As far back as he can recall, Kendrick Scott, who was born in Houston, has imbued his music with deeper meaning. “Coming up in church,” he says, “you played music for a message; you played music for a purpose. Oracle lives in that space, no matter what we’re playing.” Like his fellow Houston drum greats Harland and Jamire Williams, Scott grew up with a mother who was an acclaimed gospel choir director. On top of that bedrock, he developed his technique through private mentorship and public jazz education, spurred on by an environment of fierce but brotherly competition.
He moved to New York in 2003, and raised his profile performing and recording for Blue Note in trumpeter Terence Blanchard’s band, appearing on several of the trumpeter’s albums including Flow (2005), A Tale Of God’s Will (2007), and Magnetic (2013). Scott has also toured with Herbie Hancock, Charles Lloyd, The Crusaders, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Kurt Elling. Kendrick has released three albums as a bandleader including two previous album with his band Kendrick Scott Oracle: The Source (2007) and Conviction (2013).
