Lenny Pickett

Lenny Pickett (born April 10, 1954) is an American saxophonist and musical director of the ''Saturday Night Live'' band. From 1973 to 1981 he was a member of Tower of Power.

He is known for his skill in the altissimo register (executed by using a combination of voicing control, air stream control, and alternate fingerings), which can be heard during the opening credits of ''Saturday Night Live''.

Music career

Pickett grew up in Berkeley, California. He has no formal musical training, did not attend high school beyond the first year and did not attend college. After dropping out of high school, he took lessons from Bert Wilson, a jazz saxophonist known for his facility with the altissimo register. Other than those lessons, he is self-taught on saxophone.

In the 1970s and early 1980s, he led the horn section for Tower of Power, an innovative and funk-focused East San Francisco Bay area band, and also a popular session band that backed many musicians in multiple genres, from Elton John to musicians in soul music, rhythm and blues, and funk. Tower of Power also released its own albums as a group.

Pickett joined the Saturday Night Live Band in 1985 and has served as the band's musical director since G. E. Smith left in 1995.

As a composer, he has written for his group, the Borneo Horns, and has received a number of commissions to write works mixing classical and popular idioms for a variety of musical ensembles, including the New Century Saxophone Quartet, as well as music for theatre and collaborations with dancers, poets and film-makers. He is a professor of jazz saxophone at New York University.

Discography

As leader
* ''Lenny Pickett with the Borneo Horns''
* ''Bad Dreams'' Lenny Pickett
* ''The Prescription'' (feat. UMO Jazz Orchestra)
* ''Heard by Others'' Lenny Pickett & John Hadfield

Other appearances
* "Weekend in the Dust", ''Love This Giant'', David Byrne and St. Vincent
* "Hot Fun in the Summertime", ''The Liberty Concert'' (1985), Hall & Oates

1970s

* 1972 ''Why Don't You Try Me?'' – Earth Quake
* 1973 ''Tower of Power'' – Tower of Power
* 1973 ''Betty Davis'' – Betty Davis
* 1974 ''Back to Oakland'' – Tower of Power
* 1974 '' Caribou'' – Elton John
* 1974 ''In the Beginning'' – Roy Buchanan
* 1974 ''Link Wray Rumble'' – Link Wray
* 1974 '' Monkey Grip'' – Bill Wyman
* 1974 ''Ron Gardner'' – Ron Gardner
* 1974 '' Free Beer and Chicken'' – John Lee Hooker
* 1974 ''For My Love...Mother Music'' – José Feliciano
* 1974 ''Release Yourself'' – Graham Central Station
* 1974 ''Insane Asylum'' – Kathi McDonald
* 1974 ''Monsieur'' – Hiroshi Kamayatsu
* 1974 ''Jezebel'' – Mary McCreary
* 1974 ''Feats Don't Fail Me Now'' – Little Feat
* 1975 ''Urban Renewal'' – Tower of Power
* 1975 '' In the Slot'' – Tower of Power
* 1975 ''Not a Little Girl Anymore'' – Linda Lewis
* 1975 ''Rescue Me'' – Roy Buchanan
* 1975 ''Secret Sauce'' – Skyking
* 1975 ''Tales from the Ozone'' – Commander Cody
* 1975 ''Change'' – Spanky and Our Gang
* 1975 '' Rufus featuring Chaka Khan'' – Rufus
* 1975 '' Ain't No 'Bout-A-Doubt It'' – Graham Central Station
* 1975 ''Rise Sleeping Beauty'' – Lenny Williams
* 1976 ''Ain't Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now'' – Tower of Power
* 1976 ''Chameleon'' – Labelle
* 1976 ''Live and in Living Color'' – Tower of Power
* 1976 ''Mirror'' – Graham Central Station
* 1976 '' Nine on a Ten Scale'' – Sammy Hagar
* 1976 ''Stone Alone'' – Bill Wyman
* 1976 ''Tom Thumb'' – Michael Dinner
* 1976 '' A Night on the Town'' – Rod Stewart
* 1976 ''Impact'' – Impact
* 1976 ''Affectionate'' – R.C. Succession
* 1976 ''Hard Candy'' – Ned Doheny
* 1976 ''Hometown Boy Makes Good'' – Elvin Bishop
* 1976 ''In Touch'' – Tommy James
* 1976 ''The Keane Brothers'' – Keane Brothers
* 1976 ''The Lost Heritage Tapes'' – John Kay
* 1976 ''Act Like Nothing's Wrong'' – Al Kooper
* 1976 ''Gavin Christopher'' – Gavin Christopher
* 1976 ''White Bird'' – David LaFlamme
* 1976 ''Jaye P. Morgan'' – Jaye P. Morgan
* 1976 ''Billy Preston'' – Billy Preston
* 1977 ''Supersonic Lover'' – Brian & Brenda Russell
* 1977 ''Big City'' – Lenny White
* 1977 ''Choosing You'' – Lenny Williams
* 1977 ''Funk in a Mason Jar'' – Harvey Mason
* 1977 '' New Directions'' – The Meters
* 1977 ''Nielsen/Pearson'' – Nielsen/Pearson
* 1977 ''Right on Time'' – The Brothers Johnson
* 1977 '' Time Loves a Hero'' – Little Feat
* 1977 '' Marin County Line'' – New Riders of the Purple Sage
* 1977 ''Red'' – Sammy Hagar
* 1977 ''An Insatiable High'' – Masayoshi Takanaka
* 1977 ''Good News'' – Attitudes
* 1977 ''Disco Fantasy'' – Coke Escovedo
* 1977 ''Feel the Fire'' – Jermaine Jackson
* 1977 ''God Only Knows'' (45 RPM) – Marilyn Scott
* 1977 '' Right On Time'' – The Brothers Johnson
* 1977 ''The Tim Weisberg Band'' – Tim Weisberg Band
* 1977 ''Sierra'' – Sierra
* 1977 '' Patrick Gleeson's Star Wars'' – Patrick Gleeson
* 1978 ''Frontiers'' – Jermaine Jackson
* 1978 ''In Tails – King Biscuit Flower Hour'' – Journey
* 1978 ''Before the Rain'' – Lee Oskar
* 1978 ''Desert Horizon'' – Norton Buffalo
* 1978 ''Dinner with Raoul'' – Bliss Band
* 1978 ''Jesse Barish'' – Jesse Barish
* 1978 ''Crimson Tide'' – Crimson Tide
* 1978 ''Tattoo Man'' – Denise McCann
* 1978 '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'' soundtrack
* 1978 '' Waiting for Columbus'' – Little Feat
* 1978 ''We Came to Play!'' – Tower of Power
* 1978 ''What Have You Done for Love'' – Hodges, James & Smith
* 1978 ''Jet Lag'' – Nick Chavin
* 1978 ''Never Even Thought'' – Colin Blunstone
* 1978 '' Winner'' – Renée Geyer
* 1979 '' Back on the Streets'' – Tower of Power
* 1979 ''Everything You've Heard Is True'' – Tom Johnston
* 1979 '' Live & Learn'' – Elkie Brooks
* 1979 ''Richard Evans'' – Richard Evans
* 1979 ''Silent Letter'' – America
* 1979 '' Victim of Love'' – Elton John
* 1979 ''You're So Good'' – Helen Reddy
* 1979 ''Muscle Shoals '79'' (2008) – James Walsh Gypsy Band
* 1979 ''Magic Lady'' – Sergio Mendes
* 1979 ''Gonna Getcha' Love'' – Charles Jackson
* 1979 ''Melissa Manchester'' – Melissa Manchester
* 1979 ''8 for the 80's'' – Webster Lewis
* 1979 ''Play It As It Lays'' – Alicia Bridges
* 1979 '' Where I Should Be'' – Peter Frampton
* 1979 ''Never Been Here Before'' – Paulette McWilliams
* 1979 ''Dreams of Tomorrow'' – Marilyn Scott
* 1979 ''Remote Control'' – The Tubes

1980s

* 1980 ''Bebe le Strange'' – Heart
* 1980 ''Greatest Hits: Live'' – Heart
* 1980 ''La Toya Jackson'' – La Toya Jackson
* 1980 ''The Hawkins Family (Live)'' – Walter Hawkins
* 1980 ''Heaven Above Me'' – Frankie Valli
* 1980 ''No Night So Long'' – Dionne Warwick
* 1981 ''The Boys Are Back'' – Stone City Band
* 1981 ''But What Will the Neighbors Think'' – Rodney Crowell
* 1981 ''Coconuts High'' – Izumi Kobayashi
* 1981 '' Direct'' - Tower of Power
* 1981 ''Heart'' – Heart
* 1981 ''Take It Off'' – Chic
* 1982 ''Flat–Picking Spectacular'' – Joe Maphis
* 1982 ''Steve Forbert'' – Steve Forbert
* 1982 ''Picture This'' – Huey Lewis and the News
* 1983 ''Lee Palmer'' – Lee Palmer
* 1984 '' Civilized Man'' – Joe Cocker
* 1984 '' Like a Virgin'' – Madonna
* 1984 '' Tonight'' – David Bowie
* 1984 ''The Gospel at Colonus'' soundtrack – Bob Telson, Donald Fagen
* 1984 ''Leader of the Pack'' soundtrack – Various
* 1984 ''Surrender'' – Robin Clark
* 1985 ''Step By Step'' – Jeff Lorber
* 1985 ''Live at the Apollo with David Ruffin, Eddie Kendricks, Hall & Oates''
* 1985 ''Middle of the Night'' – Taka Boom
* 1985 '' Riptide'' – Robert Palmer
* 1985 '' She's the Boss'' – Mick Jagger
* 1985 ''The Heat'' – Nona Hendryx
* 1985 ''Bump the Renaissance'' – Bobby Previte
* 1985 ''Confrontation'' – Face to Face
* 1985 ''Listen Now Do You'' – Sheena Easton
* 1985 '' Little Creatures'' – Talking Heads
* 1985 ''Mask of Smiles'' – John Waite
* 1985 ''Power Station 33 1/3'' – The Power Station
* 1985 ''Power Station'' – The Power Station
* 1985 ''When the Boys Meet the Girls'' – Sister Sledge
* 1985 ''Dancing in the Street'' – Mick Jagger & David Bowie
* 1986 ''3 Hearts in the Happy Ending Machine'' – Daryl Hall
* 1986 ''At Least We Got Shoes'' – Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes
* 1986 ''Brutal Dub'' – Black Uhuru
* 1986 ''Brutal'' – Black Uhuru
* 1986 ''Heartbeat'' – Don Johnson
* 1986 ''Home in the Heart of the Beat'' – Beat Rodeo
* 1986 ''Innocent'' – Peter Gordon
* 1986 '' Inside Story'' – Grace Jones
* 1986 ''John Somebody'' – Scott Johnson
* 1986 Press to Play – Paul McCartney
* 1986 ''Secret Dreams & Forbidden Fire'' – Bonnie Tyler
* 1987 ''Brooklyn'' – Peter Gordon
* 1987 ''Belouis Some'' – Belouis Some
* 1987 ''Conjure: Cab Calloway Stands in for the Moon'' – Kip Hanrahan
* 1987 ''Hunger''– Michael Bolton
* 1987 ''Is There Rockin' in This House'' – Terri Gonzalez
* 1987 ''Lenny Pickett with the Borneo Horns'' – Lenny Pickett
* 1987 ''Never Let Me Down'' – David Bowie
* 1987 ''Never Never Land'' – Simon F.
* 1987 '' Strange Weather'' – Marianne Faithfull
* 1987 ''Dominion/Mother Russia'' – The Sisters Of Mercy
* 1988 '' Remote'' – Hue and Cry
* 1988 ''Constant Fear'' – Paranoise
* 1988 '' Direct'' – Tower of Power
* 1988 ''Distant Drums'' – Brian Slawson
* 1988 ''Doble Vida'' – Soda Stereo
* 1988 ''Groovin'' ' – The Missing Links
* 1988 ''Molly on the Shore'' – Richard Greene
* 1988 ''Naked'' – Talking Heads
* 1988 ''Never Felt So Good'' – James Ingram
* 1988 ''Ooh Yeah!'' – Hall & Oates
* 1988 '' Out of Order'' – Rod Stewart
* 1988 ''Shag'' – Original Soundtrack
* 1988 ''Tear Down These Walls'' – Billy Ocean
* 1989 ''The Lion for Real'' – Allen Ginsberg
* 1989 '' Addictions, Vol. 1'' – Robert Palmer
* 1989 ''Charlie Sexton'' – Charlie Sexton
* 1989 '' Conscious Party'' – Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers
* 1989 ''D'Atra Hicks'' – D'atra Hicks
* 1989 ''Gutterboy'' – Gutterboy
* 1989 ''Languis'' – Soda Stereo
* 1989 ''Mick Jones'' – Mick Jones
* 1989 '' One Bright Day'' – Ziggy Marley & the Melody Makers
* 1989 '' One Night of Sin'' – Joe Cocker
* 1989 ''Signs of Life'' – Charlie Elgart
* 1989 ''Stay Awake'' – Hal Willner
* 1989 ''Storm Front'' – Billy Joel
* 1989 '' Strange Angels'' – Laurie Anderson
* 1989 ''Whirlwind'' – Danny Gottlieb

1990s

* 1990 ''Changesbowie'' – David Bowie
* 1990 '' Dead City Radio'' – William S. Burroughs
* 1990 '' In Your Eyes'' – James D-Train Williams
* 1990 ''Leningrad–Xpress'' – Peter Gordon
* 1990 '' Passages'' – Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass
* 1990 '' A Place Like This'' – Robbie Nevil
* 1990 ''Song of the Sun'' – Jim Beard
* 1990 '' To Be Continued...'' – Elton John
* 1990 '' Tonight'' onus Tracks– David Bowie
* 1991 ''Another Hand'' – David Sanborn
* 1991 ''Sereno'' – Wilkins
* 1991 ''Signature'' – Charlie Musselwhite
* 1992 ''Road to Freedom'' – Grayson Hugh
* 1992 '' A Dove'' – The Roches
* 1992 ''Ese Soy Yo'' – Emmanuel
* 1992 ''Flowers and Stones'' – Peter, Paul and Mary
* 1992 ''Get a Little'' – G.E. Smith & Saturday Night Live Band
* 1992 ''Gutterboy'' – Gutterboy
* 1992 ''MTV Unplugged'' P– Mariah Carey
* 1992 ''MTV Unplugged'' TV Unplugged + 3– Mariah Carey
* 1992 '' Sun Sun'' – Casiopea Sax (Tenor)
* 1992 ''Upfront'' – David Sanborn
* 1993 ''Arc'' – Jimmy Haslip
* 1993 '' Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell'' – Meat Loaf
* 1993 '' I'm No Angel'' – Carole Davis
* 1993 '' Love Scenes'' – Beverley Craven
* 1993 ''Over My Heart'' – Laura Branigan
* 1993 '' Press to Play'' onus Tracks– Paul McCartney
* 1993 ''Ships at Sea, Sailors and Shoes'' – Ned Sublette
* 1993 ''Short Cuts'' – Original Soundtrack
* 1993 '' Sons of Soul'' – Tony! Toni! Tone!
* 1993 ''Start a New Race'' – Paranoise
* 1993 '' T.O.P.'' – Tower of Power
* 1994 ''Hearsay'' – David Sanborn
* 1994 ''Jewels'' – Chieli Minucci
* 1994 ''Merry Christmas'' – Mariah Carey
* 1994 ''One Day Closer'' – Jonathan Edwards
* 1994 ''Whistling in the Wind'' – Leon Redbone
* 1995 ''Cab Calloway Stands in for the Moon'' – Conjure
* 1995 ''Caribou'' onus Tracks€“ Elton John
* 1995 ''Chroniques Bluesymentales'' – Hubert-Felix Thiefaine
* 1995 ''Cool and Steady and Easy'' – Brooklyn Funk Essentials
* 1995 ''Greetings from the Gutter'' – Dave Stewart
* 1995 ''My Temptation'' – Vivian Williams
* 1995 ''Real Time'' – Richard Tee
* 1995 ''Spanner in the Works'' – Rod Stewart
* 1996 ''Bicycle'' – Livingston Taylor
* 1996 ''Concert for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame''
* 1996 ''Havana Calling'' – Orlando "Maraca" Valle Y Otra Vision
* 1996 ''Live: The Real Deal'' – Buddy Guy
* 1996 ''Living in Fear'' – The Power Station
* 1996 ''No Talking Just Head'' – The Heads
* 1996 ''Strings Attached'' – Peter Ecklund
* 1997 ''Direct Plus'' – Tower of Power
* 1997 ''Excess Baggage'' – Original Soundtrack
* 1997 ''Monsters from the Deep'' – Ned Sublette & Lawrence Weiner
* 1998 ''Kiss My Blues'' – Tony Z
* 1998 ''Read 'em & Weep'' – Clyde Roberts
* 1998 ''Secret Handshake'' – Geoff Muldaur
* 1998 ''Vincent Laguardia Gambini Sings Just for You'' – Joe Pesci
* 1999 ''Al Confini: Interzone'' – Various Artists
* 1999 ''Inside'' – David Sanborn
* 1999 ''Live on Breeze Hill'' – Rick Danko Band
* 1999 ''She's Lightning When She Smiles'' – Dave Soldier
* 1999 ''Sip the Wine'' – Rick Danko Band
* 1999 ''Social Studies'' – Loudon Wainwright III

2000s

* 2000 ''Dinosaur Tracks'' – Tower of Power
* 2000 ''Kick It up a Step!'' – Strokeland Superband
* 2000 ''Long Expectant Comes at Last'' – Cathal McConnell
* 2000 ''Man in a Jupiter Hat'' – Lee Feldman
* 2000 ''Over the Edge'' – Professor Louie & Crowmatix
* 2000 ''Pasajes De Un Sueno'' – Ana Torroja
* 2000 ''Sound Loaded'' – Ricky Martin
* 2000 ''Sweet on You'' – Chieli Minucci
* 2002 ''Heathen'' – David Bowie
* 2002 ''Slow Burn'' – David Bowie
* 2003 ''Oakland Zone'' – Tower of Power
* 2003 ''Universo Fortis'' – Alberto Fortis
* 2004 ''Our Kind of Soul'' – Daryl Hall & John Oates
* 2004 ''Wichita Vortex Sutra'' – Allen Ginsberg
* 2005 ''Here Comes Tomorrow'' – Ursula 1000
* 2006 ''Can't Quit the Blues'' – Buddy Guy
* 2006 ''Planet Earth'' – Dennis Chambers
* 2007 ''Holly Cole'' – Holly Cole
* 2008 ''Cadillac Records'' – Original Soundtrack
* 2008 ''It Is Time for a Love Revolution'' – Lenny Kravitz
* 2008 ''Easy Come Easy Go'' – Marianne Faithfull
* 2009 ''Organ Soul Sessions'' – Lucky Peterson
* 2009 ''Bible Belt'' – Diane Birch

2010s

* 2010 ''Love of Life Orchestra'' – Peter Laurence Gordon
* 2010 ''Many Mamas, Many Papas'' – John Phillips
* 2010 '' Teenage Dream'' – Katy Perry
* 2010 ''30 Rock'' – Jeff Richmond
* 2012 ''Love This Giant'' – David Byrne & St. Vincent
* 2013 ''My True Story'' – Aaron Neville
* 2013 ''Prism'' – Katy Perry
* 2013 ''Son of Rogues Gallery: Pirate Ballads, Sea Songs & Chanteys''
* 2014
El Concierto de la Historia
-'' Frágil
* 2016 '' I Can Do All Things'' – Jeremy Warren

References

External links

Lenny Pickett discography on DiscogsLenny Pickett discography on AllMusicLenny Pickett page
from New York University site


by Mike Zwerin (''New York Times'')

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pickett, Lenny
1954 births
20th-century American composers
20th-century American saxophonists
21st-century American composers
21st-century American saxophonists
American male composers
American rock saxophonists
American male saxophonists
Bessie Award winners
Living people
Musicians from New Mexico
New York University faculty
People from Las Cruces, New Mexico
Saturday Night Live Band members
Tower of Power members
20th-century American male musicians
21st-century American male musicians