Recipient Information
Location
Stillwater, Oklahoma
Year of Award
2026
Grant or Fellowship
Jazz Road Tours Grant
Grant Amount
$9,500
Recognized by DownBeat Magazine as "a distinctive player and composer," guitarist and composer Kenny Reichert has established himself as a unique voice in today's jazz and creative music scenes. He performs as a soloist, bandleader, and collaborator, bringing a refined yet adventurous approach to improvisation and composition.
Reichert has released three critically acclaimed albums as a leader: Interpretations (2015), Deep Breath (2023, Shifting Paradigm Records), and Switch (2024, Calligram Records). His upcoming album, Live in Chicago, will be released in January 2026 on Shifting Paradigm Records. His recordings have been praised by All About Jazz as "masterly without being showy" and featured on jazz radio stations, including WDCB 90.9FM Chicago and 91.7 FM WMSE Milwaukee.
In addition to his work as a bandleader, Reichert co-leads the organ trio Righteous Rooster, whose debut album Fowl Play (2024, Shifting Paradigm Records) was followed by a series of singles and regional tours. He also co-leads the guitar duo Sara & Kenny with his wife, classical guitarist Sara d'Ippolito Reichert, and appears regularly with vocalist Ana Everling's quartet. As a collaborator, he has worked alongside artists such as Jon Irabagon, Russ Johnson, Geof Bradfield, Devin Drobka, Ethan Philion, Lenard Simpson, and Clark Sommers.
Reichert maintains an active performing schedule across the Midwest and beyond, with recent performances at Lincoln Center (NYC), Constellation (Chicago), The Estate (Milwaukee), Berlin (Minneapolis), North Street Cabaret (Madison), Bar Centro (Milwaukee), and Fitzgerald's (Berwyn). He has been presented at regional festivals including the Bay View Jazz Festival (Milwaukee), Sound & Gravity Festival (Chicago), and the American Music Festival at Fitzgerald's.
Honors include being named a 2022 Luminarts Jazz Fellow, where he also received a Project Grant (2023) to support his recording and touring projects, and recognition from press outlets including DownBeat, All About Jazz, and Textura. He has also been featured on VEVO's "Jammin' Jazz" playlist and received radio play across the United States, Europe, and Africa.
In 2025, Reichert was appointed Visiting Assistant Professor of Guitar at Oklahoma State University's Greenwood School of Music, where he teaches jazz and commercial guitar, jazz history, and ensemble performance.