Standard of Language

Standard of Language
Studio album by
Kenny Garrett
ReleasedMarch 11, 2003 (2003-03-11)
Studios
Genres
Length58:02
LabelsWarner Bros.
WB 9 48404-2
Producers
Kenny Garrett chronology
Happy People
(2002)		 Standard of Language
(2003)		 Beyond the Wall
(2006)

Standard of Language is a studio album by saxophonist Kenny Garrett, released on March 11, 2003, his eighth for Warner Bros. Records.

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusicStarStarStarStarHalf star
The GuardianStarStarStarStar
The Penguin Guide to JazzStarStarStarStar

John Fordham of The Guardian stated: "though much of the music is urgent and intense, Garrett's melodic gifts do not desert him in the composing, and at least two-thirds of the album features typically compelling themes." The AllMusic review by Paula Edelstein noted that Garrett "brings a muscular yet lyrical eloquence to nine songs". David Franklin, writing for JazzTimes, remarked, "his quartet brilliantly execute a program of freshly original Garrett compositions. [...] Throughout, Garrett dances, cries, screeches and/or squawks in an extraordinary example of his personal amalgamation of bop and free-jazz elements." All About Jazz's Riel Lazarus stated: "Garrett and company manage to straddle all three dimensions of human life: past, present and future. While the language spoken is that of traditional modern jazz, the dialect is undeniably current, and at times hints at things to come." The Penguin Guide to Jazz gave it four stars, calling it "unmissable" and saying "The band perform magnificently throughout and the trimmed-down personnel allows Garrett's luminous alto to shine through."

Track listing

All tracks are written by Kenny Garrett except where noted.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."What Is This Thing Called Love?"Cole Porter7:44
2."Kurita Sensei" 4:21
3."Xyz" 6:16
4."Native Tongue" 5:11
5."Chief Blackwater" 4:52
6."Doc Tone's Short Speech" 5:48
7."Just a Second to Catch My Breath" 4:44
8."Gendai" 7:55
9."Standard of Language I II III" 11:11
Total length:58:02

Personnel

Musicians

Technical

References

  1. 1 2 3 Edelstein, Paula. "Standard of Language – Kenny Garrett | Album". AllMusic. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  2. 1 2 Fordham, John (March 13, 2003). "Kenny Garrett: Standard of Language". The Guardian. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  3. 1 2 Cook, Richard; Morton, Brian (2004). The Penguin Guide to Jazz on CD, LP & Cassette (7th ed.). Penguin. p. 595. ISBN 0-141-01416-4.
  4. ↑ Franklin, David (April 25, 2019). "Kenny Garrett: Standard of Language". JazzTimes. Retrieved December 25, 2025.
  5. ↑ Lazarus, Riel (April 17, 2003). "Kenny Garrett: Standard of Language". All About Jazz. Retrieved December 25, 2025.