Lenny Pickett (born April 10, 1954)[1] is an American saxophonist and musical director of the Saturday Night Live band.[2] From 1973 to 1981 he was a member of the band Tower of Power. Pickett has worked extensively as a session musician for a wide range of performers and genres.[3]
Lenny Pickett | |
|---|---|
 Pickett in 2008 | |
| Background information | |
| Born | April 10, 1954 Las Cruces, New Mexico, U.S. |
| Genres |
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| Occupations |
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| Instruments |
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| Years active | 1972–present |
| Member of |
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| Formerly of | Tower of Power |
Career
editIn the 1970s and early 1980s, Pickett led the horn section for Tower of Power, an innovative and funk from the East San Francisco Bay area. He was also a frequent session band that backed many musicians in multiple genres, from Elton John to musicians in the soul music, rhythm and blues, and funk music genres.[4] Tower of Power also released its own albums as a group.[1]
Pickett joined the Saturday Night Live Band in 1985[5] and has served as the band's musical director since G. E. Smith was fired during the cast exodus in 1995.
As a composer, Pickett has written for his group, the Borneo Horns, and has received a number of commissions to write works mixing classical and popular idioms for a variety of musical ensembles, including the New Century Saxophone Quartet, as well as music for theater and collaborations with dancers, poets and film-makers.
Discography
editAs leader
- Lenny Pickett with the Borneo Horns
- Bad Dreams Lenny Pickett
- The Prescription (feat. UMO Jazz Orchestra)
- Heard by Others Lenny Pickett & John Hadfield
Other appearances
- "Weekend in the Dust", Love This Giant, David Byrne and St. Vincent
- "Hot Fun in the Summertime", The Liberty Concert (1985), Hall & Oates
1970s
edit- 1972 Why Don't You Try Me? – Earth Quake
- 1973 Tower of Power – Tower of Power
- 1973 Betty Davis – Betty Davis
- 1974 Back to Oakland – Tower of Power
- 1974 Caribou – Elton John
- 1974 In the Beginning – Roy Buchanan
- 1974 Link Wray Rumble – Link Wray
- 1974 Monkey Grip – Bill Wyman
- 1974 Ron Gardner – Ron Gardner
- 1974 Free Beer and Chicken – John Lee Hooker
- 1974 For My Love...Mother Music – José Feliciano
- 1974 Release Yourself – Graham Central Station
- 1974 Insane Asylum – Kathi McDonald
- 1974 Monsieur – Hiroshi Kamayatsu
- 1974 Jezebel – Mary McCreary
- 1974 Feats Don't Fail Me Now – Little Feat
- 1975 Urban Renewal – Tower of Power
- 1975 In the Slot – Tower of Power
- 1975 Not a Little Girl Anymore – Linda Lewis
- 1975 Rescue Me – Roy Buchanan
- 1975 Secret Sauce – Skyking
- 1975 Tales from the Ozone – Commander Cody
- 1975 Change – Spanky and Our Gang
- 1975 Rufus featuring Chaka Khan – Rufus
- 1975 Ain't No 'Bout-A-Doubt It – Graham Central Station
- 1975 Rise Sleeping Beauty – Lenny Williams
- 1976 Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now – Tower of Power
- 1976 Chameleon – Labelle
- 1976 Live and in Living Color – Tower of Power
- 1976 Mirror – Graham Central Station
- 1976 Nine on a Ten Scale – Sammy Hagar
- 1976 Stone Alone – Bill Wyman
- 1976 Tom Thumb – Michael Dinner
- 1976 A Night on the Town – Rod Stewart
- 1976 Impact – Impact
- 1976 Affectionate – R.C. Succession
- 1976 Hard Candy – Ned Doheny
- 1976 Hometown Boy Makes Good – Elvin Bishop
- 1976 In Touch – Tommy James
- 1976 The Keane Brothers – Keane Brothers
- 1976 The Lost Heritage Tapes – John Kay
- 1976 Act Like Nothing's Wrong – Al Kooper
- 1976 Gavin Christopher – Gavin Christopher
- 1976 White Bird – David LaFlamme
- 1976 Jaye P. Morgan – Jaye P. Morgan
- 1976 Billy Preston – Billy Preston
- 1977 Supersonic Lover – Brian & Brenda Russell
- 1977 Big City – Lenny White
- 1977 Choosing You – Lenny Williams
- 1977 Funk in a Mason Jar – Harvey Mason
- 1977 New Directions – The Meters
- 1977 Nielsen/Pearson – Nielsen/Pearson
- 1977 Right on Time – The Brothers Johnson
- 1977 Time Loves a Hero – Little Feat
- 1977 Marin County Line – New Riders of the Purple Sage
- 1977 Red – Sammy Hagar
- 1977 An Insatiable High – Masayoshi Takanaka
- 1977 Good News – Attitudes
- 1977 Disco Fantasy – Coke Escovedo
- 1977 Feel the Fire – Jermaine Jackson
- 1977 God Only Knows (45 RPM) – Marilyn Scott
- 1977 Right On Time – The Brothers Johnson
- 1977 The Tim Weisberg Band – Tim Weisberg Band
- 1977 Sierra – Sierra
- 1977 Patrick Gleeson's Star Wars – Patrick Gleeson
- 1978 Frontiers – Jermaine Jackson
- 1978 In Tails – King Biscuit Flower Hour – Journey
- 1978 Before the Rain – Lee Oskar
- 1978 Desert Horizon – Norton Buffalo
- 1978 Dinner with Raoul – Bliss Band
- 1978 Jesse Barish – Jesse Barish
- 1978 Crimson Tide – Crimson Tide
- 1978 Tattoo Man – Denise McCann
- 1978 Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band soundtrack
- 1978 Waiting for Columbus – Little Feat
- 1978 We Came to Play! – Tower of Power
- 1978 What Have You Done for Love – Hodges, James & Smith
- 1978 Jet Lag – Nick Chavin
- 1978 Never Even Thought – Colin Blunstone
- 1978 Winner – Renée Geyer
- 1979 Back on the Streets – Tower of Power
- 1979 Everything You've Heard Is True – Tom Johnston
- 1979 Live & Learn – Elkie Brooks
- 1979 Richard Evans – Richard Evans
- 1979 Silent Letter – America
- 1979 Victim of Love – Elton John
- 1979 You're So Good – Helen Reddy
- 1979 Muscle Shoals '79 (2008) – James Walsh Gypsy Band
- 1979 Magic Lady – Sergio Mendes
- 1979 Gonna Getcha' Love – Charles Jackson
- 1979 Melissa Manchester – Melissa Manchester
- 1979 8 for the 80's – Webster Lewis
- 1979 Play It As It Lays – Alicia Bridges
- 1979 Where I Should Be – Peter Frampton
- 1979 Never Been Here Before – Paulette McWilliams
- 1979 Dreams of Tomorrow – Marilyn Scott
- 1979 Remote Control – The Tubes
1980s
edit- 1980 Bebe le Strange – Heart
- 1980 Greatest Hits: Live – Heart
- 1980 La Toya Jackson – La Toya Jackson
- 1980 The Hawkins Family (Live) – Walter Hawkins
- 1980 Heaven Above Me – Frankie Valli
- 1980 No Night So Long – Dionne Warwick
- 1981 The Boys Are Back – Stone City Band
- 1981 But What Will the Neighbors Think – Rodney Crowell
- 1981 Coconuts High – Izumi Kobayashi
- 1981 Direct - Tower of Power
- 1981 Heart – Heart
- 1981 Take It Off – Chic
- 1982 Flat–Picking Spectacular – Joe Maphis
- 1982 Steve Forbert – Steve Forbert
- 1982 Picture This – Huey Lewis and the News
- 1983 Lee Palmer – Lee Palmer
- 1984 Civilized Man – Joe Cocker
- 1984 Like a Virgin – Madonna
- 1984 Tonight – David Bowie
- 1984 The Gospel at Colonus soundtrack – Bob Telson, Donald Fagen
- 1984 Leader of the Pack soundtrack – Various
- 1984 Surrender – Robin Clark
- 1985 Step By Step – Jeff Lorber
- 1985 Live at the Apollo with David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Hall & Oates
- 1985 Middle of the Night – Taka Boom
- 1985 Riptide – Robert Palmer
- 1985 She's the Boss – Mick Jagger
- 1985 The Heat – Nona Hendryx
- 1985 Bump the Renaissance – Bobby Previte
- 1985 Confrontation – Face to Face
- 1985 Listen Now Do You – Sheena Easton
- 1985 Little Creatures – Talking Heads
- 1985 Mask of Smiles – John Waite
- 1985 Power Station 33 1/3 – The Power Station
- 1985 Power Station – The Power Station
- 1985 When the Boys Meet the Girls – Sister Sledge
- 1985 Dancing in the Street – Mick Jagger & David Bowie
- 1986 3 Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine – Daryl Hall
- 1986 At Least We Got Shoes – Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes
- 1986 Brutal Dub – Black Uhuru
- 1986 Brutal – Black Uhuru
- 1986 Heartbeat – Don Johnson
- 1986 Home in the Heart of the Beat – Beat Rodeo
- 1986 Innocent – Peter Gordon
- 1986 Inside Story – Grace Jones
- 1986 John Somebody – Scott Johnson
- 1986 Press to Play – Paul McCartney
- 1986 Secret Dreams & Forbidden Fire – Bonnie Tyler
- 1986 Gorilla – TM Network
- 1987 Brooklyn – Peter Gordon
- 1987 Belouis Some – Belouis Some
- 1987 Conjure: Cab Calloway Stands in for the Moon – Kip Hanrahan
- 1987 Hunger– Michael Bolton
- 1987 Is There Rockin' in This House – Terri Gonzalez
- 1987 Lenny Pickett with the Borneo Horns – Lenny Pickett
- 1987 Never Let Me Down – David Bowie
- 1987 Never Never Land – Simon F.
- 1987 Strange Weather – Marianne Faithfull
- 1987 Dominion/Mother Russia – The Sisters Of Mercy
- 1988 Remote – Hue and Cry
- 1988 Constant Fear – Paranoise
- 1988 Direct – Tower of Power
- 1988 Distant Drums – Brian Slawson
- 1988 Doble Vida – Soda Stereo
- 1988 Groovin ' – The Missing Links
- 1988 Molly on the Shore – Richard Greene
- 1988 Naked – Talking Heads
- 1988 Never Felt So Good – James Ingram
- 1988 Ooh Yeah! – Hall & Oates
- 1988 Out of Order – Rod Stewart
- 1988 Shag – Original Soundtrack
- 1988 Tear Down These Walls – Billy Ocean
- 1989 The Lion for Real – Allen Ginsberg
- 1989 Addictions, Vol. 1 – Robert Palmer
- 1989 Charlie Sexton – Charlie Sexton
- 1989 Conscious Party – Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers
- 1989 D'Atra Hicks – D'atra Hicks
- 1989 Gutterboy – Gutterboy
- 1989 Languis – Soda Stereo
- 1989 Mick Jones – Mick Jones
- 1989 One Bright Day – Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers
- 1989 One Night of Sin – Joe Cocker
- 1989 Signs of Life – Charlie Elgart
- 1989 Stay Awake – Hal Willner
- 1989 Storm Front – Billy Joel
- 1989 Strange Angels – Laurie Anderson
- 1989 Whirlwind – Danny Gottlieb
1990s
edit- 1990 Changesbowie – David Bowie
- 1990 Dead City Radio – William S. Burroughs
- 1990 In Your Eyes – James D-Train Williams
- 1990 Leningrad–Xpress – Peter Gordon
- 1990 Passages – Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass
- 1990 A Place Like This – Robbie Nevil
- 1990 Song of the Sun – Jim Beard
- 1990 To Be Continued... – Elton John
- 1990 Tonight [Bonus Tracks] – David Bowie
- 1991 Another Hand – David Sanborn
- 1991 Sereno – Wilkins
- 1991 Signature – Charlie Musselwhite
- 1992 Road to Freedom – Grayson Hugh
- 1992 A Dove – The Roches
- 1992 Ese Soy Yo – Emmanuel
- 1992 Flowers and Stones – Peter, Paul and Mary
- 1992 Get a Little – G.E. Smith & Saturday Night Live Band
- 1992 Gutterboy – Gutterboy
- 1992 MTV Unplugged [EP] – Mariah Carey
- 1992 MTV Unplugged [MTV Unplugged + 3] – Mariah Carey
- 1992 Sun Sun – Casiopea Sax (Tenor)
- 1992 Upfront – David Sanborn
- 1993 Arc – Jimmy Haslip
- 1993 Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell – Meat Loaf
- 1993 I'm No Angel – Carole Davis
- 1993 Love Scenes – Beverley Craven
- 1993 Over My Heart – Laura Branigan
- 1993 Press to Play [Bonus Tracks] – Paul McCartney
- 1993 Ships at Sea, Sailors and Shoes – Ned Sublette
- 1993 Short Cuts – Original Soundtrack
- 1993 Sons of Soul – Tony! Toni! Tone!
- 1993 Start a New Race – Paranoise
- 1993 T.O.P. – Tower of Power
- 1994 Hearsay – David Sanborn
- 1994 Jewels – Chieli Minucci
- 1994 Merry Christmas – Mariah Carey
- 1994 One Day Closer – Jonathan Edwards
- 1994 Whistling in the Wind – Leon Redbone
- 1995 Cab Calloway Stands in for the Moon – Conjure
- 1995 Caribou [Bonus Tracks]– Elton John
- 1995 Chroniques Bluesymentales – Hubert-Felix Thiefaine
- 1995 Cool and Steady and Easy – Brooklyn Funk Essentials
- 1995 Greetings from the Gutter – Dave Stewart
- 1995 My Temptation – Vivian Williams
- 1995 Real Time – Richard Tee
- 1995 Spanner in the Works – Rod Stewart
- 1996 Bicycle – Livingston Taylor
- 1996 Concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
- 1996 Havana Calling – Orlando "Maraca" Valle Y Otra Vision
- 1996 Live: The Real Deal – Buddy Guy
- 1996 Living in Fear – The Power Station
- 1996 No Talking Just Head – The Heads
- 1996 Strings Attached – Peter Ecklund
- 1997 Direct Plus – Tower of Power
- 1997 Excess Baggage – Original Soundtrack
- 1997 Monsters from the Deep – Ned Sublette & Lawrence Weiner
- 1998 Kiss My Blues – Tony Z
- 1998 Read 'em & Weep – Clyde Roberts
- 1998 Secret Handshake – Geoff Muldaur
- 1998 Vincent Laguardia Gambini Sings Just for You – Joe Pesci
- 1999 Al Confini: Interzone – Various Artists
- 1999 Inside – David Sanborn
- 1999 Live on Breeze Hill – Rick Danko Band
- 1999 She's Lightning When She Smiles – Dave Soldier
- 1999 Sip the Wine – Rick Danko Band
- 1999 Social Studies – Loudon Wainwright III
2000s
edit- 2000 Dinosaur Tracks – Tower of Power
- 2000 Kick It up a Step! – Strokeland Superband
- 2000 Long Expectant Comes at Last – Cathal McConnell
- 2000 Man in a Jupiter Hat – Lee Feldman
- 2000 Over the Edge – Professor Louie & Crowmatix
- 2000 Pasajes De Un Sueno – Ana Torroja
- 2000 Sound Loaded – Ricky Martin
- 2000 Sweet on You – Chieli Minucci
- 2002 Heathen – David Bowie
- 2002 Slow Burn – David Bowie
- 2003 Oakland Zone – Tower of Power
- 2003 Universo Fortis – Alberto Fortis
- 2004 Our Kind of Soul – Daryl Hall & John Oates
- 2004 Wichita Vortex Sutra – Allen Ginsberg
- 2005 Here Comes Tomorrow – Ursula 1000
- 2006 Can't Quit the Blues – Buddy Guy
- 2006 Planet Earth – Dennis Chambers
- 2007 Holly Cole – Holly Cole
- 2008 Cadillac Records – Original Soundtrack
- 2008 It Is Time for a Love Revolution – Lenny Kravitz
- 2008 Easy Come Easy Go – Marianne Faithfull
- 2009 Organ Soul Sessions – Lucky Peterson
- 2009 Bible Belt – Diane Birch
2010s
edit- 2010 Love of Life Orchestra – Peter Laurence Gordon
- 2010 Many Mamas, Many Papas – John Phillips
- 2010 Teenage Dream – Katy Perry
- 2010 30 Rock – Jeff Richmond
- 2012 Love This Giant – David Byrne & St. Vincent
- 2013 My True Story – Aaron Neville
- 2013 Prism – Katy Perry
- 2013 Son of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys
- 2014 El Concierto de la Historia - Frágil
- 2016 I Can Do All Things – Jeremy Warren
References
edit- ^ a b Wynn, Ron. "Lenny Pickett | Biography & History". AllMusic.com. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
- ^ [1]Lenny Pickett Is a Sax Machine by Devon Ivie, New York Magazine, Vulture
- ^ [2] Lenny Pickett Bio Part I Sax Station
- ^ [3] Lenny Pickett Bio Part I Sax Station
- ^ [4] Lenny Pickett Bio Part I Sax Station