Scott Kinsey
Encyclopedia
Scott Kinsey is a keyboardist best known for his work with the jazz fusion
group Tribal Tech
and for his contributions to soundtracks for major motion pictures, notably Ocean's Eleven
and Ocean's Twelve
. Kinsey's first solo CD project, "Kinesthetics
", was released in 2006 on Abstract Logix.
Kinsey is a 1991 graduate of the Berklee College of Music
in Boston.
(featuring Scott Henderson
and Gary Willis
), Kinsey has performed and recorded with many artists and groups including James Moody
, Kurt Rosenwinkel
, Philip Bailey
, Anne Sofie Von Otter, Bill Evans, Robben Ford
, Jimmy Earl
, Gary Willis
, WDR Big Band, Serj Tankian
(System of a Down
), David Holmes & The Free Association, Joe Zawinul
, Danny Carey
(Tool
), Norrbotten Big Band, Tim Hagans
, Bob Belden
, Nicholas Payton
& Sonic Trance, Matt Garrison
, and the fusion group Uncle Moe's Space Ranch with guitarist T. J. Helmerich
.
Kinsey has also produced
recordings by Philip Bailey (“Soul On Jazz”), Joe Zawinul (“Faces and Places”), Tim Hagans (Imagination Animation and ReAnimation - Both Grammy nominated) Tribal Tech (Reality Check, Thick, Rocket Science), Scott Henderson (Dog Party, Tore Down House) Gary Willis (Bent) and James Moody (“Homage”).
Kinsey's work was featured on the soundtracks to Ocean's Eleven
, Code 46
, Stander
, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
, Brown Sugar, Analyze That
and 2005’s Ocean's Twelve
. Other soundtrack projects include Bob Odenkirk's You Are Going To Prison.
Kinsey was a protege of the late fusion keyboard pioneer Joe Zawinul
, with whom Kinsey had a long personal and musical relationship. Zawinul served as the Executive Producer for Kinsey's first solo CD, Kinesthetics.
In early 2008 Kinsey announced that he was forming a new group, "Human Element" featuring Arto Tuncboyaciyan, as well as maintaining the "Scott Kinsey Group" featuring either Scott Henderson or Steve Tavaglione.
“Tribal Tech's secret weapon remains keyboardist Kinsey, who not only adds harmonic meat with his richly provocative choral voicings, hip comping and counterpoint melodies but also stands as one of the most creative and unpredictable synth soloists around. He is always looking to push the envelope.” - Bill Milkowski ‘2000 “
..."Kinsey, perhaps in compensation for his inhuman chops quotient, has now established himself as an innovator for incorporating the human element, in the form of sampled vocals—pitched, unpitched, sung, spoken or screamed—into his custom-programmed sonic voice.” - Phil DiPietro, All About Jazz.com, 2004
With Tribal Tech
With Uncle Moe's Space Ranch
Jazz fusion
Jazz fusion is a musical fusion genre that developed from mixing funk and R&B rhythms and the amplification and electronic effects of rock, complex time signatures derived from non-Western music and extended, typically instrumental compositions with a jazz approach to lengthy group improvisations,...
group Tribal Tech
Tribal Tech
Tribal Tech is a progressive fusion band, originally formed in 1984 by guitarist Scott Henderson and bass player Gary Willis. From 1993 forward the band included Scott Kinsey on keyboard and Kirk Covington on drums, and has produced nine albums that stretch the borders between blues, jazz, and rock...
and for his contributions to soundtracks for major motion pictures, notably Ocean's Eleven
Ocean's Eleven (2001 film)
Ocean's Eleven is a 2001 American comedy-crime caper and remake of the 1960 Rat Pack caper film of the same name. The 2001 film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and features an ensemble cast including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Andy García, and Julia Roberts. The film was...
and Ocean's Twelve
Ocean's Twelve
Ocean's Twelve is a 2004 American crime comedy film, the sequel to 2001's Ocean's Eleven. Like its predecessor, which was a remake of the 1960 film Ocean's 11, the film used a celebrity ensemble cast. It was released in the United States on December 10, 2004. A third film, Ocean's Thirteen, was...
. Kinsey's first solo CD project, "Kinesthetics
Kinesthetics (Scott Kinsey album)
Kinesthetics is a 2006 CD by keyboardist Scott Kinsey. It features contributions from Tribal Tech bandmates Scott Henderson, Gary Willis and Kirk Covington, as well as Vinnie Colaiuta, Michael Landau and Steve Tavaglione...
", was released in 2006 on Abstract Logix.
Kinsey is a 1991 graduate of the Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music
Berklee College of Music, located in Boston, Massachusetts, is the largest independent college of contemporary music in the world. Known primarily as a school for jazz, rock and popular music, it also offers college-level courses in a wide range of contemporary and historic styles, including hip...
in Boston.
Musical career
In addition to his work with Tribal TechTribal Tech
Tribal Tech is a progressive fusion band, originally formed in 1984 by guitarist Scott Henderson and bass player Gary Willis. From 1993 forward the band included Scott Kinsey on keyboard and Kirk Covington on drums, and has produced nine albums that stretch the borders between blues, jazz, and rock...
(featuring Scott Henderson
Scott Henderson
Scott Henderson is a fusion and blues guitarist best known for his work with the band Tribal Tech.-Early days:Born in West Palm Beach, Florida, Henderson began playing guitar at an early age...
and Gary Willis
Gary Willis
Gary Willis is an American bassist and composer known foremost as the co-founder of the jazz fusion band Tribal Tech. Aside from his work in Tribal Tech, Willis has worked with numerous other jazz musicians including Wayne Shorter, Dennis Chambers, and Allan Holdsworth...
), Kinsey has performed and recorded with many artists and groups including James Moody
James Moody (saxophonist)
James Moody was an American jazz saxophone and flute player. He was best known for his hit "Moody's Mood for Love," an improvisation based on "I'm in the Mood for Love"; in performance, he often improvised vocals for the tune.-Biography:James Moody was born in Savannah, Georgia...
, Kurt Rosenwinkel
Kurt Rosenwinkel
Kurt Rosenwinkel is an American jazz guitarist and keyboardist who came to prominence in the 1990s.-Biography:He attended the Berklee School of Music for two and a half years before leaving in his junior year to tour with Gary Burton, the dean of the school at the time...
, Philip Bailey
Philip Bailey
Philip Irvin Bailey is an American R&B, soul, gospel and funk singer, songwriter, percussionist and actor, best known as one of the longtime members of Earth, Wind & Fire. Together with Verdine White, B. David Whitworth, and Ralph Johnson he forms the heart of the current EWF line-up on...
, Anne Sofie Von Otter, Bill Evans, Robben Ford
Robben Ford
Robben Ford is an American blues, jazz and rock guitarist.-Biography:Ford was born in Woodlake, California, United States, but raised in Ukiah, California, and began playing the saxophone at age 10, picking up the guitar at age 13...
, Jimmy Earl
Jimmy Earl
Jimmy Earl is an American jazz musician and composer. He has released two studio albums and recorded extensively. He has toured the world with major artists. He is ranked #22 on the DigitalDreamDoor list of greatest fusion bassists...
, Gary Willis
Gary Willis
Gary Willis is an American bassist and composer known foremost as the co-founder of the jazz fusion band Tribal Tech. Aside from his work in Tribal Tech, Willis has worked with numerous other jazz musicians including Wayne Shorter, Dennis Chambers, and Allan Holdsworth...
, WDR Big Band, Serj Tankian
Serj Tankian
Serj Tankian is a Lebanese-born Armenian-American singer–songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, playwright, record producer, poet, and political activist...
(System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
), David Holmes & The Free Association, Joe Zawinul
Joe Zawinul
Josef Erich Zawinul was an Austrian-American jazz keyboardist and composer.First coming to prominence with saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, Zawinul went on to play with trumpeter Miles Davis, and to become one of the creators of jazz fusion, an innovative musical genre that combined jazz with...
, Danny Carey
Danny Carey
Daniel Edwin "Danny" Carey is an American drummer best known for his work in American Grammy Award-winning rock band Tool...
(Tool
Tool (band)
Tool is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1990, the group's line-up has included drummer Danny Carey, guitarist Adam Jones, and vocalist Maynard James Keenan. Since 1995, Justin Chancellor has been the band's bassist, replacing their original bassist Paul D'Amour...
), Norrbotten Big Band, Tim Hagans
Tim Hagans
Tim Hagans is a jazz trumpeter and composer.He has been nominated for Grammys for Best Instrumental Composition for "Box of Cannoli" from The Avatar Session ; and Best Contemporary Jazz CD for Animation*Imagination and Re-Animation .He grew up in Dayton, Ohio...
, Bob Belden
Bob Belden
James Robert Belden is an American saxophonist, arranger, composer, bandleader and producer. He is noted for his Grammy Award winning jazz orchestral recording titled The Black Dahlia. He is also a past head of A & R for Blue Note Records.Belden was born in Evanston, Illinois, and raised in...
, Nicholas Payton
Nicholas Payton
Nicholas Payton is a jazz trumpet player from New Orleans, Louisiana.-Biography:The son of bassist and sousaphonist Walter Payton, he took up the trumpet at the age of four and by the time he was nine he was playing in the Young Tuxedo Brass Band alongside his father...
& Sonic Trance, Matt Garrison
Matt Garrison
Matthew Garrison is an American jazz bassist, son of Jimmy Garrison.He is noted for playing his signature series Fodera bass and for having created and developed a pizzicato technique which uses four fingers...
, and the fusion group Uncle Moe's Space Ranch with guitarist T. J. Helmerich
T. J. Helmerich
T.J. Helmerich is an American electric guitarist/vocalist and audio engineer, known for developing a unique "8 finger" style of playing his instrument. He has played/toured with, among many others: Dweezil Zappa , Planet X , Autograph , Paul Gilbert, and Eddie Jobson...
.
Kinsey has also produced
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
recordings by Philip Bailey (“Soul On Jazz”), Joe Zawinul (“Faces and Places”), Tim Hagans (Imagination Animation and ReAnimation - Both Grammy nominated) Tribal Tech (Reality Check, Thick, Rocket Science), Scott Henderson (Dog Party, Tore Down House) Gary Willis (Bent) and James Moody (“Homage”).
Kinsey's work was featured on the soundtracks to Ocean's Eleven
Ocean's Eleven (2001 film)
Ocean's Eleven is a 2001 American comedy-crime caper and remake of the 1960 Rat Pack caper film of the same name. The 2001 film was directed by Steven Soderbergh and features an ensemble cast including George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Andy García, and Julia Roberts. The film was...
, Code 46
Code 46
Code 46 is a 2003 British film directed by Michael Winterbottom, with screenplay by Frank Cottrell Boyce. It was produced by BBC Films and Revolution Films. It is a disquieting science fiction love story with themes that explore the moral impacts of advances in biotechnology. The soundtrack was...
, Stander
Stander (film)
Stander is a 2003 biographical film about Captain André Stander, a South African police officer who turned into a bank robber, starring Thomas Jane.-Reception:...
, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind is a 2002 biographical spy film depicting the life of popular game show host and producer Chuck Barris, who claimed to have also been an assassin for the Central Intelligence Agency...
, Brown Sugar, Analyze That
Analyze That
Analyze That is a 2002 mafia comedy film, and a sequel to the 1999 film Analyze This. The film was directed and co-written by Harold Ramis and stars Robert De Niro and Billy Crystal who respectively reprise their roles as mobster Paul Vitti and psychiatrist Ben Sobel.-Plot:Near the completion of...
and 2005’s Ocean's Twelve
Ocean's Twelve
Ocean's Twelve is a 2004 American crime comedy film, the sequel to 2001's Ocean's Eleven. Like its predecessor, which was a remake of the 1960 film Ocean's 11, the film used a celebrity ensemble cast. It was released in the United States on December 10, 2004. A third film, Ocean's Thirteen, was...
. Other soundtrack projects include Bob Odenkirk's You Are Going To Prison.
Kinsey was a protege of the late fusion keyboard pioneer Joe Zawinul
Joe Zawinul
Josef Erich Zawinul was an Austrian-American jazz keyboardist and composer.First coming to prominence with saxophonist Cannonball Adderley, Zawinul went on to play with trumpeter Miles Davis, and to become one of the creators of jazz fusion, an innovative musical genre that combined jazz with...
, with whom Kinsey had a long personal and musical relationship. Zawinul served as the Executive Producer for Kinsey's first solo CD, Kinesthetics.
In early 2008 Kinsey announced that he was forming a new group, "Human Element" featuring Arto Tuncboyaciyan, as well as maintaining the "Scott Kinsey Group" featuring either Scott Henderson or Steve Tavaglione.
Critics On Scott Kinsey
“Kinsey doesn’t just blow incredible solos or lay down perfect voicings; with the sounds he dials in, every note is a three dimensional adventure.” - Ernie Rideout, Keyboard Magazine, January ‘99.“Tribal Tech's secret weapon remains keyboardist Kinsey, who not only adds harmonic meat with his richly provocative choral voicings, hip comping and counterpoint melodies but also stands as one of the most creative and unpredictable synth soloists around. He is always looking to push the envelope.” - Bill Milkowski ‘2000 “
..."Kinsey, perhaps in compensation for his inhuman chops quotient, has now established himself as an innovator for incorporating the human element, in the form of sampled vocals—pitched, unpitched, sung, spoken or screamed—into his custom-programmed sonic voice.” - Phil DiPietro, All About Jazz.com, 2004
Discography
As A Leader- KinestheticsKinesthetics (Scott Kinsey album)Kinesthetics is a 2006 CD by keyboardist Scott Kinsey. It features contributions from Tribal Tech bandmates Scott Henderson, Gary Willis and Kirk Covington, as well as Vinnie Colaiuta, Michael Landau and Steve Tavaglione...
(2006)
With Tribal Tech
- Illicit (1992)
- Face FirstFace FirstFace First is the sixth album by jazz fusion band Tribal Tech. It was released in 1993.-Track listing:# "Face First" – 7:04# "Canine" – 6:24# "After Hours" – 7:23# "Revenge Stew" – 6:07# "Salt Lick" – 9:45# "Uh.....
(1993) - Reality Check (1995)
- ThickThick (album)Thick is an album by the fusion jazz band Tribal Tech released in 1999. As a contrast to Tribal Tech's previous recordings, the album features less compositional material and is based largely on improvization.-Track listing:#"Sheik of Encino"...
(1999) - Rocket ScienceRocket Science (Tribal Tech album)Rocket Science is the tenth album by the jazz fusion band Tribal Tech released in 2000.-Track listing:#"Saturn 5"#"Astro Chimp"#"Song Holy Hall"#"Rocket Science"#"Sojlevska"#"Mini Me"#"Space Camel"#"Moonshine"#"Cap'n Kirk"#"The Econoline"...
(2000)
With Uncle Moe's Space Ranch
- Uncle's Moe's Space Ranch (2001)
- Moe's Town (2007)
Multimedia
- Scott Kinsey Audio Podcasts
- January 2006 Interview with Scott Kinsey and Scott Henderson for KCLA-FM's Meta Currents
- Scott Kinsey with Tribal Tech at the Red Sea Jazz Festival, 1995
- Video from CD Release party, December, 2006
- Scott Kinsey Group - "Foreign Affairs, 2006
- Scott Kinsey Group - "2Fast", 2006