Khari James Wynn (born November 23, 1981) is an American guitarist and
recording artist
A musician is a person who composes, conducts, or performs music. According to the United States Employment Service, "musician" is a general term used to designate one who follows music as a profession. Musicians include songwriters who w ...
from
Memphis
Memphis most commonly refers to:
* Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt
* Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city
Memphis may also refer to:
Places United States
* Memphis, Alabama
* Memphis, Florida
* Memphis, Indiana
* Memp ...
, Tennessee.
He is best known for his work the jazz-rock genre as well as with American
hip hop group,
Public Enemy
"Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe ...
.
[
]
Early life
Khari Wynn was born in Boston, Massachusetts, son of acclaimed music critic/writer Ron Wynn
Ron Wynn is a music critic, author, and AllMusic editor. Wynn was the editor of the first edition of '' The All Music Guide to Jazz'' (1994), and from 1993 to 1994 served as the jazz and rap editor of the ''All Music Guide''. Wynn is the former e ...
. He was considered a musical prodigy and possessed and exhibited innate natural musical ability. As a child, Wynn lived directly across the street from Willie Mitchell's Royal Studios. At the age of fourteen he began to play electric guitar in the Memphis area for Dominion and Crashpattern in the metal genre, and for St. Andrews AME Church in the gospel genre. Wynn entered the 1999 National Jimi Hendrix Competition at B.B. Kings in Memphis, TN and placed second with the song "Have You Ever Been To Electric Ladyland".[
]
Career
At the age of eighteen, Khari Wynn was employed by Carnival Cruise Lines as a staff musician.
In 2001 Wynn began recording and rehearsing with 7th Octave, a group assembled by Professor Griff
Richard Griffin (born August 1, 1960), better known by his stage name Professor Griff, is an American rapper, spoken word artist, and lecturer currently residing in Atlanta. He was a member of the hip hop group Public Enemy, serving as the grou ...
of Public Enemy. The following year, Wynn wrote and recorded electric guitar tracks for Public Enemy's Revolverlution. After four years of touring, Wynn wrote and recorded again on Public Enemy's album New Whirl Odor
''New Whirl Odor'' is the ninth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released in the U.S. on November 1, 2005. The title is a pun on the New World Order conspiracy theory. " MKLVFKWR (Make Love, Fuck War)" features the artist ...
and in 2007 on the album How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?.
Khari Wynn established the jazz fusion band Solstice and released the debut album Exploration = Discovery independently in Memphis in 2004 with subsequent releases in 2005 and 2007.
In 2004, Wynn toured alongside Stax recording artist, Shirley Brown
Shirley Brown (born January 6, 1947, West Memphis, Arkansas) is an American R&B singer, best known for her million-selling single " Woman to Woman", which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1975.
Biography
Brown was born in West Memphis, but ...
.
After James Brown's passing in late 2006, Wynn was approached to play guitar on the James Brown Tribute Tour in 2007 which featured him alongside music legends Bootsy Collins and Clyde Stubblefield. He toured with the tribute band for much of 2007 and early 2008.
In 2007 Wynn began regularly performing as a bass player with saxophonist Hope Clayburn, a musician who has been featured with such acts as Allman Brothers Band Allman may refer to:
Music
*The Allman Brothers Band, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame southern rock band, formed by Duane and Gregg Allman
*The Allman Joys, an early band formed by Duane and Gregg Allman
*The Gregg Allman Band
People
*Allman (surnam ...
, James Brown, Gov't Mule
Gov't Mule (pronounced "Government Mule") is an American Southern rock jam band, formed in 1994 as a side project of the Allman Brothers Band by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody. Fans often refer to Gov't Mule simply as ''Mule'' ...
, Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker (; born February 14, 1943) is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s and Prince in the 2000s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many o ...
, Soulive
Soulive is a funk/jazz trio that originated in Woodstock, New York, and is known for its solos and catchy, upbeat songs. The band consists of Eric Krasno (guitar), Alan Evans (drums) and Neal Evans ( Hammond B3 organ, bass keys, clavinet). Alth ...
, DJ Logic
DJ Logic (born 1972 as Jason Kibler) is an American turntablist active primarily in nu-jazz/ acid jazz and with jam bands.
Kibler was born and raised in The Bronx, NY. Because of an early interest in hip hop, Kibler started using the turnta ...
and North Mississippi AllStars.
Starting in 2008, Khari Wynn was the working bass player with singer/songwriter Valerie June during the time she was featured on MTV's $5 Cover, a reality show created and produced by director Craig Brewer
Craig Brewer (born December 6, 1971) is an American filmmaker. His 2005 movie ''Hustle & Flow'' won the Audience Award at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and achieved commercial success, along with an Academy Award for Best Original Song, "It's ...
.
Wynn has also served since 2008 as a bass player for the Bluff City Backsliders, led by Jason Freeman, an artist with various credits including work performed on soundtrack of the film Black Snake Moan.
In 2011, after a decade with the group, Wynn became the Music Director for Public Enemy.
Discography
Public Enemy:
* 2002 '' Revolverlution''
* 2007 '' How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?''
7th Octave:
* 2004 ''The 7th Degree''
The Peeps of Soulfunk:
* 2007 ''Tribb to JB''
The Banned:
* 2007 ''Banned 4 Life''
Solstice:
* 2004 ''Solstice – Exploration = Discovery''
* 2005 ''Solstice – Live: Beyond the Galaxy''
* 2007 ''Solstice – Hyperspace Wavelength Travel''
Anthony Crawford:
* 2010 ''Urban Jazz''
Floyd Taylor:
* 2010 ''Legacy''
References
External links
Solstice Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wynn, Khari
1981 births
American rock guitarists
American male guitarists
People from Memphis, Tennessee
Lead guitarists
Living people
21st-century American guitarists
21st-century American male musicians