UPDATE AS OF NOV. 30: THE FELLOWSHIP BAND’S DEC. 2-4 SHOWS AT THE VELVET NOTE HAVE BEEN CANCELED. TICKETHOLDERS CAN GO TO THEVELVETNOTE.COM OR CALL 855-583-5838.
When forming his own group nearly two decades ago, drummer Brian Blade looked to his childhood. The son of a pastor, Blade grew up in the familial atmosphere of the church, hearing hymns that united a congregation with one voice.
For Blade, the spirit of that community and togetherness boiled down to the concept of fellowship.
“(The word) comes from my upbringing in church and what I felt like the greater idea was, coming together in a singular way to offer some song of praise,” he said. “I feel like the band is bound by this shared desire to do that.”
Blade and his long-standing Fellowship Band — pianist Jon Cowherd, saxophonists Melvin Butler and Myron Walden, and bassist Chris Thomas — will play for three straight nights at the Velvet Note in Alpharetta starting Dec. 2. The concerts serve as the kickoff to a two-week tour that will take the band, which received a Grammy nomination last year for "Landmarks" (best jazz instrumental album), to Kentucky and Colorado before ending in Blade's hometown of Shreveport, La.
In addition to being the first stop on the tour, the Velvet Note mini-residency gives the band a chance to fully settle into the venue. By performing in the same space for three nights, the band might be able to explore more of its catalog, or play familiar tunes in different ways, Blade said. The drummer performed in the Atlanta area in February at Spivey Hall with his group Children of the Light, and in 2014 with Wayne Shorter at the Rialto Center for the Arts — both one-night-only concerts at significantly larger venues than the Velvet Note, which seats 40 in cozy confines.
“I love the possibility of having a residence somewhere,” Blade said. “It’s less of an occurrence. Just to be in a place for a moment is always welcome.” Performing in a club setting also gives Blade an extra spark of energy, he said, due to the intimate nature of the surroundings. The band truly feeds off the interaction with the audience, he said, adding that building a similar relationship with the crowd is more difficult in a larger venue.
Blade’s last two trips to Atlanta reflect the drummer’s busy schedule. Blade has performed with saxophone legend Shorter for 15 years in a rhythm section with pianist Danilo Perez and bassist John Patitucci. In September, the three musicians released a record to celebrate their long-standing, sans-Shorter collaboration, Children of the Light, on Mack Avenue Records. Blade released his latest recording with the Fellowship Band in 2014, but said the group has since recorded a few tunes that may be unveiled during the Velvet Note concerts.
To add to his busy schedule, Blade also plays guitar and sings in his Mama Rosa singer-songwriter project. (He also won a Grammy earlier this year as part of the Chick Corea Trio.)
While any given day may find Blade working with Shorter, Children of the Light or any of his numerous side projects, the drummer said he never finds himself looking to the next concert. Blade is always attuned to the music at hand, he said, striving to give his best performance each night.
“I’m trying to be true to that moment, to that situation; I’m not thinking about any other band or music,” he said.
Blade admits that he is extremely busy, but he said he couldn’t imagine not packing his days with as much music-making as possible. He added that he’s been given the strength to deal with the countless hours on the road and the lack of sleep that comes with such a demanding schedule because the payoff is worth it.
“I am thankful for all the things I’m able to do,” he said, “the music, no matter what the genre is, I want to play and, hopefully, serve it as best I can.”
About the Author
