Corey Kendrick is a pianist, composer, recording artist, and educator currently living in Detroit, MI. Praised by Downbeat Magazine’s John Ephland as a “very accomplished, highly gifted jazz pianist” with “a patient, maturing voice,” Kendrick has a skillful touch that is both immediately recognizable and deeply expressive. Kendrick released his debut album, Rootless, in June of 2016, which JazzTimes.com’s Travis Roger, Jr. called “a debut album that stands among the finest albums of the year.” Rated 5 stars by Bebop Spoken Here’s Lance Liddle, Rootless quickly climbed the jazz radio charts, reaching #4, #5, and #35 on the CMJ, RMR, and JazzWeek charts respectively and was featured on PRI’s syndicated program “Jazz After Hours.” The Corey Kendrick Trio recently completed their Midwestern tour in support of the release, playing well attended shows in IA, IL, IN, MI, OH, and Ontario, CA.
Kendrick has toured internationally with Etienne Charles’ Creole Soul, regionally with the Rodney Whitaker Quintet, and throughout the Midwest as a leader. Kendrick has performed alongside Jimmy Cobb, Antonio Hart, Peter Bernstein, Marquis Hill, Christian McBride, Robin Eubanks, Jon Faddis, Jeff Hamilton, Tim Warfield, Wycliffe Gordon, Regina Carter, Conrad Herwig, Randy Gelispie, Diego Rivera, Michael Dease, Ben Williams, Mark Whitfield Jr, Obed Calvaire, Alex Wintz, Brian Hogans, Jacques Schwarz-Bart, Tom Kennedy and Sachal Vasandani among others.
As a Quad City Arts 2018 visiting artist, Kendrick performed educational outreach concerts for over 1,500 K-12 students over a 5 day guest artist residency.
Kendrick received his Master’s in Jazz Studies from Michigan State University in 2015 and holds a Bachelor’s in Liberal Studies from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Kendrick has studied with Xavier Davis, Reggie Thomas, and Willie Pickens.
As an educator, Kendrick taught Improvisation, Jazz Piano Lab, and Applied Jazz Piano lessons as a Graduate Assistant at Michigan State University from 2013-2015. He has served on faculty at the 2014 MSU Big Band Symposium and the 2013 Black Hawk College Summer Jazz Camp. Kendrick was an adjunct instructor at Black Hawk College from 2012-2013, where he taught Applied Jazz Piano, Jazz Combo, and coordinated the 21st annual BHC Jazz Festival in 2013. He also has extensive experience teaching private lessons in jazz piano, theory, and improvisation.
His trio will include Michael Palazzolo and David Alvarez and they will explore the “Detroit songbook” featuring the compositions of legendary Detroit composers such as Barry Harris, Curtis Fuller, Marcus Belgrave, Yusef Lateef, Kenny Cox, Paul Chambers, Donald Byrd, Thad & Hank Jones, etc.