One of the world's greatest jazz pianists: Kirkland “Kirk” Lightsey – a living legend.

He toured with Dexter Gordon in the 1970s and 80s and worked with Pharoah Sanders, David Murray, Chet Baker, and Don Cherry, among many others. He was also a member of the group The Leaders, which included Lester Bowie, Arthur Blythe, Chico Freeman, Cecil McBee, and Famoudou Don Moye.

Since the 1980s, he has accompanied many pop musicians at the Motown Studios in Detroit, but has remained true to jazz. After spending a long time in Paris as his first place of residence, Lightsey returned to his home in New York (he himself comes from Detroit) in 2014 for a series of concerts, including a guest appearance at the Village Vanguard. This performance made it into the New York Times' list of the ‘Top 10 Concerts of 2014’. (Press release)

Kirk Lightsey and I have been friends for decades. I first met him in person in 1988 in Saalfelden, alongside the wonderful singer Özay. He performed at the “old” P&B with a wide variety of bands, and of course at the “new” establishment as well. On the occasion of his 80th birthday, we reserved a suite for him at the Hotel Imperial without informing him in advance. I picked him up from the airport, a doorman held the car door open in front of the hotel, and the director insisted on greeting the master pianist personally. It would have been impossible to give Captain Kirk (as we call him) a bigger surprise. He thanked us with a fantastic concert in the evening. In July 2024, he received a three-day portrait, including Famoudou Don Moye & Steve Watts and an evening with his Austrian friends, who will also be accompanying the master pianist, born in 1937 (!), competently this evening. Welcome back, Kirk! CH