Pushing the World Away

Pushing the World Away
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 17, 2013
GenreJazz
Length72:06
LabelMack Avenue
Producer
Kenny Garrett chronology
Seeds from the Underground
(2012)
Pushing the World Away
(2013)
Do Your Dance!
(2016)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
DownBeat[2]
Financial Times[3]
Jazzwise[4]
PopMatters7/10[5]
The New York Times(favorable)[6]
WBGO(favorable)[7]

Pushing the World Away is the Grammy-nominated,[8] critically acclaimed fourteenth studio album by Kenny Garrett, released on September 17, 2013, on Mack Avenue Records. Following its release, the album peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Top Jazz Albums chart, which is the highest Billboard chart position for Garrett since African Exchange Student (1990)[9] and Black Hope (1992).[10] Featured musicians include keyboardists Vernell Brown and Benito Gonzalez, percussionist Rudy Bird, bassist Corcoran Holt and drummers Marcus Baylor, McClenty Hunter, and Mark Whitfield Jr.

Reception

Thom Jurek of AllMusic wrote: "Pushing the World Away is a wildly diverse offering for Garrett. What it doesn't reveal in swing it does in intricacies, shadows, impressive arrangements, and striking musicianship."[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Kenny Garrett except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."A Side Order of Hijiki" 3:44
2."Hey, Chick" 6:05
3."Chucho's Mambo" 7:45
4."Lincoln Center" 6:26
5."J'ouvert (Homage to Sonny Rollins)" 4:54
6."That's It" 4:59
7."I Say a Little Prayer"4:29
8."Pushing the World Away" 9:12
9."Homma San" 4:38
10."Brother Brown" 5:47
11."Alpha Man" 8:42
12."Rotation" 5:25

Personnel

Music

  • Kenny Garrett – alto saxophone (tracks 1–7, 9, 11, 12), soprano saxophone (track 8), chant (track 8), piano (track 10), arranger
  • Donald Brown – arranger (track 9)
  • Benito Gonzalez – piano (tracks 1–3, 5–7, 9, 12)
  • Corcoran Holt – bass
  • Marcus Baylor – drums (tracks 1–3, 5, 6, 9, 12)
  • Rudy Bird – percussion (tracks 3, 5–7, 9), cymbals and gong (track 8)
  • Ravi Best – trumpet (track 3)
  • Vernell Brown – piano (tracks 4, 8, 11, 12), chant (track 8)
  • McClenty Hunter – drums (tracks 4, 7, 10, 12), vocals (track 6)
  • Mark Whitfield Jr. – drums (tracks 8, 11, 12)
  • Jean Baylor – vocals (track 9)
  • Carolin Pook – violin (track 10)
  • Brian Sanders – cello (track 10)
  • Jen Herman – viola (track 10)
  • Misha Tarasov – string arrangement (track 10)

Production

  • Kenny Garrett, Donald Brown – producer
  • Gretchen C. Valade – executive producer
  • Al Pryor – Executive VP of A&R
  • Joe Ferla – recording, mixing engineer
  • Bob Mallory, Fred Sladkey – assistant engineer
  • Greg Calbi – mastering engineer
  • Will Wakefield – production manager
  • Randall Kennedy – creative director
  • Maria Ehrenreich – creative services, production
  • Michael Snyder – art direction, design
  • Keith Major – photography

Awards and nominations

Year Result Award Category Work
2014 Nominated Grammy Award Best Jazz Instrumental Album Pushing the World Away
2014 Nominated Soul Train Awards Best Traditional Jazz Performance Pushing the World Away

Chart positions

Chart Peak
position
Billboard Top Jazz Albums (2013)[11] 6

References

  1. ^ a b Jurek, Thom. "Pushing the World Away - Kenny Garrett | Album | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved December 17, 2025.
  2. ^ Downbeat magazine review
  3. ^ Financial Times review
  4. ^ Jazzwise magazine review
  5. ^ PopMatters review
  6. ^ "Reaching Back to '60s Pop and '70s Country (Published 2013)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 30, 2023.
  7. ^ WBGO review
  8. ^ "Kenny Garrett 2013 Grammy Award Nomination".
  9. ^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 1990". Billboard Magazine. 1990. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  10. ^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, 1992". Billboard Magazine. 1992. Retrieved July 14, 2021.
  11. ^ "Billboard Jazz Albums, October 5, 2013". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved October 5, 2013.