Brian Blade

A thoughtful drummer, bandleader, and composer, Brian Blade participates in myriad jazz projects and has an ear for rootsy introspection and cross-genre exploration. He established himself as a versatile sideman with Joshua Redman's quartet, which includes Kenny Garrett and Brad Mehldau, and drew attention from artists outside jazz. His Blue Note debut, 1998's Brian Blade Fellowship, was followed by 2000's Perceptual, 2008's Season of Change, and 2017's Body and Shadow. He reunited with Redman's '90s quartet for 2020's RoundAgain and 2022's LongGone. In January 2023, Blade's Lifecycles septet issued their debut album, Lifecycles, Vols. 1-2: Now! And Forever More Honoring Bobby Hutcherson, followed by Kings Highway with the Fellowship, both on his own Stoner Hill Records. In September 2023, Blade served with bassist Scott Colley in Wolfgang Muthspiel's trio for 2020's Angular Blues and 2023's Dance of the Elders.