1980s and since he has worked with Jimmy Raney, Clifford Jordan, Woody Shaw, David Murray, Joe Lee Wilson, Louis Stewart, Adam Taubitz, Harold Land and Gregory Porter.

He is also an accomplished flautist and occasionally doubles on flute in live performances. He has been living in Paris since 2000.

Discography
Kirk Lightsey concert at San Javier International Jazz Festival, 2016

As leader

As sideman

With Chet Baker

With Kenny Burrell

With Agostino Di Giorgio

  • The Path (Fonò, 2001)

With Ricky Ford

With Sonny Fortune

With Clifford Jordan

With Louis Hayes

With Blue Mitchell and Harold Land

With David "Fathead" Newman

With The Leaders

With Jimmy Raney

With Rufus Reid

With Roots

  • Saying Something (1995)
  • For Bird & Diz (In+Out, 1996)

With Saheb Sarbib

With Woody Shaw

With Sonny Stitt

  • Pow! (Prestige, 1965)

With Rudolph Johnson

  • The Second Coming (Black Jazz Records, 1973)

References
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