About Kenny

Kenny Reichert is a Chicago-based guitarist, composer, and bandleader. An active presence in the Midwest jazz scene, he leads his own ensembles and is a founding member of the organ trio Righteous Rooster.

Reichert has released four albums as a leader: Live In Chicago (Shifting Paradigm Records, 2026), Switch (Calligram Records, 2024), Deep Breath (Shifting Paradigm Records, 2023), and Interpretations (2015). His work emphasizes long-running musical relationships, original composition, and the space for a band to develop its own sound through performance.

DownBeat described Reichert as “a distinctive player and composer with wide-ranging idiomatic inklings,” while Textura called him a “triple threat” as a guitarist, bandleader, and writer. He was named a Luminarts Jazz Improvisation Fellow in 2022, and his work has received support from South Arts, the Illinois Arts Council, and the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council.

In addition to leading his own groups, Reichert performs with Righteous Rooster, which holds a weekly late-night residency at Chicago's Green Mill, and with guitarist and vocalist Sara d'Ippolito Reichert as the duo Sara and Kenny. He has performed and recorded with musicians including Russ Johnson, Geof Bradfield, Lenard Simpson, Clark Sommers, Ethan Philion, Devin Drobka, and Ana Everling.

Originally from Wisconsin, Reichert has lived and worked in Milwaukee, Boston, London, Berlin, Minneapolis, and Chicago. He holds a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from DePaul University and has taught at Concordia University, St. Paul and Oklahoma State University. His work also includes music for television and media, with placements on NFL GameDay Kickoff, NFL Fantasy Live, Temptation Island, Single's Inferno, and Blood & Water.