Background
McKinney was born into a family of ten children, several of whom also became musicians.
McKinney was born into a family of ten children, several of whom also became musicians.
He is the uncle of Rhythm & Blues producer and jazz pianist Carlos "Los Da Mystro" McKinney. He started out with Barry Harris and Sonny Stitt in 1951, and played with Alvin Jackson"s band early in the decade. Toward the middle of the 1950s he worked with Art Blakey, and he moved with Lateef to New York City in 1959.
In the 1960s he played with Illinois Jacquet, James Moody, and Curtis Fuller.
Later that decade he adopted the name Kiane Zawadi. In the 1970s he performed with Archie Shepp, Carlos Garnett, Harold Vick, Frank Foster, Charles Tolliver, Dollar Brand, and McCoy Tyner.
In 1978, he played in the pit orchestra for Dancin", a Broadway show. He appeared at a Charlie Parker tribute at Town Hall in New York City in 1985.
Other musicians Zawadi worked with include Mongo SantamarĂa, Dizzy Gillespie, Clark Terry, Joe Henderson, and Aretha Franklin.