Harrold, Keyon

Keyon Harrold (born November 18, 1980) is an American jazz trumpeter, vocalist, songwriter and producer.

Early life.
Harrold was born and raised in Ferguson, Missouri, United States, one of sixteen children in a family of musicians. His grandfather was a former police officer who founded The Memorial Lancers Drum and Bugle Corps. Harrold graduated from the School of Jazz at The New School.
Harrold counts Miles Davis' second great quintet, Prince, Common, Dr. Dre and J Dilla as influences.

Career.
Harrold’s first professional gig was as a trumpeter with Common, an audition he secured on the recommendation of New School classmate Robert Glasper. He performed at The White House as part of Common’s Tiny Desk Concert for NPR in 2016.
A mentee of trumpeter Charles Tolliver, Harrold performed as part of Tolliver’s big band on the studio album With Love (2006) and concert release Emperor March: Live At The Blue Note (2007).
During this period, Harrold became a notable crossover performer, becoming a staple of New York jazz clubs as well as providing instrumentation for recordings by JAY-Z, Beyoncé, 50 Cent, Anthony Hamilton, Gregory Porter, Mac Miller, Mary J. Blige and Maxwell. Harrold has also toured with Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, Rihanna, Eminem, Gregory Porter, D’Angelo, Maxwell and Mary J. Blige.
Harrold supplied all of the trumpet playing in Don Cheadle’s Miles Davis biopic Miles Ahead, playing to match Cheadle’s on-screen performance as well as the character of Junior, portrayed by Keith Stanfield. The soundtrack to the film won a Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.
His first solo album, Introducing Keyon Harrold, was released in 2009. AllMusic praised the album, saying “it bodes well for his bright future” as one of “the leading jazz trumpet players of a new generation.” A follow-up, The Mugician, is planned for a 2017 release.

Style.
Harrold’s playing has been compared to Freddie Hubbard by Down Beat. Wynton Marsalis once referred to him as “the future of the trumpet.”

Discography.

Albums:
Introducing Keyon Harrold (Criss Cross, 2009)
The Mugician (Legacy Recordings, 2017)

Selected guest appearances:
Charles Tolliver Big Band, With Love (Blue Note/Mosaic, 2006)
Beyoncé, “Back Up” (from B’Day – Columbia, 2006)
John Legend & Mary J. Blige, “King and Queen” (from Once Again – G.O.O.D./Columbia, 2006)
Mobb Deeo, "Smoke It"" (from Blood Money - Interscope Records, 2006)
Charles Tolliver Big Band, Emperor March: Live At The Blue Note (Blue Note, 2007)
50 Cent, “Touch the Sky” (from Curtis – Aftermath/Interscope, 2007)
JAY-Z, “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is…)” (from American Gangster – Roc-a-Fella, 2007)
David Sanborn, Here & Gone" (Decca, 2008)
"Billy Harper, Blueprints of Jazz" (Talking House Records, 2008)
"Brother Ray, Various - Selected 2008-Classics & Jazz" (Verve Records, EmArcy, ECM Records, Deutsche Grammaphon, Decca, 2008)
"Maxwell, "Pretty Wings"" (from Pretty Wings - Columbia, 2009)
Maxwell, BLACKsummers'night (Columbia, 2009)
"Joss Stone, "I Believe it to my Soul"" (from Colour Me Free! - Virgin, 2009
JAY-Z, “Roc Boys (And the Winner Is…)” (from Jay- The Hits COllection, VOl 1 - Def Jam Recordings, Roc Nation, 2010)
"John Stoddart, Faith, Hope Love" (Urban Junction east Music, 2010)
Anthony Hamilton, Back to Love (RCA, 2011)
Gregory Porter, “Real Good Hands” (from Be Good – Blue Note, 2012)
"Bog K.R.I.T.. "Cool 2 Be Something"" (from Live from the Underground - Def Jam Recordings, 2012)
"Maya Hatch, Spice of Life" (Spice of Life. 2012)
"Andrae Crouch, Live in Los Angeles" (Riverphio Entertainment, 2013)
"Derrick Hodge, Live Today (Blue Note, 2013)
"Otis Brown III, The Thought of You (Blue Note, 2014)
"Nina Simone, "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" & 2 more" (Revive Music, RCA Records, 2015)
Various Artists, Miles Ahead: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Columbia/Legacy, 2016)
Gregory Porter, Take Me to the Alley (Blue Note, 2016)
Maxwell, blackSUMMERS’night (Columbia, 2016)
Mac Miller, “Stay” (from The Divine Feminine – REMember/Warner Bros., 2016)
"Dr. Lonnie Smith, Evolution" (Blue Note, 2016)
"Derrick Hodge, "For Generations"" (from The Second - Blue Note, 2016)
"Marcus Stricklan's Twi-Life, Nihil Nihil" (Blue Note, Revive Music, 2016)
"Greg Dean, "Grass Ain't Greener" and 4 more" (from The Greg Dean Project, Purpose US, 2016)
"Various, Verve and Blue Note Today 2016, Mirrors" (Verve Records, Blue Note, 2016)
"Will Calhoun, Celebrating Elvin Jones" (Motema, 2016)
"Jason McGuiness, We Could Be/Empyrean Tones, 7"" (Analog Burners, 2016)
"PJ Morton, "Claustrophobic" and 1 more" (from Gumbo - Morton Records, 2017)

Arrangement:
Mobb Deeo, "Backstage Pass (as K.Harrold)"" (from Blood Money - Interscope Records, 2006)
50 Cent, “Touch the Sky” (from Curtis – Aftermath/Interscope, 2007)
Introducing Keyon Harrold (Criss Cross, 2009)
"Bog K.R.I.T.. "Cool 2 Be Something"" (from Live from the Underground - Def Jam Recordings, 2012)
Gregory Porter, Take Me to the Alley (Blue Note, 2016)
"Gone 2015", Miles Ahead: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Columbia/Legacy, 2016)
"Jason McGuiness, We Could Be/Empyrean Tones, 7"" (Analog Burners, 2016)

Featuring and presenting:
"Terrace Martin "Tribe Called West" (from Velvet Portraits - Ropeadope Records, Sounds of Crenshaw, 2016)
"Jason McGuiness, We Could Be/Empyrean Tones, 7"" (Analog Burners, 2016)

Production:
"Cecilia Stalin, Step Like A Giant" (Self-released)

Technical:
"John Stoddart, Faith, Hope Love" (Urban Junction east Music, 2010)