Tammy: At what age did you take an interest in music and when did you know you were going to make it your lifelong work?

Kenny: I started playing when I was about seven years old. I wasn’t a prodigy by any means. After nearly a year of taking lessons my piano teacher told my mother that if I didn’t catch on, I should consider another hobby. Somehow miraculously, I started not only to catch on, but also surpassed other kids my age. To answer your 2nd question, a career in music was in my mind a natural evolution for me because that was what I did best and I loved and still love the attention.

Tammy: So you did have several years of formal training or are you more of a self-taught musician?

Kenny: My parents gave me private lessons for about ten years. I try to maintain what I've been taught by working on my weaknesses and trying to push myself to be better at my craft.

Tammy: I have always wondered if professional musicians who are the best at what they do have to practice. Do you still need to practice?

Kenny: I need to practice much more than I do. I always threaten myself that I'm going to be diligent at it, but I always seem to get caught up doing other things like working in my studio for hours on end.

Tammy: Besides keyboards, what other instruments do you play?

Kenny: I play a little bit of acoustic bass and drums. I've contemplated learning how to play the soprano sax and tablas.

Tammy: Your Uncle is Andrae Crouch the renowned gospel singer/songwriter. Did he influence your interest in music and have you worked with him?

Kenny: Absolutely!!!! If I had to say the one most important thing my uncle has taught me, it's how to play the silence. Meaning, you don’t have to be an arrogant musician and play a million notes to be noticed. Miles Davis was genius at that. He could slay you with 3 notes.

Tammy: What other artists have influenced and inspired you?

Kenny: Herbie Hancock, Mycoy Tyner, Joe Zawinul, Juanito Gonzales, Wayne Shorter, and my Uncle Andrae Crouch just to name a select few.

Tammy: You have worked in many different genres of music from Gospel to R&B to Rock. Do you have a preference?

Kenny: I prefer to play music that stretches me and takes me to a place that makes me uncomfortable. The perfect example is me playing in the salsa band now. It’s good because it is a whole different way of playing than what I've been accustomed to. It’s good for me.

Tammy: Not only do you work in many different genres of music, you wear many hats. (Or shall I say bandannas?) You are a musician, musical director, writer, arranger and producer. What gives you the most pleasure?

Kenny: The "quick fix" is being an MD. I learn the artist’s music, which is the template, and then I say to myself what does the music tell me? How can I make this translate from wax to a live application? Then with great musicians, it develops into something much bigger than what you could imagine.

The not so “quick fix” is songwriting/producing. For me it’s a thin line between love and hate because I’m very hard on myself. People say too hard. But when I connect with something I really love, even if it is only for a few bars, it’s worth all the strife I put myself through.

Tammy: You have worked with some very impressive artists. I have read that you toured with Eric Clapton in 1998 and you were praised in several reviews for your solos. What was it like to work with one of the greatest guitar players in the world?

Kenny: He showed me through his playing, conversation, and just me basically observing him, that anybody can achieve anything if you put your mind to it.

Tammy: Other artists that you have worked with either on tour or in the studio are Babyface, Brandy, Toni Braxton, Lenny Kravitz, and many more. Is there anyone that you would like to work with but have not had the opportunity?

Kenny: Absolutely !!!! Bjork and KD Lang. I think they're both brilliant.

Tammy: Because you have toured with so many different artists, you have probably traveled around the world. Is there somewhere that you have not been that you would like to visit or a place that you would like to go back to because you didn't have the time to see the sites?

Kenny: I would like to travel to places I haven't visited. Like Australia, The Far East, Some more Islands. I've been to Europe a million times and to Japan only once. I really dug Japan.

Tammy: You are the musical director of Marc's pop band. What responsibilities does this job entail?

Kenny: Basically in a nutshell, to make sure the band sounds absolutely impeccable. That way Marc's only concern is to concentrate on singing his heart out to his fans.

Tammy: If you could put together the ultimate band with some of your favorite musicians to have a jam session with, whom would you pick?

Kenny: That's a really loaded question. I like many different cats for so many different things. I honestly would not know where to start.

Tammy: Could you share with us any projects that you have you been working on in recent months?

Kenny: Basically what I've been doing is writing and co-writing a whole lot in my studio. I've been making c concerted effort to reach out to people and not do so much myself. It's actually very refreshing for me and those that I've been working with. I'm developing a couple of acts, trying my hand at film scoring, and of course playing records and film dates.

Tammy:. Is there anything that you want to do in the music business that you haven't done yet and what goals do you have for the future?

Kenny: Basically the next phase as a see it, is to really make an impact with my producing and songwriting. I've produced and written on records in the past, but my head wasn't completely in it. Now that I've come into a more secure place in myself, I want to explore those things to the fullest.

Tammy: What do you for fun?

Kenny: I'm pretty simple if you must know. I like to go to the movies, play dominoes, and chill with my loved ones. I'm learning day by day that there is more to life than music.

Tammy: You have many supporters here at Marc Anthony Fans.com. Do you have a message for them?

Kenny: When we play music for you, there is no greater joy than to see the smiles, the tears, the chants and the waving of the "Boriqua" Flag during the show. When you do that, it makes all the rehearsing, the learning of songs, totally worth it. I really don't know who gets greater joy. You, the fans listening or us the musicians playing. I'll put my money on the guys onstage. LOL Peace!

Tammy: Thank you Kenny. All of us at MarcAnthonyFans.com appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this interview. We truly enjoy learning about all of the band members and their diverse careers.