Kenny White, whose new CD Comfort in the Static will be released March 1 by Wildflower Records, has an exciting and deep-rooted talent. At six years old, the native New Yorker was already defining himself in a musical world. Hearing a piece on the radio, he would inevitably play it back—his way. Quickly growing impatient with the idea that all the notes in, for example, a Mozart sonata are required, he gently edged his teacher off the piano bench. A creative talent was born.
Early in his career, White became a fixture in the arena of TV and radio advertising, writing and producing hundreds of commercials, working with artists such as Linda Ronstadt, Dwight Yoakam, Gladys Knight, Aaron Neville, Ricky Skaggs, Al Jarreau, and Kim Carnes. Relationships with Marc Cohn and Shawn Colvin led to producing the Grammy-nominated “I Don’t Know Why,” from Colvin’s Fat City. White went on to produce Peter Wolf’s critically acclaimed Fool’s Parade and then Sleepless, working Keith Richards, which was heralded in
Rolling Stone Magazine as “an instant classic!” Meanwhile, White's music enhanced many films, including Message in a Bottle, Ed TV, A Walk on the Moon, Forces of Nature, Where the Heart Is, Edie & Pen, and four John Sayles films.
By 2002, having earned critical acclaim by reviewers and journalists across the U.S., Kenny White was one of the more dazzling piano players on the pop music circuit. That year he enlisted a line-up of A-list musicians to create his independent release Uninvited Guest, and he hit the road with acts such as Cheryl Wheeler, Jonathan Edwards, Shawn Colvin, Peter Wolf, and Richard Shindell. An early copy of his follow-up LP, Symphony in 16 Bars, landed in the hands of folk legend Judy Collins, who released the LP in February of 2005 on her independent label, Wildflower Records.
Showcasing another remarkable ensemble of talent, Symphony in 16 Bars picks up thematically where Uninvited Guest leaves off, following a main character whose story, set in New York City, follows the complexities of love and a changing urban landscape.
White’s latest album Comfort in the Static, containing eleven new tracks from the experiential songwriter, takes the listener on an intimate journey resonating in our commonality as humans. From the first haunting melody of the opening track, Useless Bay, which begins as if White is letting us in on a bittersweet secret, to the catchy pop sensibility of the beautifully melodic Please, to the Dylan-esque soft sounds of Who’s Gonna Be the One, and the plaintive musings of “I was fine until love got in the way” in Where You Are Tonight, Comfort in the Static is an arrestingly candid and personal collection of songs.
Kenny White’s Comfort in the Static is soulful singer-songwriting at its best; lush piano melodies combined with vulnerable vocals, and smart, insightful lyrics create an original recording that straddles the lines between jazz, blues, rock, pop and folk. With a myriad of seasoned musicians such as Marty Ballou, Cheryl Wheeler, and Duke Levine backing him up, White wrote and produced this new album with the listener in mind. Comfort in the Static showcases White as an expert storyteller and navigator of the heart by way of breathtaking arrangements and spot-on vocals reminiscent of Elvis Costello, Bob Dylan and early Randy Newman. This CD is a seminal new feather in the cap for White whose fan base continues to grow along with his talent as a singer-songwriter. Comfort in the Static is a powerful, sophisticated album that will stay with you long after the CD has stopped playing.
Tour Dates:
Fri, 29/1/2010 Queens Hall Edinburgh, Scotland
Sun, 31/1/2010 Jazz Café, London, UK
Tue, 2/2/2010 The Globe, Cardiff, United Kingdom
Wed, 3/2/2010 Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne, UK
Thu, 2/4/2010 Birkenhead Pacific Arts, Birkenhead, UK
Sat, 6/2/2010 Whitehaven Civic Hall, Whitehaven, United Kingdom
Sun, 7/2/2010 Town Hall Birmingham, UK
Mon, 8/2/2010 The Duchess, York, UK
Tue, 9/2/2010 The Sage Gateshead, Gateshead, UK
Wed, 10/2/2010 Sheffield City Hall, Sheffield, UK
Sun, 14/2/2010 Spring & Airbrake Belfast, Ireland
Mon, 15/2/2010 National Concert Hall Dublin, Ireland
For more information visit: www.myspace.com/kennywhitemusic
‘Comfort In The Static’ is released on March 1 2010 through Wildflower Records