Kenny Rittenhouse Ensemble

Kenny  Rittenhouse received a Bachelor’s Degree in music from West Virginia  Wesleyan College in 1988 and a Master of Music in Jazz Studies from the  University of Maryland in 2006. He also did graduate work on trumpet and  in jazz at the Eastman School of Music, and at Duquesne University in  Pittsburgh, PA where he studied with Roger Sherman of the Pittsburgh  Symphony. Mr. Rittenhouse was a member of The United States Army Band  (Pershing’s Own) in Washington, DC. from 1990-2020. This is the premier  band of the Army. He performed with The U.S. Army Blues Jazz Ensemble.  As member of the Army Blues, he has shared the stage alongside Ernie  Andrews, Kevin Mahogany, Lou Rawls, Wycliff Gordon, Doc Severinsen,  Arturo Sandoval, and Sean Jones.

As  a member of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, he has toured  nationally and internationally with jazz flutist Hubert Laws and  vocalist Kurt Elling. As a past member of the Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra  led by trumpeter Sean Jones, he has shared the stage with Jazz legends  such as Jimmy Heath, Ahmad Jamal, and Freddy Cole.

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Mr.  Rittenhouse currently holds the Applied Trumpet Instructor position at  Morgan State University. Before teaching at Morgan State, he taught Jazz  Trumpet at George Mason University.

For  over 25 years Mr. Rittenhouse has led his own jazz quartet performing  in and around the Washington, DC area with many great jazz artists  including Larry Willis, Ralph Peterson, Don Braden, Buck Hill, and Steve  Wilson, and Butch Warren. The Kenny Rittenhouse Ensemble is one of the  hardest swinging jazz groups in the greater DC metro area.  The group,  under the direction of trumpeter Kenny Rittenhouse, was formed several  years ago and has appeared in such venues as Blues Alley, Bohemian  Caverns, and Twins Jazz Club.  The group recorded their first release (a  sextet) in 2006 titled “The Francis Suite”.  Their second release,  recorded in February 2013 is titled “New York Suite”.  It’s a hard  swinging septet playing mostly original songs highlighting traditional  straight ahead jazz with a bit of Funk & R&B in the mix.

The  ensemble performs with intensity and fervor, focusing on the concept of  “swing”, paying homage to the blue note recording artist of the 60’s.   These gifted performers pride themselves on presenting bop/post bop  styles and modern originals as well as establishing a report with their  audience that few others produce.