Kevin Kraig Toney is an American jazz pianist and composer who was a member of

The Blackbyrds The Blackbyrds are an American rhythm and blues and jazz-funk fusion group, formed in Washington, D.C., in 1973 and reformed in 2012 by Keith Killgo. History The group was inspired by trumpeter Donald Byrd and featured some of his Howard Univ ...

Biography

A native of Detroit, he graduated from

Cass Technical High School Cass Technical High School (simply referred to as Cass Tech) is a public high school in Midtown Detroit, Michigan, United States.

. In his teens he listened to the music of

John Coltrane John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the history of jazz and 20th-century music. Born and raise ...

and

Art Tatum Arthur Tatum Jr. (, October 13, 1909 – November 5, 1956) was an American jazz pianist who is widely regarded as one of the greatest in his field. From early in his career, Tatum's technical ability was regarded by fellow musicians as extraord ...

. He attended

Howard University Howard University (Howard) is a Private university, private, University charter#Federal, federally chartered historically black research university in Washington, D.C. It is Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, classifie ...

where Donald Byrd, head of the jazz studies department, assembled a group of students which became the fusion band the Blackbyrds, led by Toney. The band played with Chick Corea, The Crusaders, Herbie Hancock, and Grover Washington Jr. Seven albums by the band were released. Three were certified gold. The band's hits included "Rock Creek Park" and "Unfinished Business", both written by Toney. The latter received a Grammy Award nomination. Toney has recorded several albums as a solo musician. His album ''Strut'' was selected as "official music" by the Winter Olympic Committee of 2002. He performed at the

Playboy Jazz Festival The Hollywood Bowl Jazz Festival is an event held in the Hollywood Bowl that celebrates jazz and features both established and up-and-coming jazz musicians. Founded in 1959 by Hugh Hefner as the Playboy Jazz Festival, it was held in Chicago but d ...

and at festivals in Denver, Long Beach, and Pasadena. He has worked as an arranger and conductor with , Patti Austin,

Babyface Babyface or Baby Face can refer to: Nicknames * Lester Joseph Gillis a.k.a. Baby Face Nelson, an infamous 1930s bank robber * Roosevelt "Baby Face" Willette (1933–1971), an American hard bop and soul-jazz musician * "Baby Face", Jimmy McLarnin ...

, Gloria Gaynor,

Edwin Hawkins Edwin Reuben Hawkins (August 19, 1943 – January 15, 2018) was an American gospel musician, pianist, choir master, composer, and arranger. He was one of the originators of the urban contemporary gospel sound. He (as leader of the Edwin Hawkins ...

James Ingram James Edward Ingram (February 16, 1952 – January 29, 2019) was an American singer, songwriter and record producer. He was a two-time Grammy Award-winner and a two-time Academy Award nominee for Best Original Song. After beginning his career ...

, Enrique Iglesias, Michael McDonald,

Brian McKnight Brian Kelly McKnight (born June 5, 1969) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, radio host and multi-instrumentalist. He is most recognized for his strong head voice, high belting range and melisma. McKnight is known for h ...

Freda Payne Freda Charcilia Payne (born September 19, 1942Some sources give a birth year of 1945, but this appears to be an error as all sources agree that she is older than her sister Scherrie, born 1944.) is an American singer and actress. Payne is best ...

Bill Withers William Harrison Withers Jr. (July 4, 1938 – March 30, 2020) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He had several hits over a career spanning 18 years, including " Ain't No Sunshine" (1971), " Grandma's Hands" (1971), " Use Me" (197 ...

, Stevie Wonder,

Marilyn McCoo Marilyn McCoo (born September 30, 1943) is an American singer, actress, and television presenter, who is best known for being the lead female vocalist in the group the 5th Dimension, as well as hosting the 1980s music countdown series '' Solid Go ...

, and

Billy Davis Jr. Billy Davis Jr. (born June 26, 1938) is an American singer and musician, best known as a member of the 5th Dimension. Along with his wife Marilyn McCoo, he had hit records during 1976 and 1977 with "I Hope We Get to Love in Time", " Your Love", ...

In the same roles he worked in theater for ''Ain't Misbehavin' '', ''Five Guys Named Moe'', ''Harlem Suite'', ''The Magic of Motown'', ''Sophisticated Ladies'', and ''Wild Women Blues''. He wrote the music for the film ''Kings of the Evening''. His first solo piano album, ''A Grateful Heart'', was released in 2012. In 2014, he produced the first album by his daughter, Dominique Toney. Other musicians he has worked with include

Kenny Burrell Kenneth Earl Burrell (born July 31, 1931) is an American jazz guitarist known for his work on numerous top jazz labels: Prestige, Blue Note, Verve, CTI, Muse, and Concord. His collaborations with Jimmy Smith were notable, and produced the 1965 ...

, Shirley Caesar,

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

, Aretha Franklin, Isaac Hayes,

Whitney Houston Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed " The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston i ...

Nolan Shaheed Nolan Shaheed (born Nolan Andrew Smith, Jr.; July 18, 1949 in Pasadena, California) is an American jazz musician, specializing in the cornet and trumpet, and a world record holding masters athlete. Masters athletics Shaheed has been in the mas ...

Hubert Laws Hubert Laws (born November 10, 1939) is an American flutist and saxophonist with a career spanning over 40 years in jazz, classical, and other music genres. Laws is one of the few classical artists who has also mastered jazz, pop, and rhythm- ...

David "Fathead" Newman David "Fathead" Newman (February 24, 1933 – January 20, 2009) was an American jazz and rhythm-and-blues saxophonist, who made numerous recordings as a session musician and leader, but is best known for his work as a sideman on seminal 1950s an ...

James Newton James W. Newton (born May 1, 1953) is an American jazz and classical flutist. Biography He was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. From his earliest years, James Newton grew up immersed in the sounds of African-American music, inclu ...

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, Sonny Rollins, Frank Sinatra, Sonny Stitt,

Shania Twain Eilleen Regina "Shania" Twain ( , ; née Edwards; born August 28, 1965) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. She has sold over 100 million records, making her the best-selling female artist in country music history and one of the best-s ...

Gerald Wilson Gerald Stanley Wilson (September 4, 1918 – September 8, 2014) was an American jazz trumpeter, big band bandleader, composer, arranger, and educator. Born in Mississippi, he was based in Los Angeles from the early 1940s. In addition to being a ...

, Nancy Wilson, and

Bobby Womack Robert Dwayne Womack (; March 4, 1944 – June 27, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Starting in the early 1950s as the lead singer of his family musical group the Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing gui ...

Discography

As leader

* ''Special K'' (

Fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy literature and d ...

, 1982) * ''Lovescape'' (Ichiban, 1993) * ''Pastel Mood'' (Ichiban, 1995) * ''Extra Sensual Perception'' ( Shanachie, 1999) * ''Strut'' (Shanachie, 2001) * ''Smooth Jazz Love Songs'' (Ichiban, 2001) * ''Sweet Spot'' (Shanachie, 2003) * ''110 Degrees and Rising'' (Shanachie, 2005) * ''A Heart of Gratitude'' a.k.a. ''A Grateful Heart'' (K-tone, 2008) * ''New American Suite'' (K-tone, 2012) * ''Kings of the Evening'' (K-tone, 2012) With the Blackbyrds * ''Blackbyrds'' (Fantasy, 1973) * ''Flying Start'' (Fantasy, 1974) * ''Cornbread, Earl and Me'' (Fantasy, 1975) * ''City Life'' (Fantasy, 1976) * ''Unfinished Business'' (Fantasy, 1977) * ''Action'' (Fantasy, 1978) * ''Better Days'' (Fantasy, 1981) * ''Happy Music'' (Concord, 2007) * ''Lovebyrds'' (Concord, 2007)

As sideman or guest

* ''Bobbi Humphrey Live: Cookin' with Blue Note at Montreux'',

Bobbi Humphrey Barbara Ann "Bobbi" Humphrey (born April 25, 1950) is an American jazz flautist and singer who plays jazz fusion, funk, and soul-jazz. She has recorded twelve albums and founded the jazz label Paradise Sounds Records. In 1971, she was the first ...

(Blue Note, 1973) * ''Live at Montreux'',

Alphonse Mouzon Alphonse Lee Mouzon (November 21, 1948 – December 25, 2016) was an American jazz fusion drummer and the owner of Tenacious Records, a label that primarily released Mouzon's recordings. He was a composer, arranger, producer, and actor. He ga ...

(Blue Note, 1973) * ''Live at Montreux'',

Marlena Shaw Marlena Shaw (born Marlina Burgess, September 22, 1942) is an American jazz, blues and soul singer. Shaw began her singing career in the 1960s and is still singing today. Her music has often been sampled in hip hop music, and used in television ...

(Blue Note, 1973) * ''Places and Spaces'', Donald Byrd (Blue Note, 1976) * ''Caricatures'', Donald Byrd (Blue Note, 1977) * "

You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) "You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real)" is a 1978 song by American disco/ R&B singer Sylvester. It was written by James Wirrick and Sylvester, and released as the second single from Sylvester's fourth album, '' Step II'' (1978). The song was already ...

", Sylvester (Honey/Fantasy, 1979) * ''

Scratch My Back ''Scratch My Back'' is the eighth studio album (and fifteenth album overall) by English musician Peter Gabriel, his first in eight years. It was released in February 2010. The album, recorded at Air Lyndhurst and Real World Studios during 2009, ...

'',

(Prestige, 1979) * ''Sharon Redd'', Sharon Redd (1980) * ''You Can Call It What You Want'',

Bill Summers Bill Summers may refer to: * Bill Summers (car builder) (1935–2011), American car builder and longtime speed record holder * Bill Summers (musician) (born 1948), American jazz percussionist *Bill Summers (umpire) William Reed Summers (November ...

and Summers Heat (MCA, 1981) * ''We Call It the Box'', Bill Summers and Summers Heat (MCA, 1983) * ''Soul Jazz'', Michael Davis (1986) * ''After Midnight'',

(Arista, 1987) * ''Piano in the Dark'', Brenda Russell (A & M, 1987) * ''Midnite Blue'',

Phil Upchurch Philip Upchurch (born July 19, 1941) is an American jazz and blues guitarist and bassist. Career Upchurch started his career working with the Kool Gents, the Dells, and the Spaniels, before going on to work with Curtis Mayfield, Otis Rush, an ...

(KICJ mport1991) * ''Joyful Noise'', Chester Thompson (Rhino, 1992) * ''Get the Feeling'', Two Tons:

Martha Wash Martha Elaine Wash (born December 28, 1953) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, and producer. Known for her distinctive and powerful voice, Wash first achieved fame as half of the Two Tons O' Fun, who sang backing vocals for the disco si ...

/ Izora Rhodes Armstead (Fantasy, 1993) * ''Life Changes'',

Doc Powell Doc Powell is an American jazz guitarist and composer. He was born and raised in Spring Valley, New York. He attended college at University of Charleston. Career He has worked with Wilson Pickett, who chose him to be his musical director. He ha ...

(Sampson, 2001) * ''I'm Free'', Ray Parker Jr. (Raydio, 2006)

Awards and honors

* Grammy Award nomination, Best R&B Song, "Walking in Rhythm", with The Blackbyrds, 1976 * Grammy Award nomination, Best Instrumental Song, "Unfinished Business", with The Blackbyrds, 1978 * ''Billboard'' magazine Award No. 1 Pop Instrumental Group, with The Blackbyrds, 1976 * NAACP Image Award, Best Jazz Group, with The Blackbyrds, 1977 * Keys to the City Award – Detroit, New Orleans, Los Angeles

References

External links

Official site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Toney, Kevin 1953 births Living people 20th-century American pianists Jazz fusion pianists American jazz pianists American male pianists American jazz bandleaders American jazz composers American male jazz composers 21st-century American pianists 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians The Blackbyrds members