Kenny Werner: Jazz Lecture “Discussion of Effortless Mastery” | Athenaeum Music & Arts Library | La Jolla

A longtime friend of the Athenaeum Jazz program, pianist Kenny Werner returns to the library for a two-part lecture and concert. A discussion of his internationally influential book, Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within, on Wednesday, July 30, is followed by a program of solo jazz piano improvisation on Thursday, July 31.

For over 40 years, Werner has been a world-class pianist and composer. His previous Athenaeum appearances include memorable solo and trio dates as well as performances with artists such as Brazilian vocalist Claudia Villela, harmonica-master Toots Thielemans, and drummer Peter Erskine. Jazziz called Werner “a true innovator with a delicate touch and a vivid imagination,” with the New York Times commenting, “Werner is a clear virtuoso, and when he solos there’s wit everywhere.” DownBeat wrote, “Werner owns more chops and brains than most pianists do . . . hardly [raising] his voice to make subtle points, couching his logic in neat vamps, sinewy angular lines, dizzying rhythmic double entendres.”

In 1996, Werner wrote his landmark book, Effortless Mastery: Liberating the Master Musician Within. Since then, Werner has created videos, lectured worldwide, and authored many articles on how musicians, artists, and business people can allow their “master creator” within to lift their performance to its highest level. In these various ways, he has shown us how to be spontaneous, fearless, joyful, and disciplined in our work and in our life. The late jazz legend Quincy Jones commented, “Kenny Werner, is one of my favorite pianists I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with, and in my opinion one of the best pianists living on the planet. Kenny teaches that ‘The joy of practicing is concentration. The joy of playing is liberation.’ Effortless Mastery teaches the seeker how to achieve both at the highest levels.”

The book’s success led to the establishment of the Effortless Mastery Institute under Werner’s direction at his alma mater Boston’s Berklee College of Music.