Brian Blade | |
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Background information | |
Born | Shreveport, Louisiana, U.S. | July 25, 1970
Genres | Jazz, alternative rock, blues rock, jazz fusion |
Occupation(s) | Musician, bandleader, composer |
Instrument(s) | Drums, percussion |
Labels | Nonesuch, Columbia, Verve, Blue Note, Warner Bros. |
Website | brianblade |
Brian Blade (born July 25, 1970) is an American jazz drummer, composer, and session musician.[1]
Born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana,[2] Blade was exposed to gospel and praise music[3] while attending Zion Baptist Church at which his father, Brady L. Blade Sr., was pastor.[4] Blade initially began learning violin and participated in the church choir,[3] an experience which Blade later acknowledged was influential in his musical development.[5] Following in the footsteps of his older brother, Brady Blade Jr.,[6] Blade developed skills on the drum kit while 'depping' for his brother in the church band.[5] Soon after Blade shifted his focus to the drums throughout middle and high school.[7]
During high school, while studying with Dorsey Summerfield Jr.,[6] Blade began listening to the music of John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk, and became increasingly influenced by the drumming styles of Elvin Jones, Art Blakey, Papa Jo Jones, and Paul Motian.[8][5] By the age of eighteen, Brian moved to New Orleans to attend Loyola University.[9] From 1988 through 1993, he studied and played with most of the master musicians living in New Orleans, including Johnny Vidacovich, Ellis Marsalis, Steve Masakowski, Bill Huntington, Mike Pellera, John Mahoney, George French, Germaine Bazzle, David Lee Jr., Alvin Red Tyler, Tony Dagradi and Harold Battiste.[7][5]
In 1997, Blade formed The Fellowship Band with pianist Jon Cowherd, bassist Chris Thomas, saxophonists Myron Walden and Melvin Butler, guitarist Jeff Parker, and pedal steel guitarist Dave Easley. The band released its debut album, Brian Blade Fellowship, in 1998, Perceptual (with guitarist Kurt Rosenwinkel) in 2000, Season of Changes in 2008, Landmarks in 2014, and Body and Shadow in 2017.
Reviewing the band's 2014 Landmarks album, John Kelman wrote:
As the Fellowship Band has grown, it has moved away from overt traditional references, even though they're an undercurrent throughout. Instead, as it explores milestones both inner and outer, Landmarks further speaks with the singular voice that the Fellowship Band has built upon since inception. Blending folkloric references, hints of church and spiritual concerns, jazz modality and countrified touchstones, Landmarks is the perfect name for Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band's fourth album; beyond its meaning to the group, it truly is yet another landmark recording in the core quintet's evolutionary travels. It may have come after a long gap in time, but that only makes it a wait all the more worthwhile.[10]
While continuing to work with the Fellowship Band, since 2000 Blade has also been a member of Wayne Shorter's quartet. Blade grew up listening to Shorter's albums, and started playing with Shorter at 30 years old, along with Danilo Perez and John Patitucci.[11] He has also recorded with Daniel Lanois, Joni Mitchell, Ellis Marsalis, Marianne Faithfull, Emmylou Harris, Billy Childs, Herbie Hancock, and Bob Dylan.
In 2009, Blade released Mama Rosa, his first album as a singer-songwriter, with songs dedicated to his grandmother and family. The album featured Daniel Lanois, vocalists Kelly Jones and Daryl Johnson, bassist Chris Thomas, guitarists Kurt Rosenwinkel and Geoffrey Moore, pedal steel guitarists Greg Leisz and Patrick Smith, and pianists Aaron Embry and Jon Cowherd. It was co-produced by Brian Blade and Adam Samuels.[12] The live band includes Steven Nistor on drums.[13]
On April 30, 2016, Blade played at the White House in Washington, D.C., as part of The International Jazz Day Global Concert.[14]
Blade uses vintage Gretsch, Ludwig, Sonor and Slingerland drums. He plays Canopus drums when touring in Japan. He has used a variety of cymbals over the years, including multiple ride cymbals made from Roberto Spizzichino, vintage A Zildjians, and often a 22" Zildjian K Constantinople Light Ride (discontinued model). His acoustic guitar is a mid-1950s Gibson LG-3.
Trio with Wolfgang Muthspiel and Marc Johnson
Duo with Wolfgang Muthspiel
Trio with Chick Corea and Christian McBride
Trio with John Patitucci and André Marques
Trio with John Patitucci and Danilo Pérez
Trio with Benjamin Koppel and Scott Colley
Trio with Edward Simon and Scott Colley
Trio with Jeff Denson and Romain Pilon
Quartet with Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau and Christian McBride
Trio with Wolfgang Muthspiel and Scott Colley
Yaya3 with Joshua Redman and Sam Yahel
Black Dub with Trixie Whitley, Daniel Lanois and Daryl Johnson
With David Binney
With Billy Childs
With Kenny Garrett
With Darrell Grant
With Norah Jones
With Kiyoshi Kitagawa
With Daniel Lanois
With Ron Miles
With Joni Mitchell
With Wolfgang Muthspiel
With John Patitucci
With Joshua Redman
With Wayne Shorter
With Edward Simon
With Mark Turner
With Kenny Werner
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With others
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