Kevin Norton
Encyclopedia
Kevin Norton is a percussionist and composer active in the New York City jazz and contemporary music scenes. He has performed and recorded with a diverse group of musicians, including Anthony Braxton
, Paul Dunmall
, Milt Hinton
, Fred Frith
, David Krakauer
, Joelle Leandre
, Frode Gjerstad and Wilber Morris
. In 1999, he founded Barking Hoop Recordings
, a record label dedicated to releasing new and original music. The label has released 11 CDs to date, which feature Norton’s own groups as well as artists like Anthony Braxton
, Kevin O'Neil, Billy Stein, and the String Trio of New York
.
Norton grew up in Staten Island and later studied composition at Hunter College
, where he began his association with bassist Milt Hinton
. He would later record the album The Judge's Decision with Hinton in 1986. Upon graduation from Hunter College, he attended the Manhattan School of Music and earned his Master's degree in classical percussion. After school he began getting involved with the "downtown New York City" scene, and began working with Fred Frith
's experimental rock band Keep the Dog
(which also featured saxophonist John Zorn
and harpist Zeena Parkins
). Some other collaborators during this period include Philip Johnston
and Joel Forrester
. Beginning in 1998, Norton is currently teaching at William Paterson University
.
More recently, Kevin has been working in various configurations with musicians Tony Malaby
, Dave Ballou, John Lindberg
, Scott Robinson (jazz musician)
, Connie Crothers
, and JD Parran.
Anthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton is an American composer, saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, pianist, and philosopher. Braxton has released well over 100 albums since the 1960s...
, Paul Dunmall
Paul Dunmall
Paul Dunmall is a British jazz saxophonist who plays tenor and soprano saxophone as well as the baritone and the more exotic Saxello and the Northumbrian pipes.He has a long discography on the Duns Limited Edition label....
, Milt Hinton
Milt Hinton
Milton John "Milt" Hinton , "the dean of jazz bass players," was an American jazz double bassist and photographer. He was nicknamed "The Judge".-Biography:...
, Fred Frith
Fred Frith
Fred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
, David Krakauer
David Krakauer
David Krakauer is an American clarinetist. He is a graduate of the High School of Music & Art, class of 1974. He is mostly known for his klezmer compositions. He became involved with klezmer music in the late 1980s while working as a classical musician, joining The Klezmatics...
, Joelle Leandre
Joëlle Léandre
Joëlle Léandre is a double bassist, vocalist, and composer active in new music and free improvisation....
, Frode Gjerstad and Wilber Morris
Wilber Morris
Wilber Morris was an American jazz double bass player and bandleader. He was the brother of the cornetist, composer, and conductor Butch Morris....
. In 1999, he founded Barking Hoop Recordings
Barking Hoop Recordings
Barking Hoop Recordings is an independent record label founded by percussionist/composer Kevin Norton in 1999. The label is dedicated to releasing new and original music...
, a record label dedicated to releasing new and original music. The label has released 11 CDs to date, which feature Norton’s own groups as well as artists like Anthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton
Anthony Braxton is an American composer, saxophonist, clarinettist, flautist, pianist, and philosopher. Braxton has released well over 100 albums since the 1960s...
, Kevin O'Neil, Billy Stein, and the String Trio of New York
String Trio of New York
The String Trio of New York is an American jazz chamber ensemble.The group was founded in 1977 by bassist John Lindberg, violinist Billy Bang, and guitarist James Emery. Though they initially worked on improvisational playing and on their own compositions, they eventually began taking on...
.
Norton grew up in Staten Island and later studied composition at Hunter College
Hunter College
Hunter College, established in 1870, is a public university and one of the constituent colleges of the City University of New York, located on Manhattan's Upper East Side. Hunter grants undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate degrees in more than one hundred fields of study, and is recognized...
, where he began his association with bassist Milt Hinton
Milt Hinton
Milton John "Milt" Hinton , "the dean of jazz bass players," was an American jazz double bassist and photographer. He was nicknamed "The Judge".-Biography:...
. He would later record the album The Judge's Decision with Hinton in 1986. Upon graduation from Hunter College, he attended the Manhattan School of Music and earned his Master's degree in classical percussion. After school he began getting involved with the "downtown New York City" scene, and began working with Fred Frith
Fred Frith
Fred Frith is an English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor.Probably best known for his guitar work, Frith first came to attention as one of the founding members of the English avant-rock group Henry Cow. Frith was also a member of Art Bears, Massacre and Skeleton Crew...
's experimental rock band Keep the Dog
Keep the Dog
Keep the Dog was a United States-based experimental rock touring band from New York City formed in 1989 by English multi-instrumentalist, composer and improvisor Fred Frith...
(which also featured saxophonist John Zorn
John Zorn
John Zorn is an American avant-garde composer, arranger, record producer, saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist. Zorn is a prolific artist: he has hundreds of album credits as performer, composer, or producer...
and harpist Zeena Parkins
Zeena Parkins
Zeena Parkins is a harpist active in rock music, free improvisation and jazz. Parkins plays standard harps, as well as several custom-made one-of-a kind electric harps; she also plays piano and accordion...
). Some other collaborators during this period include Philip Johnston
Philip Johnston
Philip Johnston proposed the idea of using the Navajo language as a Navajo code to be used in the Pacific during World War II.-Early years:...
and Joel Forrester
Joel Forrester
Joel Forrester is an American jazz pianist and composer. He is notable for having composed the theme song to NPR's Fresh Air.-Joel Forrester:*People Like Us...No, Really, Koch...
. Beginning in 1998, Norton is currently teaching at William Paterson University
William Paterson University
William Paterson University is a comprehensive public institution located in Wayne, New Jersey serving nearly 11,000 undergraduate and graduate students through five colleges: , , , , and ....
.
More recently, Kevin has been working in various configurations with musicians Tony Malaby
Tony Malaby
Tony Malaby is a post-bop jazz tenor saxophonist. Malaby moved to New York City in 1995 and has played with several notable jazz groups, including Charlie Haden’s Liberation Music Orchestra, Paul Motian’s Electric Bebop Band, Mark Helias’s Open Loose, Fred Hersch’s Trio + 2 and Walt Whitman...
, Dave Ballou, John Lindberg
John Lindberg
John Lindberg is an American jazz double-bassist.Lindberg studied at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and moved to New York City in 1977. There he played with the Human Arts Ensemble alongside Joseph Bowie and Bobo Shaw, and he was in ensembles with Anthony Braxton from 1978-1985...
, Scott Robinson (jazz musician)
Scott Robinson (jazz musician)
Scott Robinson is an American jazz musician. Robinson is best known for his work with various styles of saxophone, but has also performed with the clarinet, flute, and sarrusophone, along with other, more obscure instruments....
, Connie Crothers
Connie Crothers
Connie Crothers is a jazz pianist. She majored in music at the University of California, Berkeley before becoming a student of Lennie Tristano. After his death she became President of the Lennie Tristano Jazz Foundation...
, and JD Parran.
Discography (as a leader)
- Time-Space Modulator
- Quark Bercuse (Solo Percussion Vol. 1)
- "Born in Brooklyn" (w/ Frode Gjerstad, Nick Stephens)
- "Winter In New York 2006" (w/ Joëlle LéandreJoëlle LéandreJoëlle Léandre is a double bassist, vocalist, and composer active in new music and free improvisation....
) - Intuitive Structures
- Ocean of Earth
- The Dream Catcher (for Wilber Morris)
- not only in that golden tree...
- Change Dance (Troubled Energy)
- Play the Music of Anthony Braxton
- For Guy Debord (in nine events)
- In Context/Out of Context
- Knots
- Integrated Variables