Kenny Horst special tribute to jazz legend Roy Haynes
Schedule
Fri, 08 Apr, 2022 at 07:30 pm
Location
408 Saint Peter Street,Saint Paul,55102,US | Saint Paul, MN
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Kenny Horst special tribute to jazz legend Roy HaynesKenny Horst
Kenny Horst’s name is synonymous with jazz drumming, as well as the Artists’ Quarter jazz
club, in the Twin Cities music scene. His credentials as a drummer, composer, record producer
and club owner are beyond reproach. But whether he’s just finished playing a set with Mose
Allison or just produced a CD for his own drumming hero Roy Haynes, Horst quietly deflects
any personal attention that might come his way. If you want to get the Kenny Horst story from
the man himself, just catch him on stage punctuating a bebop flourish with his signature accents
or stoking a smoldering torch song with his simpatico brush work. Kenny’s “let the music do the
talking” style makes one wonder if he’d blow his own horn even if he played the sax.
Fortunately, he’s simply one of the finest jazz drummers to ever call Minnesota home.
Early Years
Kenny Horst grew up on St. Paul’s West Side, a no-nonsense, blue-collar enclave known for
engendering fierce loyalty among its residents. (Horst is back living there today with his wife
Dawn.) Horst started out playing piano before picking up drums around age 15, and was already
playing with rock and R&B bands during his high school years. After graduating from high
school in the early 1960s, Horst attended the MacPhail music school and studied with Marv
Dahlgren (an internationally revered percussionist and instructor) and Reuben Haugen (a Twin
Cities reed instrument institution).
Steady gigging was a constant for Horst from his first days in the music business. The Twin
Cities jazz scene in the 1960s was filled with characters and colorful venues – the strip clubs that
dotted Hennepin Avenue in Downtown Minneapolis, and featured live music, were a major
source of income for local jazzers. Kenny played at all of those, with other notable names like
Jim Marentic, Hubert Eaves and Eddie Berger. Other work came at spots like the Midway of the
State Fair and on the road with Leon Claxton’s Harlem Revue as part of the legendary Royal
American Shows.
Drummer of the Year
In 1968, Horst began a three-and-a-half year stint with piano great Bobby Lyle (who went on to
join Sly & the Family Stone and Al Jarreau’s band). The group was a staple at the black clubs in
the Twin Cities, including the Nacirema, the Blue Note on Minneapolis’ North Side and the
Ebony Lounge in St. Paul. Horst and Lyle also held down a weekly Sunday gig with Willie
Weeks at Pudge’s in St. Paul. Horst was so entrenched in this scene that the young white
drummer was named “Black Drummer of the Year” at the 1969 Jackie Awards.
The West Bank scene also called on Horst’s drumming talents when it was at its creative peak
around the late 1960s. Among the luminaries Horst performed with were Willie and the Bees,
“Spider” John Koerner, and Dave Ray’s Bamboo.
The First Booking Gig
Kenny Horst has gained as much respect for his skills at booking talent as he has for his
musicianship. His first job as a booker was from 1972 to 1975 at a club called Davey Jones
Locker. Which is not to say that he ever put down the drum sticks. Horst was solidifying
musical relationships during this period which would continue on for decades – other Twin
Cities greats like Irv Williams (saxophone), Billy Peterson (bass) and Mike Elliott (guitar), and
national stars including bossa nova pianist Manfredo Fest, saxophone/flautist Lew Tabackin,
pianist Art Resnick and many others. Another important connection was made in 1976 when
Horst was playing with Joey Strobel at Duff’s in the Park. The R&B band included a singer
named Dawn who would eventually become Kenny’s wife.
The Solo Album
Not simply a “sideman” by any stretch, Kenny Horst finally got around to releasing his self-titled
album of original songs after 20 years in the business. The 1983 recording on the Pulse label
was named Jazz Record of the Year by both City Pages and the Twin Cities Reader. The album
not only showcased Horst’s formidable drumming talent, but also revealed a composer of wide
range – from straight-ahead jazz to funky grooves to the contemplative side. The core group
included Horst, Billy Peterson (bass), Billy Shiell (trumpet), Art Resnick (piano) and Bob
Rockwell (sax). It also includes guest spots, including a vocal by the highly-lauded star Ben
Sidran. The album Kenny Horst was not just an award-winning work; it was a testament to the
devoted friendships Horst had already nurtured in his career.
The AQ Connection and All Those Names
Around the same time as the 1983 release of Kenny Horst, the drummer-booker began choosing
talent and working publicity for the Artists’ Quarter jazz club at its original location at 26 th &
Nicollet in Minneapolis. Although not yet the owner of the club, Horst began his long
association and played with many of the big names who came through. The list of jazz royalty
that have benefitted from Horst’s drumming over the years is staggering. The “very short” list
includes Herb Ellis, Charlie Byrd, Tal Farlow, Clark Terry, Slide Hampton, Joanne Brackeen,
Jim Rotondi, Mose Allison, (with whom Kenny also toured), Barney Kessel, Sweets Edison,
Jimmy McGriff, Cedar Walton, Eric Alexander and many more. Kenny played drums often with
the late B-3 organ legend Brother Jack McDuff, even introducing McDuff to his future wife
Cathy.
Not only has Kenny performed with a who’s-who of jazz, he has also been tapped for studio
work by great talents both well-known and under the radar. This impressive list of artists
who’ve featured Horst’s drumming on recordings includes Ira Sullivan (Kenny also co-
produced), Lee Konitz (also produced), Ben Sidran, Herbie Lewis, many of the famous Peterson
family members (Patty, Bobby, Linda), Irv Williams (several recordings), Billy Holloman,
George Avaloz, Bill Carrothers, the great vocalist Carole Martin (who is also Kenny’s mother-
in-law), Anthony Cox and more. How Birds Work, who can still be seen regularly at the Artists’
Quarter, is one of Horst’s “regular” groups that has produced a fine recording.
Always one to keep busy, Horst was also booking other clubs during the early 1990s, including
the Roxy, Williams Pub and the Café Luxx. In 1995, Kenny took a big step and took over
ownership of the Artists’ Quarter jazz club at its new location on Jackson Street in Downtown St.
Paul. Kenny’s tireless devotion to the art form has transcended the club into the “true jazz”
venue of the Twin Cities. It is a favorite of touring musicians and hard-core jazz lovers locally
and beyond. In 2001, Kenny moved the club to its current location in the Historic Hamm
Building in Downtown St. Paul.
Kenny’s legacy as a club owner rivals his vital contributions as a drummer in the Twin Cities
jazz scene. While it’s true that Kenny regularly presents some of jazz’s greatest legends, he is
also beloved for bringing in lesser-known names and up-and-coming artists. His keen sense of
emerging talent, and underappreciated veterans, exposes Twin Cities jazz audiences to riveting
performers that might not otherwise pick up a gig in town. His dedication to local artists is also
undisputed. From promoting great veteran Twin Cities performers like Dave Karr and fellow
drummer Phil Hey, to giving the first chance to the now-internationally-prominent Happy Apple,
Horst is a true champion of Minnesota jazz.
His stewardship of the Artists’ Quarter has also resulted in several live recordings, including Roy
Haynes’ 2006 release Whereas. A longtime friend of Horst’s, Roy Haynes is often labeled the
greatest living drummer from the golden age of bebop. The jazz legend chose the Artists’
Quarter to record a live album, which resulted in a Grammy nomination. Kenny Horst not only
hosted the event, he was also associate producer of the CD. This is just one more example why
Downbeat magazine, the bible of jazz, selected the Artists’ Quarter for its list of “100 Great Jazz
Clubs” in the world.
Of course, there’s more to Kenny Horst than just jazz. Although the many people whose lives
he’s touched in music consider him family, his wife Dawn and sons David and Steven are at the
center of his life.
That’s just a small bit about Kenny Horst. Remember, you read it here – he’ll never tell you.
Kenny Horst is just happy to let the music do the talking.
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Where is it happening?
408 Saint Peter Street,Saint Paul,55102,US, United StatesEvent Location & Nearby Stays: