BRIAN BLADE & THE FELLOWSHIP BAND

A native of Shreveport, Louisiana, Brian Blade established himself as a versatile, accomplished drummer early in his career, appearing on albums by 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 Records.

The Fellowship Band has been called “one of the most distinctive and long-running bands in Jazz in the 21st century.” Originating from the meeting of Blade and Jon Cowherd in 1988, while they were studying at Loyola University in New Orleans, the group has released seven albums from 1998 – 2023. Ten years after releasing the Brian Blade Fellowship, Blade returned with Season of Changes in 2008. A year later he released the solo Americana, singer/songwriter effort, Mama Rosa with songs dedicated to his grandmother and family.

From the beginning, The Fellowship Band created a sound of its own genre, encompassing jazz, gospel and folk music that continues to uplift and inspire listeners worldwide. NPR called The Fellowship Band “an all-star lineup that functions more like a harmonious congregation, ebbing and flowing as one … jazz-inflected, gospel-rooted music suffused with a glowing consonance.”

Always an in-demand sideman, composer, and collaborator, Blade continued to  work with a varied bevy of artists, including Joni Mitchell, Bill Frisell, Wayne Shorter, Chick Corea, Christian McBride and Norah Jones.

The Band:

Jon Cowherd – piano
Myron Walden – alto saxophone and bass clarinet
Melvin Butler – soprano and tenor saxophone
Kurt Rosenwinkel – guitar
Roland Guerin – bass
Brian Blade – drums