Keyon Harrold on Miles Davis and the Atlanta Jazz Fest

Keyon Harrold does not play it safe and never has. That’s why when you mention legends, his name comes up. The Grammy nominated trumpeter, composer and producer from St. Louis has built a body of work that crosses every line between jazz, hip-hop, soul and R&B. From recording with Jay-Z and Nas to touring with D’Angelo and Maxwell, his fingerprints are on some of the most defining music of the past two decades. 

How did it all start for you?

It all got started in St. Louis. I started playing very early, and the music, to me, was just a natural thing. I did sports, which is great, I love sports, but the music just hit me from the beginning, baptized into the fire, because my family was into music. My grandfather was a big influence on me learning about music and learning about the legends who came from where I’m from, from Count Basie to Charlie Parker. Obviously Miles Davis was right across the river in East St. Louis, so that was always talked about, and it was something that I always aspired to be like.

What are some of your favorite performances?

From performing with Jay-Z when he had his album out, American Gangster, recording on Roc Boys, working and being signed to Mass Appeal with Nas, that was incredible. Working with Maxwell on his BLACKsummers’night album, I was able to arrange and perform on that album and do that tour. 

But some of my most memorable performances would be with the great D’Angelo. I played with him on his performance on Verzuz. He was versus himself, but I was the only other musician to come out. To tour with him, record with him, and to perform with him for a couple years was everything to me.

You performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. What was that night like?

That was so incredible, so epic. We did a tribute to Sly Stone, then we did the tribute for D’Angelo, then for OutKast. OutKast is straight up Atlanta, straight up Georgia. Got a chance to play SpottieOttieDopaliscious live, that was incredible to me. I’m a jazz musician, but I’m not just a jazz musician. I’m an artist who respects all kinds of music, all art forms, and I like to take my music everywhere. I want everybody to feel it, from here to Antarctica to space. I want people to feel the vibrations.

How does it feel stepping into the role of leading the Miles Electric Band?

Every time I have the opportunity to pay homage to Miles Davis, it’s special to me, because he’s a musical father, truly. Anytime I’m looking for inspiration, I don’t have to look far, just put on a Miles Davis record. From his classic Kind of Blue to Jack Johnson to Bitches Brew, all of those records were inspiring and amazing. 

For me to wear those shoes and put on that hat is, as a trumpet player, epic. People trust me to carry on the mantle, to carry the lineage forward. I don’t take that for granted, working with Vince Wilburn, Miles Davis’s nephew, and the foundation is everything, to keep this music going to the next generations. If you want to get into jazz, Miles Davis is ground zero.

What does it feel like bringing a younger generation of musicians into this music?

It’s so amazing, the energy. You have classic songs, classic albums, then incredible musicians reinterpreting this music. Many people never got a chance to see it live. That live element is something else, and I don’t take it for granted that I get a chance to basically be the Miles Davis stunt double every day.

Miles would have been 100 this year. What do you think he would make of where music is today?

Miles would appreciate it. He would appreciate that music is moving forward. It’s not meant to stay in one place. This art is meant to grow, find new legs and inspire other people all over the planet. So I feel like Miles would be happy with it. From working with Jay-Z and Beyoncé and Rihanna and Bilal and Mos Def and Common and Big K.R.I.T., I feel like my track, as playing the trumpet, fits on their track, so putting those things together makes it special. 

Miles would have been totally into that. From him working with Prince and Jimi Hendrix, all of those people were pushing music and pushing boundaries. I feel like I’ve taken that on to do the same.

What can people expect from your performance in Atlanta?

We’ll be in Atlanta on May 22nd, kicking off the world-famous Atlanta Jazz Festival at the Symphony Hall. The band is electric in every sense. It’s magnificent, the energy is unforgiving. You will have a great time and be transported to different spaces. Come check us out. The first night of the Atlanta Jazz Festival at 7:30 p.m. at the Symphony Hall.

What’s next after the Jazz Festival?

After the Jazz Festival, we are celebrating Miles Davis all year. It’s the centennial. So we’ll be doing more shows all over the world. I’ll be at Carnegie Hall May 16th in New York City. I’m excited about that. And I’ll be doing some dates from my Foreverland album, as well as getting ready to release some new music. The year’s looking promising.

Where can people find you and your music?

You can find me on IG, that’s where I’m most active, @keyonharrold and that’s all of my socials. The music is on all the platforms, from Spotify, Tidal, Apple, Amazon. You can find my latest album, Foreverland, as well as new collaborations with PJ Morton, Tiana Major9, Jazzy and Coco Jones. 

I also have a new project out called Straight08 with Sam Barsh and Mark Guiliana, a trio project we put out recently. And there’s a festival, I’m the artistic director and advisor for, in St. Louis called MATI, Music at the Intersection Festival, July 17th to 19th, with Killer Mike, Jon Batiste, PJ Morton, Andra Day, Moonchild, and the list goes on.