Brian Blade

Brian Blade (born July 25, 1970) is an American jazz drummer, composer, and session musician.

Early life

Born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana, Blade was exposed to gospel and praise music while attending Zion Baptist Church at which his father, Brady L. Blade Sr., was pastor. Blade initially began learning violin and participated in the church choir, an experience which Blade later acknowledged was influential in his musical development. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, Brady Blade Jr., Blade developed skills on the drum kit while 'depping' for his brother in the church band. Soon after Blade shifted his focus to the drums throughout middle and high school.

During high school, while studying with Dorsey Summerfield Jr., 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. By the age of eighteen, Brian moved to New Orleans to attend Loyola University. 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.

Career

In 1992 Blade settled in New York and quickly cultivated a reputation as a 'first-call' drummer, including sideman work for Kenny Garrett, Mark Turner, and Joshua Redman. 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 in 1998, Brian Blade Fellowship, and emerged as an innovative proponent of new jazz throughout subsequent decades.

Reviewing the ensemble'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.

While continuing his work with the Fellowship Band, Blade emerged as an ongoing member of Wayne Shorter's quartet, working with Shorter from 2000 until his death. Shorter's quartet, also featuring Danilo Pérez and John Patitucci, became widely revered by jazz critics for their "near-telepathic" musical symbiosis. Blade's creative contribution to Shorter's quartet was frequently considered a key component of the group's creativity. In addition to his collaborations with Wayne Shorter, Blade has remained an in demand drummer for the likes of Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau, Christian McBride, Chick Corea, Wolfgang Muthspiel, Joni Mitchell, Ellis Marsalis Jr., Billy Childs, Herbie Hancock, Norah Jones, among many others.

During his career Blade has often performed outside his usual musical idiom, recording with the likes of Marianne Faithfull, Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, and Daniel Lanois. In 2009, Blade released Mama Rosa, his first album as a singer-songwriter, with songs dedicated to his grandmother and family. The live band includes Steven Nistor on drums.

On April 30, 2016, Blade played at the White House in Washington, D.C., as part of The International Jazz Day Global Concert.

Honors

• 2013: ECHO Jazz Award "International Artist of the Year Drums/Percussion", for Quiver.
• 2013: Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Trilogy (Concord), with Chick Corea.

Equipment

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 by 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.

Discography

As leader

• Brian Blade Fellowship (Blue Note, 1998)
• Perceptual (Blue Note, 2000) – recorded in 1999
• Season of Changes (Verve, 2008)
• Mama Rosa (Verve Forecast, 2009)
• Landmarks (Blue Note, 2014)
• Body and Shadow (Blue Note, 2017)
• Brian Blade & the Fellowship Band live from the archives Bootleg June 15, 2000 Blues Alley Washington D.C. (Stoner Hill, 2022)
• Kings Highway (Stoner Hill, 2023)

As co-leader

Trio with Wolfgang Muthspiel and Marc Johnson

• Real Book Stories (Quinton, 2001)
• Air, Love, and Vitamins (Quinton, 2004)

Duo with Wolfgang Muthspiel

• Friendly Travelers (Material, 2007)
• Friendly Travelers Live (Material, 2008)

Trio with Chick Corea and Christian McBride

• Trilogy (Concord, 2013) – Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album
• Trilogy 2 (Concord, 2018) - Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Trio with John Patitucci and André Marques

• Viva Hermeto (Borandá, 2014)

Trio with John Patitucci and Danilo Pérez

• Children of the Light (Mack Avenue, 2015)

Trio with Benjamin Koppel and Scott Colley

• Collective (ArtistShare, 2014)
• Perspective (Cowbell Music, 2023)

Trio with Edward Simon and Scott Colley

• Steel House (ArtistShare, 2015)

Trio with Jeff Denson and Romain Pilon

• Between Two Worlds (Ridgeway, 2019)
• Finding Light (Ridgeway, 2022)

Quartet with Joshua Redman, Brad Mehldau and Christian McBride

• MoodSwing (Warner Bros., 1994)
• RoundAgain (Nonesuch, 2020) – recorded in 2019
• LongGone (Nonesuch, 2022) – recorded in 2007, 2019

Trio with Wolfgang Muthspiel and Scott Colley

• Angular Blues (ECM, 2020)

As group

Yaya³ with Joshua Redman and Sam Yahel

• Yaya³ (Loma, 2002)

SFJAZZ Collective

• SFJazz Collective (Nonesuch, 2005) – recorded in 2004

Black Dub with Trixie Whitley, Daniel Lanois and Daryl Johnson

• Black Dub (Jive, 2010)

As sideman

References

External links

• Official site

• Brian Blade at AllMusic
• Brian Blade discography at Discogs
• HDTV Rip Mezzo Brian Blade & The Fellowship Band, live au St Emilion Jazz Festival on YouTube
• Hi-Fi Scenen Talks - BRIAN BLADE on YouTube - interview at the North Sea Jazz Festival, 2015
• Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band (Live) at Chicago Music Exchange on YouTube - performing "King's Highway"