Description
Drummer Brian Blade is a rhythmic force of nature that moves with both fire and finesse. He’s contributed to numerous recordings and performances around the globe most notably as a member of the esteemed Wayne Shorter Quartet for over 10 years. Yet at the heart of Blade’s own music lies a storyteller delivering tales of poignant rural settings and down-to-earth familiarity expressed through his ongoing Fellowship Band comprised of a close-knit ensemble of friends and stellar jazz musicians. Landmarks is the group’s fourth release and a return to Blue Note following its move to Verve for 2008’s Season of Changes, after Perceptual (Blue Note, 2000), on which the group adopted the name of Blade’s leader debut, also on Blue Note, Fellowship (1998).
The gently stirred mix of folklore, blues, gospel, and jazz are each a part of the Fellowship Band’s appeal through compositions that render lasting imagery. The music was penned by Blade and long time collaborator and pianist Jon Cowherd, two seminal artists that have shared a connection since meeting in college years ago. The result is a wide canvas of thought-provoking tracks. Landmarks is a fine return for the Fellowship Band, whose music continues to evoke substance and feeling through its empathetic leader and his skillful band mates.
