Harry Pickens is an American jazz pianist, author, educator, and life transformation coach. He began his professional career with the Johnny Griffin quartet and the Chico Freeman quintet, later performing with the Blue Note Records group Out of the Blue before releasing several albums as a bandleader.
Early Career and Collaborations
Pickens has collaborated with a wide array of prominent jazz musicians, including Dizzy Gillespie, Art Blakey, Ron Carter, Joe Henderson, Freddie Hubbard, Benny Golson, Phil Woods, Kenny Garrett, Bobby Hutcherson, Milt Jackson, James Moody, and many others. His career has spanned performances with hundreds of notable jazz artists.
Discography
- Live at Stem Concert Hall, Vol. 1 (Double-Time Records, 1998)
- Passionate Ballads (Double-Time Records, 1998)
- Very Early (with Alexis Cole, CD Baby, 1999)
- I'll Be Seeing You (Harry Pickens Music, 2003)
- The Shadow Of Your Smile (Harry Pickens Music, 2008)
- Lumina (SonaBlast, 2023)
Publications
Pickens is the author of In Tune: Lessons In Life From A Life In Music.
Awards and Recognition
- Winner of the Kentucky Governor's Award In The Arts
- Recipient of the Fund For The Arts Lifetime Achievement Award
- Serves as Artist-In-Residence for the Kentucky Governor's School For The Arts
- Featured in an Emmy-nominated documentary, Harry Pickens In The Garden of Music, produced by Kentucky Educational Television
Other Work
In addition to his music career, Pickens is the founder and director of Havening Louisville and the Strategic Neuroregulation Institute, working as a life transformation coach. He has developed workshops such as From StageFright To Standing Ovation™, From Burnout To Bliss™, and Rewire Your Brain For Inner Peace™. He has also performed for the Dalai Lama and received commissions for choral works featuring the poetry of Wendell Berry.
