Brian Blade (born July 25, 1970) is an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Its roots are in blues, ragtime, European harmony, African rhythmic rituals, spirituals, h ...

drummer, composer, and

session musician A session musician (also known as studio musician or backing musician) is a musician hired to perform in a recording session or a live performance. The term sideman is also used in the case of live performances, such as accompanying a reco ...

Early life

Born and raised in

Shreveport, Louisiana Shreveport ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is the List of municipalities in Louisiana, third-most populous city in Louisiana after New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Baton Rouge. The bulk of Shreveport is in Caddo Parish, Lo ...

, Blade was exposed to

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...

and praise music while attending Zion Baptist Church at which his father, Brady L. Blade Sr., was pastor. Blade initially began learning

violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...

and participated in the church

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

, 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 John William Coltrane (September 23, 1926 – July 17, 1967) was an American jazz saxophonist, bandleader and composer. He is among the most influential and acclaimed figures in the Jazz#Post-war jazz, history of jazz and 20th-century musi ...

and

Thelonious Monk Thelonious Sphere Monk ( October 10, 1917 – February 17, 1982) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer. He had a unique improvisational style and made numerous contributions to the Jazz standard, standard jazz repertoire, includ ...

, and became increasingly influenced by the drumming styles of

Elvin Jones Elvin Ray Jones (September 9, 1927 – May 18, 2004) was an American jazz drummer of the post-bop era. Most famously a member of John Coltrane's quartet, with whom he recorded from late 1960 to late 1965, Jones appeared on such albums as ''My Fa ...

Art Blakey Arthur Blakey (October 11, 1919 – October 16, 1990) was an American jazz drummer and bandleader. He was also known as Abdullah Ibn Buhaina after he converted to Islam for a short time in the late 1940s. Blakey made a name for himself in the 1 ...

, Papa Jo Jones, and

Paul Motian Stephen Paul Motian (March 25, 1931 – November 22, 2011) was an American jazz drummer, percussionist, and composer of Armenian descent. He played an important role in freeing jazz drummers from strict time-keeping duties. Motian first came t ...

. By the age of eighteen, Brian moved to

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

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 New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

and quickly cultivated a reputation as a 'first-call' drummer, including sideman work for

Kenny Garrett Kenny Garrett (born October 9, 1960) is an American post-bop jazz musician and composer who gained recognition in his youth as a member of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and for his time with Miles Davis's band. Garrett's primary instruments are ...

, Mark Turner, and

Joshua Redman Joshua Redman (born February 1, 1969) is an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He is the son of jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman (1931–2006). Life and career Joshua Redman was born in Berkeley, California, to jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman a ...

. 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 Wayne Shorter (August 25, 1933 – March 2, 2023) was an American jazz saxophonist, composer and bandleader. Shorter came to mainstream prominence in 1959 upon joining Art Blakey's Jazz Messengers, for whom he eventually became the primary comp ...

's quartet, working with Shorter from 2000 until his death. Shorter's quartet, also featuring

Danilo Pérez Danilo Pérez (born December 29, 1966) is a Panamanian pianist, composer, educator, and a social activist. His music is a blend of Panamanian roots with elements of Latin American folk music, jazz, European impressionism, African, and other mu ...

and

John Patitucci John Patitucci (born December 22, 1959) is an American jazz bassist and composer. Biography John James Patitucci was born in Brooklyn, New York. He began playing the electric bass at age 10, performing and composing at age 12, and at age 15, s ...

, 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

Brad Mehldau Bradford Alexander Mehldau (; born August 23, 1970) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger. Mehldau studied music at The New School, touring and recording while still a student. He was a member of saxophonist Joshua Redman's quar ...

Christian McBride Christian McBride (born May 31, 1972) is an American jazz bassist, composer and arranger. He has appeared on more than 400 recordings as a sideman, and is a nine-time Grammy Award winner. McBride has performed and recorded with a number of jaz ...

Chick Corea Armando Anthony "Chick" Corea (June 12, 1941 – February 9, 2021) was an American jazz pianist, composer, bandleader and occasional percussionist. His compositions "Spain (instrumental), Spain", "500 Miles High", "La Fiesta", "Armando's Rhumba" ...

, Wolfgang Muthspiel,

Joni Mitchell Roberta Joan Mitchell (née Anderson; born November 7, 1943) is a Canadian and American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and painter. As one of the most influential singer-songwriters to emerge from the 1960s folk music circuit, Mitch ...

, Ellis Marsalis Jr.,

Billy Childs William Edward Childs (born March 8, 1957) is an American composer, jazz pianist, arranger and conductor from Los Angeles, California, United States. Early life When he was 16, Childs attended the Community School of the Performing Arts sponsored ...

Herbie Hancock Herbert Jeffrey Hancock (born April 12, 1940) is an American jazz musician, bandleader, and composer. He started his career with trumpeter Donald Byrd's group. Hancock soon joined the Miles Davis Quintet, where he helped to redefine the role of ...

Norah Jones Norah Jones ( ; born Geethali Shankar; March 30, 1979) is an American singer-songwriter and musician. She has won several awards for her music and, , has sold more than 53 million records worldwide. '' Billboard'' named her the top jazz artist of ...

, among many others. During his career Blade has often performed outside his usual musical idiom, recording with the likes of

Marianne Faithfull Marianne Evelyn Gabriel Faithfull (29 December 1946 – 30 January 2025) was an English singer and actress who achieved popularity in the 1960s with the release of her UK top 10 single " As Tears Go By". She became one of the leading female art ...

Emmylou Harris Emmylou Harris (born April 2, 1947) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, bandleader, and activist. She is considered one of the leading music artists behind the country rock genre in the 1970s and the Americana (music), Americana genre ...

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

, and

Daniel Lanois Daniel Roland Lanois ( , ; born September 19, 1951) is a Canadian record producer and musician. He has produced albums by artists including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Peter Gabriel, Robbie Robertson, Emmylou Harris, Willie Nelson, and Harold Budd ...

. 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 The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

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 A trilogy is a set of three distinct works that are connected and can be seen either as a single work or as three individual works. They are commonly found in literature, film, and video games. Three-part works that are considered components of ...

'' ( Concord), with

Equipment

Blade uses vintage

Gretsch Gretsch is an American company that manufactures and markets musical instruments. The company was founded in 1883 in Brooklyn, New York by Friedrich Gretsch, a 27-year-old German immigrant, shortly after his arrival to the United States. Fri ...

, Ludwig,

Sonor Sonor is a German musical instrument manufacturing company headquartered in Bad Berleburg. Established in 1875, it is one of the oldest percussion companies in the world. Sonor currently manufactures drum kits and hardware. Apart from drum kit ...

and Slingerland drums. He plays

Canopus Canopus is the brightest star in the southern constellation of Carina (constellation), Carina and the list of brightest stars, second-brightest star in the night sky. It is also Bayer designation, designated α Carinae, which is Rom ...

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 Blue Note Records is an American jazz record label now owned by Universal Music Group and operated under Capitol Music Group. Established in 1939 by German-Jewish emigrants Alfred Lion and Max Margulis, it derived its name from the blue no ...

, 1998) * ''

Perceptual Perception () is the organization, identification, and interpretation of sensory information in order to represent and understand the presented information or environment. All perception involves signals that go through the nervous syste ...

'' (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

and

* ''

'' ( Concord, 2013) – Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album * '' Trilogy 2'' (Concord, 2018) - Grammy Award for Best Jazz Instrumental Album Trio with

and André Marques * ''Viva Hermeto'' (Borandá, 2014) Trio with John Patitucci and

* ''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) * ''Three Visitors'' (GroundUP Music, 2024) Trio with Jeff Denson and Romain Pilon * ''Between Two Worlds'' (Ridgeway, 2019) * ''Finding Light'' (Ridgeway, 2022) Quartet with

and

* '' 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

and Sam Yahel * ''Yaya³'' (Loma, 2002)

SFJAZZ Collective The SFJAZZ Collective is an American jazz ensemble comprising nine performer/composers, launched in 2004 by SFJAZZ, a West Coast non-profit jazz institution and the presenter of the annual San Francisco Jazz Festival. Collective activities The ...

* ''SFJazz Collective'' ( Nonesuch, 2005) – recorded in 2004 Black Dub with Trixie Whitley,

and

Daryl Johnson Daryl E. Johnson (August 11, 1946 – November 25, 2023) was an American professional football defensive back who played in the American Football League (AFL), the National Football League (NFL), and the World Football League (WFL). He was a m ...

* '' Black Dub'' (Jive, 2010)

As sideman

With

David Binney David Binney (born August 2, 1961) is an American alto saxophonist and composer. Early life Binney was born in Miami, Florida, and was raised in Carpinteria, California. From his parents, who loved music, he was exposed to albums by John Colt ...

* 2000: ''Afinidad'' with Edward Simon (Red, 2005) * 2000: ''South'' ( ACT, 2001) * 2004?: ''Welcome to Life'' (Mythology, 2004) * 2004: ''Océanos'' with Edward Simon ( Criss Cross, 2007) * 2008: ''Third Occasion'' (Mythology, 2009) * 2010?: ''Graylen Epicenter'' (Mythology, 2011) With

* ''Lyric: Jazz Chamber Music, Vol 1'' (

Artistshare ArtistShare is the internet's first commercial crowdfunding website.Crowd-Funding 101: What Every Musician Needs for a Successful Campaign It also operates as a record label and business model for artists which enables them to fund their proje ...

, 2005) * ''Autumn: In Moving Pictures: Jazz Chamber Music, Vol 2'' (

, 2010) With

* '' Black Hope'' (

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...

, 1992) * ''Triology'' (Warner Bros., 1995) * ''Pursuance: Music of John Coltrane'' (Warner Bros., 1996) * '' Beyond the Wall'' ( Nonesuch, 2006) With Darrell Grant * 1993: ''Black Art'' (Criss Cross, 1994) * 1994: ''The New Bop'' (Criss Cross, 1995) * ''Smokin' Java'' (Lair Hill, 1999) * ''Truth and Reconciliation'' ( Origin, 2007) CD With

* 2000–01: ''

Come Away with Me ''Come Away with Me'' is the debut studio album by American recording artist Norah Jones, released on February 26, 2002, by Blue Note Records. Recording sessions took place at Sorcerer Sound Studio in New York City and Allaire Studios in Sh ...

'' (

, 2002) * 2003–04: '' Feels Like Home'' (Blue Note, 2004) * 2015: '' Day Breaks'' (Blue Note, 2016) * 2018–19: '' Begin Again'' (Blue Note, 2019) * 2019: '' Pick Me Up Off The Floor'' (Blue Note, 2020) With

Kiyoshi Kitagawa Kiyoshi Kitagawa (北川潔) (born December 5, 1958, in Osaka) is a Japanese-American jazz double-bassist. Career Kitagawa first played bass guitar, and was in a rock band as a high school student. He switched to double bass while a student at ...

* 2003: ''Ancestry'' (Atelier Sawano, 2004) * 2005: ''Prayer'' (Atelier Sawano, 2005) * 2005: ''Live at Tsutenkaku'' (Atelier Sawano, 2006) VD-Video– live With

* '' Shine'' (

Anti- Anti- is an American record label founded in 1999 as a sister label to Epitaph Records. Founded by Andy Kaulkin, Anti- first gained attention by releasing Tom Waits's Grammy Award–winning '' Mule Variations'' in 1999. Other veteran recordin ...

, 2003) * '' Rockets'' (self-released, 2004) * '' Belladonna'' (Anti-, 2005) * ''

Here Is What Is ''Here Is What Is'' is the fifth studio album by Canadian songwriter and record producer Daniel Lanois. It was first released on December 15, 2007, through Red Floor Records as a high-quality download, and later released on CD on March 18, 2008. ...

'' (Red Floor, 2007) * ''Flesh And Machine'' (Anti-, 2014) With

Ron Miles Ronald Glen Miles (May 9, 1963 – March 8, 2022) was an American jazz trumpeter, cornetist, and composer. He recorded for the labels Prolific (1986), Capri Records (Jazz record label), Capri (1990), and Rykodisc, Gramavision. His final album, ...

* 2011: ''

Quiver A quiver is a container for holding arrows or Crossbow bolt, bolts. It can be carried on an archer's body, the bow, or the ground, depending on the type of shooting and the archer's personal preference. Quivers were traditionally made of leath ...

'' ( Yellowbird, 2012) * 2013: '' Circuit Rider'' (Yellowbird, 2014) * 2019: '' Rainbow Sign'' (Blue Note, 2020) With

* 1997: '' Taming the Tiger'' (

Reprise In music, a reprise ( , ; from the verb 'to resume') is the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though—originally in the 18th century—was simply any re ...

, 1998) * 1998: ''Painting with Words and Music'' ( Eagle Rock, 1998) VD-Video* 2002: '' Travelogue'' ( Nonesuch, 2002) * 2006–07: '' Shine'' (

Hear Music Hear Music was a record label that was founded in 2007 in a partnership between Concord Music Group and Starbucks. Hear Music began as a catalog company in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1990 before being purchased by Starbucks in 1999. Concep ...

, 2007) With Wolfgang Muthspiel * 2001: ''Real Book Stories'' (Quinton, 2001) * 2013: ''Driftwood'' ( ECM, 2014) * 2016: '' Rising Grace'' (ECM, 2016) * 2018: ''Angular Blues'' (ECM, 2020) With

* '' Communion'' ( Concord, 2001) * ''Songs, Stories & Spirituals'' (Concord, 2003) * '' Line by Line'' (

JVC Victor is a subsidiary of JVCKenwood that produces and distributes music, movies and other entertainment products such as anime and television shows in Japan. It is known as JVC Entertainment in countries where Sony Music Entertainment operates the R ...

/Concord, 2006) * ''Remembrance'' (Concord, 2009) *''Viva Hermeto!'' (Borandá, 2014) * ''Brooklyn'' (Three Faces, 2015) With

* '' MoodSwing'' (Warner Bros., 1994) * '' Spirit of the Moment – Live at the Village Vanguard'' (Warner Bros., 1995) – live * '' Freedom in the Groove'' (Warner Bros., 1996) * '' Timeless Tales (for changing times)'' (Warner Bros., 1998) * ''

Elastic Elastic is a word often used to describe or identify certain types of elastomer, Elastic (notion), elastic used in garments or stretch fabric, stretchable fabrics. Elastic may also refer to: Alternative name * Rubber band, ring-shaped band of rub ...

'' (Warner Bros., 2002) * ''

Momentum In Newtonian mechanics, momentum (: momenta or momentums; more specifically linear momentum or translational momentum) is the product of the mass and velocity of an object. It is a vector quantity, possessing a magnitude and a direction. ...

'' (Nonesuch, 2005) * 2006: '' Back East'' (Nonesuch, 2007) * 2008: ''

Compass A compass is a device that shows the cardinal directions used for navigation and geographic orientation. It commonly consists of a magnetized needle or other element, such as a compass card or compass rose, which can pivot to align itself with No ...

'' (Nonesuch, 2009) * 2012: '' Walking Shadows'' (Nonesuch, 2013) * 2017: '' Still Dreaming'' (Nonesuch, 2018) * 2023: '' Where Are We'' (Blue Note, 2023) With

* 2001: '' Footprints Live!'' (Verve, 2002) – live * 2002?: '' Alegria'' (Verve, 2003) * 2002–04: '' Beyond the Sound Barrier'' (Verve, 2005) * 2010: '' Without a Net'' (Blue Note, 2013) – live * 2016: ''

Emanon Emanon is an American musical duo formed in 1995, in Los Angeles, California, composed of rapper and singer-songwriter Aloe Blacc and record producer Exile. History Emanon released the extended play (EP) ''Anon and On'', on Ill Boogie Record ...

'' (Blue Note, 2018) With Edward Simon * 2000: ''Afinidad'' with

(Red, 2001) * 2006: ''Unicity'' ( CAM Jazz, 2006) * 2008: ''Poesia'' (Cam Jazz, 2009) * 2010: ''Trio Live in New York'' (Sunnyside, 2013) – live * 2017: ''Sorrows & Triumphs'' (Sunnyside, 2018) With Mark Turner * 1995: ''Mark Turner'' (Warner Bros., 1998) * 1998: '' In This World'' (Warner Bros., 1998) * 1999: ''Ballad Session'' (Warner Bros., 2000) With

Kenny Werner Kenny Werner (born November 19, 1951) is an American jazz pianist, composer, and author. Early life Born in Brooklyn, New York, on November 19, 1951, and then growing up in Oceanside, Long Island, Werner began playing and performing at a young ...

* ''Democracy'' (

Half Note In music, a half note (American) or minim (British) is a Musical note, note played for half the duration of a whole note (or semibreve) and twice the duration of a quarter note (or crotchet). It was given its Latin name (''minima'', meaning "le ...

, 2006) – live * ''Lawn Chair Society'' (Blue Note, 2007) With others *

, '' Introducing Brad Mehldau'' (Warner Bros., 1995) *

, ''

Wrecking Ball A wrecking ball is a heavy steel ball, usually hung from a Crane (machine), crane, that is used for Demolition, demolishing large buildings. It was most commonly in use during the 1940s and 1950s. Several wrecking companies claim to have inve ...

'' ( Elektra, 1995) * Steve Masakowski, '' Direct Axecess'' (Blue Note, 1995) – recorded in 1994 *

Jane Siberry Jane Siberry ( ; ; born 12 October 1955) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, known for such hits as "Mimi on the Beach", "I Muse Aloud", "One More Colour" and "Calling All Angels (Jane Siberry song), Calling All Angels". She performed the theme so ...

, '' Maria'' (Reprise, 1995) – recorded in 1994–95 * Bob James Trio, '' Straight Up'' (Warner Bros., 1996) – recorded in 1995 *

, '' Time Out of Mind'' ( Columbia, 1997) – recorded in 1996–97 * David Berkman, ''Handmade'' ( Palmetto, 1998) * Ryan Kisor, ''Battle Cry'' (Criss Cross, 1998) – recorded in 1997 * Dianne Reeves, ''Bridges'' (Blue Note, 1999) *

Bill Frisell William Richard Frisell (born March 18, 1951) is an American jazz guitarist. He first came to prominence at ECM Records in the 1980s, as both a session player and a leader. He went on to work in a variety of contexts, notably as a participant ...

, '' The Sweetest Punch'' (Verve, 1999) *

, ''

Vagabond Ways ''Vagabond Ways'' is the 14th studio album by British singer Marianne Faithfull. This is her first album of original material since ''A Secret Life'' (1994). This work, produced by Daniel Lanois and Mark Howard, is a balladry-like extension o ...

'' (

Instinct Instinct is the inherent inclination of a living organism towards a particular complex behaviour, containing innate (inborn) elements. The simplest example of an instinctive behaviour is a fixed action pattern (FAP), in which a very short to me ...

, 2000) * Rebekka Bakken and Wolfgang Muthspiel, ''Daily Mirror'' (Material, 2000) * Chris Potter, ''

Gratitude Gratitude, thankfulness, or gratefulness is a feeling of appreciation (or similar positive response) by a recipient of another's kindness. This kindness can be gifts, help, favors, or another form of generosity to another person. The word come ...

'' (Verve, 2001) – recorded in 2000 * Ralph Bowen, ''Soul Proprietor'' (Criss Cross, 2001) * Rick Margitza, ''Memento'' ( Palmetto, 2001) * Joe Henry, ''

Scar A scar (or scar tissue) is an area of fibrosis, fibrous tissue that replaces normal skin after an injury. Scars result from the biological process of wound repair in the skin, as well as in other Organ (anatomy), organs, and biological tissue, t ...

'' (

Mammoth A mammoth is any species of the extinct elephantid genus ''Mammuthus.'' They lived from the late Miocene epoch (from around 6.2 million years ago) into the Holocene until about 4,000 years ago, with mammoth species at various times inhabi ...

, 2001) – recorded in 2000 * Joel Weiskopf, ''Change in My Life'' (Criss Cross, 2002) * David Berkman, ''Leaving Home'' ( Palmetto, 2002) *

Charlie Haden Charles Edward Haden (August 6, 1937 – July 11, 2014) was an American jazz double bass player, bandleader, composer and educator whose career spanned more than fifty years. Haden helped to revolutionize the harmonic concept of bass playin ...

, ''

American Dreams ''American Dreams'' is an American drama television series that ran on NBC for three seasons and 61 episodes, from September 29, 2002, to March 30, 2005. The show tells the story of the Pryor family of Philadelphia during the mid-1960s, with m ...

'' (Verve, 2002) *

Michael Brecker Michael Leonard Brecker (March 29, 1949 – January 13, 2007) was an American jazz saxophonist and composer. He was awarded 15 Grammy Awards as a performer and composer, received an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in ...

, and

Roy Hargrove Roy Anthony Hargrove (October 16, 1969 – November 2, 2018) was an American jazz musician and composer whose principal instruments were the trumpet and flugelhorn. He achieved critical acclaim after winning two Grammy Awards for differing styles ...

, ''Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall'' (Verve, 2002) – live *

, ''...Till Then'' (Verve, 2003) * Lizz Wright, ''

Salt In common usage, salt is a mineral composed primarily of sodium chloride (NaCl). When used in food, especially in granulated form, it is more formally called table salt. In the form of a natural crystalline mineral, salt is also known as r ...

'' (Verve, 2003) – recorded in 2002 * Helen Sung, ''Push'' ( Fresh Sound New Talent, 2004) * Tim Ries, ''The Rolling Stones Project'' ( Concord, 2005) *

Bob Lanois Robert Jacques Lanois (April 4, 1948 – April 19, 2021) was a Canadian sound engineer, record producer, and harmonica player. He released his first album, ''Snake Road'', in 2006, in collaboration with his brother Daniel Lanois. He also recorde ...

, ''Snake Road'' (

Cordova Bay Cordova Bay is a bay in the Alexander Archipelago of southeast Alaska. It opens onto Dixon Entrance to the south, between Cape Muzon on Dall Island and Point Marsh (a group of small islets just off Prince of Wales Island (Alaska), Prince of Wales ...

, 2006) * Mike Holober, ''Wish List'' (Sons of Sound, 2006) * Debbie Deane, ''Grove House'' (RKM Music, 2007) * Sam Yahel, ''Truth and Beauty'' (Origin, 2007) * Alyssa Graham, ''Echo'' ( Sunnyside, 2008) * Rebecca Martin, ''The Growing Season'' ( Sunnyside, 2008) * Scott Colley, ''

Empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...

'' (Cam Jazz, 2010) *

John Scofield John Scofield (born December 26, 1951) is an American guitarist and composer. His music over a long career has blended jazz, jazz fusion, funk, blues, soul and rock. He first came to mainstream attention as part of the band of Miles Davis; he ...

, '' A Moment's Peace'' ( Emarcy, 2011) *

Laura Veirs Laura Pauline Veirs (born October 24, 1973) is an American singer-songwriter based in Portland, Oregon. She is known for her folk and alternative country records and live performances as well as her collaboration with Neko Case and k.d. lang o ...

, '' Tumble Bee: Laura Veirs Sings Folk Songs for Children'' (

Bella Union Bella Union is a British independent record label founded in 1997 by Simon Raymonde and Robin Guthrie of Cocteau Twins. It is now run solely by Raymonde. History After releasing records with 4AD for a large part of their career, Cocteau Twin ...

, 2011) *

Beth Orton Elizabeth Caroline Orton (born 14 December 1970) is an English musician known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit, Andrew Weatherall ...

, '' Sugaring Season'' (Anti-, 2012) * Rolf and

Joachim Kühn Joachim Kurt Kühn (born 15 March 1944) is a German jazz pianist. Biography Kühn was born in Leipzig, Germany. He was a musical prodigy and made his debut as a concert pianist, having studied classical piano and composition, with Arthur Schmidt-E ...

Quartet, ''Lifeline'' (Boutique, 2012) * Davy Mooney, ''Perrier Street'' ( Sunnyside, 2012) * Matt Lemmler's New Orleans Jazz Revival Band, ''Ubuntu'' (SMartist, 2012) *

Shawn Colvin Shawn Colvin (born Shawna Lee Colvin, January 10, 1956) is an American singer-songwriter. She is best known for her 1997 Grammy Award-winning song "Sunny Came Home". Early life Colvin was born Shawna Lee Colvin in Vermillion, South Dakota, and ...

, '' All Fall Down'' (Nonesuch, 2012) * Iron & Wine,

Ghost on Ghost ''Ghost on Ghost'' is the fifth full-length studio album by Iron & Wine, released April 16, 2013 via 4AD (worldwide) and Nonesuch in the US. The album's title is taken from the lyrics of "Grace for Saints and Ramblers" and the cover is taken fr ...

(4AD, 2013) *

, ''

Warp and Weft In the manufacture of cloth, warp and weft are the two basic components in weaving to transform thread and yarn into textile fabrics. The vertical ''warp'' yarns are held stationary in tension on a loom (frame) while the horizontal ''weft'' ...

'' (Bella Union, 2013) * Aga Zaryan, ''Remembering Nina & Abbey'' (

Parlophone Parlophone Records Limited (also known as Parlophone Records and Parlophone) is a record label founded in Germany in 1896 by the Carl Lindström Company as Parlophon. The British branch of the label was founded on 8 August 1923 as the Parloph ...

, 2013) * Jon Cowherd, ''Mercy'' (

ArtistShare ArtistShare is the internet's first commercial crowdfunding website.Crowd-Funding 101: What Every Musician Needs for a Successful Campaign It also operates as a record label and business model for artists which enables them to fund their proje ...

, 2013) * Antonio Sánchez, ''Birdman'' (

Milan Milan ( , , ; ) is a city in northern Italy, regional capital of Lombardy, the largest city in Italy by urban area and the List of cities in Italy, second-most-populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of nea ...

, 2014) *

, ''Map to the treasure: Reimagining Laura Nyro'' (Sony, 2014) * Jenny Scheinman, ''The Littlest Prisoner'' ( Sony Masterworks, 2014) *

Sarah McLachlan Sarah Ann McLachlan (born January 28, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As of 2015, she had sold over 40 million albums worldwide. McLachlan's best-selling album to date is ''Surfacing (album), Surfacing'' (1997), for which she won two G ...

, '' Shine On'' (Verve, 2014) * Joe Jackson, '' Fast Forward'' ( Caroline, 2015) * Joel Harrison 5, ''Spirit House'' (

Whirlwind A whirlwind is a phenomenon in which a vortex of wind (a vertically oriented rotating column of air) forms due to instabilities and turbulence created by heating and flow ( current) gradients. Whirlwinds can vary in size and last from a cou ...

, 2015) – recorded in 2013 * Sadao Watanabe, ''Re-Bop'' (Victor, 2017) * Debbie Deane, ''Red Ruby Stars'' (Modern Icon Recordings/Ropeadope, 2021) * Charles Lloyd, ''The Sky Will Still Be There Tomorrow'' (

, 2024) * Chris Potter, '' Eagle's Point'' (Edition, 2024) – recorded in 2022

References

External links

Official site
* * * * - interview at the

North Sea Jazz Festival The North Sea Jazz Festival is a festival held annually on the second weekend of July in the Netherlands at the Ahoy venue. The festival moved to Rotterdam in 2006 after the demolition of the Statenhal in The Hague where it was originally held. ...

, 2015 * - performing "King's Highway" {{DEFAULTSORT:Blade, Brian 1970 births Living people Writers from Shreveport, Louisiana Musicians from Shreveport, Louisiana American jazz drummers American jazz composers American male jazz composers Nonesuch Records artists Columbia Records artists Blue Note Records artists Warner Records artists Verve Records artists Verve Forecast Records artists Concord Records artists American session musicians 20th-century American drummers American male drummers Grammy Award winners Jazz musicians from Louisiana 21st-century American drummers 20th-century American male musicians 21st-century American male musicians SFJAZZ Collective members Drummers from Louisiana