Pure Improvisation, the Denver Jazz Scene, and Turning Off the Inner Critic with Kenny Warren

We sit down with trumpeter Kenny Warren to explore the boundless possibilities of modern improvisation and the magic of trusting your instincts on the bandstand. Kenny opens up about his deep connection to free improvisation, describing it as a childlike state of uninhibited play, and details how he turns off his "inner critic" during esoteric sessions. We reflect on his formative years in the Denver scene with the legendary Ron Miles, his "jazz prog rock" roots with JP Schlegelmilch, and the collaborative strength of their current project, Slow Tiger. Kenny also shares his thoughts on the process of mixing and editing albums—comparing psychedelic post-production to a David Lynch film—and discusses how he adapts his compositions when writing for his Sweet World trio.

Note: Birch Grove Media does not own the recordings featured in this episode.

Catch the Slow Tiger album release gig at Three's Brewing on September 27th.

Timestamps:

00:30 - Forming the Sweet World trio and adjusting to unique instrumentation

02:34 - The slippery slope of editing and mixing your own albums

07:59 - The "David Lynch" moments of psychedelic editing in jazz

08:37 - Taking inspiration from cellist Hank Roberts

09:29 - The magic of pure improvisation vs. playing written music on tour

17:32 - Navigating uninspired moments on the bandstand

19:57 - Trusting the process and turning off the "inner critic"

26:21 - Growing up in the Denver jazz scene with Ron Miles

30:35 - How to compose for specific musicians and adapting to line-up changes

42:09 - The history of Slow Tiger and taking inspiration from Sonic Youth

46:13 - Balancing the writing duties in a collective band

51:34 - Outro: Making new music with Tyler Gilmore and Carlo Costa

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