Khari Wynn
Encyclopedia
Khari James Wynn is an American
guitarist
and recording artist
from Memphis
, Tennessee
.
He is best known for his work the jazz-rock genre as well as with American hip hop
group, Public Enemy, also known as PE, consisting of Chuck D
, Flavor Flav
, Professor Griff
and his S1W
group, and DJ Lord
, who replaced Terminator X
.
. 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".
In 2001 Wynn began recording and rehearsing with 7th Octave, a group assembled by Professor Griff
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 World Odor 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
.
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, James Brown
, Gov't Mule
, Maceo Parker
, Soulive
, DJ Logic
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
.
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.
7th Octave:
The Peeps of Soulfunk:
The Banned:
Solstice:
Anthony Crawford:
Floyd Taylor:
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
and recording artist
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
from Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
He is best known for his work the jazz-rock genre as well as with American hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
group, Public Enemy, also known as PE, consisting of Chuck D
Chuck D
Carlton Douglas Ridenhour , better known by his stage name, Chuck D, is an American rapper, author, and producer. He helped create politically and socially conscious rap music in the mid-1980s as the leader of the rap group Public Enemy.- Early life :Ridenhour was born in Queens, New York...
, Flavor Flav
Flavor Flav
William Jonathan Drayton, Jr. , better known by his stage name Flavor Flav, is an American rapper and television personality who rose to prominence as a member of the rap group Public Enemy...
, Professor Griff
Professor Griff
Professor Griff is an American rapper and spoken word artist. He is a member of the hip hop group Public Enemy and head of the Security of the First World.-Early years in Public Enemy:...
and his S1W
S1W (group)
S1W, short for Security of the First World, began as a security organization inRoosevelt, New York under the name of Unity Force where they provided security at hip hop parties during the mid 1980s. The organization was headed by Professor Griff. Later they became part of the hip hop group Public...
group, and DJ Lord
Dj Lord
Dj LORD , is a DJ and turntablist. In 1999, Dj LORD joined the hip-hop group Public Enemy on their 40th World Tour replacing Terminator X. Soon after, Dj LORD had his own performance segment within the Public Enemy show. While DJ battles and hip hop has been at the foundation of his career, Dj...
, who replaced Terminator X
Terminator X
Norman Rogers is a retired American DJ, best known for his work with rap group Public Enemy, which he left in 1999...
.
Early life
Khari Wynn was born in Boston, Massachusetts, son of acclaimed music critic/writer Ron WynnRon 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 , and from 1993 to 1994 served as the jazz and rap editor of the All Music Guide. Wynn is the former editor of New Memphis Star and the former chief jazz and pop music...
. 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
Electric guitar
An electric guitar is a guitar that uses the principle of direct electromagnetic induction to convert vibrations of its metal strings into electric audio signals. The signal generated by an electric guitar is too weak to drive a loudspeaker, so it is amplified before sending it to a loudspeaker...
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
Professor Griff
Professor Griff is an American rapper and spoken word artist. He is a member of the hip hop group Public Enemy and head of the Security of the First World.-Early years in Public Enemy:...
of Public Enemy. The following year, Wynn wrote and recorded electric guitar tracks for Public Enemy's Revolverlution
Revolverlution
Revolverlution is the eighth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released July 23, 2002 on Koch Records in the United States. The album debuted at number 110 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart...
. After four years of touring, Wynn wrote and recorded again on Public Enemy's album New World Odor and in 2007 on the album How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?
How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?
How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul??? is the tenth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released August 7, 2007 on Slam Jamz Recordings in the United States. Its release coincided with the 20th anniversary of their career...
.
Khari Wynn established the jazz fusion
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,...
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
Shirley Brown is an American soul singer, best known for her million-selling single "Woman to Woman" which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1975.-Woman to Woman:...
.
After James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
'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
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
and Clyde Stubblefield
Clyde Stubblefield
Clyde Stubblefield is a drummer best known for his work with James Brown.Stubblefield's recordings with James Brown are considered to be some of the standard-bearers for funk drumming, including the singles "Cold Sweat", "There Was A Time", "I Got The Feelin'", "Say It Loud - I'm Black and I'm...
. 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, James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
, Gov't Mule
Gov't Mule
Gov't Mule is a Southern rock jam band formed in 1994 as an Allman Brothers Band side project by Warren Haynes and Allen Woody.The band released their debut album Gov't Mule in 1995...
, Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker
Maceo Parker is an American funk and soul jazz saxophonist, best known for his work with James Brown in the 1960s, as well as Parliament-Funkadelic in the 1970s. Parker was a prominent soloist on many of Brown's hit recordings, and a key part of his band, playing alto, tenor and baritone saxophones...
, Soulive
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 , Alan Evans , Neal Evans...
, DJ Logic
DJ Logic
DJ Logic is an American turntablist active primarily in jazz and with jam bands.Kibler was born and raised in The Bronx. An early interest in hip hop led to his using the turntables, practicing often. Kibler was also interested in funk and jazz music, and began collaborating with various musicians...
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
$5 Cover
$5 Cover is an online series created by filmmaker Craig Brewer and produced by MTV and is a fictional series created to complement the documentary series "$5 Cover Amplified"...
, a reality show created and produced by director Craig Brewer
Craig Brewer
Craig Brewer is an American film director and screenwriter. 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 Hard Out Here for a Pimp".- Life and career :Hustle & Flow...
.
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
Black Snake Moan
Black Snake Moan is a 2006 American drama film written and directed by Craig Brewer. It was filmed in and around Stanton, Tennessee, and stars Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, and Justin Timberlake...
.
In 2011, after a decade with the group, Wynn became the Music Director for Public Enemy.
Discography
Public Enemy:- 2002 RevolverlutionRevolverlutionRevolverlution is the eighth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released July 23, 2002 on Koch Records in the United States. The album debuted at number 110 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart...
- 2007 How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul?How You Sell Soul to a Soulless People Who Sold Their Soul??? is the tenth studio album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released August 7, 2007 on Slam Jamz Recordings in the United States. Its release coincided with the 20th anniversary of their career...
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