Brian Blade

How do you spell it when you hear its someones name? Mine is spelled Brian, but when I give it to an order taker, 95 of the time they use y.
 
I dont know if Id go as far to say ever. I dont really know of any real innovations Brian Blade brought to the drum-set in a jazz setting. DOnt get me wrong, hes an incredible player, but I just think ever is a very strong word to be using in reference.

I definitely agree with you, he is a fine drummer, but in a way he is a better musician than a drummer. When one says "one of the bests ever" it's certainly has to be directed to an innovator. I saw Brian Blade many times and I love the way he plays on Joshua Redman's Elastic. To me, a good twist to modern drumming can be found in guys like Greg Hutchinson and Bill Stewart, from the "new school". To my opinion the all-timer innovator in jazz drumming will always be Jack DeJohnette.

Here are some cool links to those three, check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQXj6inCork

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mi5CuXzHr1c&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlWj9npykOQ
 
I know that he doesnt teach, but has anyone seen him do a clinic? I would love to hear a solo of his not in the middle of a song. To see what he would do with it
 
Thought I'd let you guys know that the Black Dub album has been out a while, and it's fantastic. Search for the Black Dub videos on YouTube if you get a chance. I look forward to reading this thread and learning more about him. Have fun!
 
Check out his live work with Herbie Hancock, Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall - amazing! This guys has better chops than your local butcher!
 
Brian's unbelievable, saw him last year with Wayne Shorter's quartet and it was one of the best gigs I've seen. I had really cheap tickets in a big theatre, but a friend informed me after the support band played that a few people hadn't turned up for their front row seats, so I ended up getting to sit right at the front, center stage :) I posted this in another thread a while ago, but if anyone's interested in trying out a transcription for Jazz Crimes, it's here:

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/dd475/caroline_scott/JazzCrimes.jpg

and I made a backing track to play along with (full tempo and slowed down) here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2M28PjGvyzw

There are some really cool chops there... but I never did manage to nail it!

I heard he played with his Fellowship band in New York last night, is there a tour on? There's nothing on his website
 
I'm a big fan of Brian Blade too, and I came across this today, a duet, guitar and drums, oh my, oh my... tense, crisp, on the edge, wow...absolutely wonderful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaeJYoR2dWI&feature=related

I have that live album, very cool stuff!

Someone once posted The Fellowship playing "Stoner Hill" on Youtube somewhere
on Drummerworld, that has been one of my favourite tunes for the last few day.
It wasn't in this thread though, I think.
 
Brian Blade made me want to play again! Ten years ago I half gave up drumming. I never sold my drumkit, just wasn't so interested in playing anymore so they were stashed away in various places.

I agree with many posters here that seeing/hearing Blade live is quite an experience.

A few years ago I saw the Wayne Shorter Quartet in Barcelona in a fantastic, modern and very big auditorium. Had the best seat in the house.

Blade was on fire that night. Apparently the US ambassador to Spain was in attendance, he subsequently wrote about how moving the concert had been.

Shortly afterwards, I bought a new kit. Gretsch Catalina jazz.

It's difficult to explain Blade's style in words. It's not just drumming anymore, it's actually music. He plays so dynamically and with so much colour (to quote another post here).

I realize that I've bumped up an old thread, but I think Blade deserves it.

I think the reason that drummers like this aren't discussed often as some others is that you can't rationalise what their doing. It's not about bpm or how precise they are etc, etc.
What they do is simply beyond the sound barrier.

But to quote W. Shorter "Talkin' about it is not where it's at".

After all, if we could summarise this kind of music in words, then we wouldn't need the music itself.
 
Brian Blade made me want to play again! Ten years ago I half gave up drumming. I never sold my drumkit, just wasn't so interested in playing anymore so they were stashed away in various places.

I agree with many posters here that seeing/hearing Blade live is quite an experience.

A few years ago I saw the Wayne Shorter Quartet in Barcelona in a fantastic, modern and very big auditorium. Had the best seat in the house.

Blade was on fire that night. Apparently the US ambassador to Spain was in attendance, he subsequently wrote about how moving the concert had been.

Shortly afterwards, I bought a new kit. Gretsch Catalina jazz.

It's difficult to explain Blade's style in words. It's not just drumming anymore, it's actually music. He plays so dynamically and with so much colour (to quote another post here).

I realize that I've bumped up an old thread, but I think Blade deserves it.

I think the reason that drummers like this aren't discussed often as some others is that you can't rationalise what their doing. It's not about bpm or how precise they are etc, etc.
What they do is simply beyond the sound barrier.

But to quote W. Shorter "Talkin' about it is not where it's at".

After all, if we could summarise this kind of music in words, then we wouldn't need the music itself.

Very well stated, Mike Stand.

What Brian brings to the music is difficult to articulate. I think that as musicians, it's easy for us to get caught up in thinking clinically, executing what we learned in the woodshed. Brian really throws that stuff all away. And when you watch other musicians just absolutely loving what he brings to the music, you realize that cats aren't concerned about some of the stuff we worry about as drummers. It's all about the music, living and breathing it, in the moment.
 
Very well stated, Mike Stand.

... it's easy for us to get caught up in thinking clinically... watch other musicians just absolutely loving what he brings to the music... It's all about the music, living and breathing it, in the moment.

Absolutely spot on! Sadly, hearing a great musician play can often be a bitter sweet experience, it can make you become discouraged, even depressed that you're not on the same level. But with Blade, I always feel uplifted, inspired, alive! Of course he's got great technique and uses it wonderfully, but it's just a means to an end, never the end itself.

That gig in Barcelona a few years ago was the last time I saw Blade (and Shorter) live.
Makes me all emotional just thinking about it.

Like Art Blakey said "Jazz washes away the dust of everyday life".

I haven't had a good wash in a long time.
 
Everyone stop whatever it is that you're doing and go pick up the new Brian Blade Fellowship album.

Man, I've been trying. Can't get a hold of it at any of the shops round here. Hafta order, I guess.
 
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