Brian Blade

A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Brian Blade established himself as a versatile, accomplished drummer early in his career, appearing on albums by the likes of Joshua Redman, Kenny Garrett, and Bob Dylan. Blade released his first album, Brian Blade Fellowship, at the age of 27 in 1998, and followed two years later with Perceptual, both on Blue Note. Always an in-demand sideman and collaborator, Blade continued to find work with a bevy of artists, including Joni Mitchell, Bill Frisell, and Wayne Shorter. Ten years after releasing his first album as the Brian Blade Fellowship, he returned with Season of Changes in 2008, this time on Verve. A year later, he released the solo Americana singer/songwriter effort Mama Rosa for the label.

At the beginning of 2014, the BBF band re-signed with Blue Note in a cooperative deal with the Shreveport, Louisiana-based Mid-City Records. Their fourth album together, Landmarks, was issued in April of 2014. The quintet was augmented by guitarists Marvin Sewell and Jeff Parker. Blade was part of a celebrated trio that included guitarist Wolfgang Muthspiel and bassist Larry Grenadier on Driftwood for Deutsche Grammophon a year later. In 2017, Blade and his fellow sidemen in Wayne Shorter's longstanding quartet -- pianist Danilo Perez and bassist John Patitucci -- recorded together as a trio for the first time. Their debut album, Children of the Light, was issued by Mack Avenue in the fall of 2017. During the same season, Blade's Fellowship band reunited to release Body and Shadow on Blue Note. Recorded in the historic Columbus Theatre in Providence, Rhode Island, the album was co-written, arranged, and produced by Blade and pianist Jon Cowherd. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine