Search - Brian Blade & Fellowship Band :: Season of Changes

Excellent.

monte | in your mind | 05/08/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Born in Louisiana, Blade developed his unique drumming style from a wide range of influences and teachers including Elvin Jones, John Vidacovich, Art Blakey, David Lee, Jr., and Paul Motian.

Brian has made quite a name for himself as a sideman drummer, playing for artists ranging from Joshua Redman to Joni Mitchell, to Bob Dylan, Daniel Lanois, Kenny Garrett, Pat Metheny, Seal and Emmylou Harris.

His style relies more on tone and subtle flourishes instead of speed, power or in-your-face complexity; attributes that are attractive to leaders who need steadiness in their percussion, not co-leaders.

Brian Blade is also a very capable leader himself and the three opportunities he's taken to be one on an album he's shown a propensity for melody, mood, and ensemble playing.

The Daniel Lanois-produced debut album "The Brian Blade Fellowship" firmly sets down those principles, but it's on "Perceptual" (produced by Blade himself) where such principles are fully realized and executed.

Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band make their Verve Records debut with the release of "Season of Changes", after eight years from "Percetual", released in 2000.

This beautiful and powerful album features acclaimed drummer Blade, pianist and composer Jon Cowherd (piano, pump organ, moog, Wurlitzer), Chris Thomas (bass), Myron Walden (alto saxophone, bass clarinet), Melvin Butler (tenor saxophone), and Kurt Rosenwinkel (guitar).

It features nine new moving works by Blade and Jon Cowherd.

It opens with the gently striking "Rubylou's Lullaby", just one of six Blade compositions on the record, followed by Jon Cowherd's driving "Return of the Prodigal Son", a work in several movements that showcases the amazing guitar work of Kurt Rosenwinkel and the emotive tenor of Melvin Butler.

The record's title track "Season of Changes" is a modern epic penned by Cowherd, revealing his depth and growth as a composer and his ability to write for the entire bands' collective expression. At the pivotal point of the recording, there are two interpretations of "Most Precious One" and "Most Precious One (Prodigy)".

The former starts off with the steady bass mantra, played by Chris Thomas, then transitions into a more layered and beat-driven performance of the composition. "Stoner Hill" and "Alpha and Omega" are both through composed pieces by Blade and the record closes with another of his originals entitled "Omni" which features the soaring alto saxophone of Myron Walden.

The album was recorded and mixed by Tucker Martine and produced by Brian Blade and Jon Cowherd.

Have a great listening experience !



Brian Blade Fellowship

Perceptual"

Intoxicatingly delicious

Olukayode Balogun | Leeds, England | 06/02/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Two albums in, I've learned to recognise Brian Blade's very unique sound and as soon as I heard the first few bars of the first track on this CD, the first we've heard from him and his Fellowship Band since 2000, a beatific smile spread over my face. Some hoping for some sort of musical radical departure may be disappointed, feeling that this is just more of the same but I'm as happy as a lark with it. As always, Kurt Rosenwinkel's guitar seduced me in from the word go and I was swept away right until the very last note of the final track.



More or less all the members of the Fellowship Band are present and correct: supporting Blade and his drums are Jon Cowherd on piano, pump organ, Moog & Wurlitzer; Rosenwinkel is on guitar of course; Myron Walden is on alto saxophone & bass clarinet; Melvin Butler on tenor saxophone and Chris Thomas is on bass. The only thing missing from the familiar mix is Dave Easley and his pedal steel guitar but it's a minor deficiency - if that's even the appropriate word to use - and goes practically unnoticed.



I have no favourite tracks this time around (though the unusually thumping, driving beat of "Most Precious One (Prodigy)" is the one song that made me look up from what I was doing while I was listening); the entire album is intoxicatingly delicious. Highly recommended, as are Blade's other two recordings, 1998's Brian Blade Fellowship and 2000's Perceptual."

Another wonderful cornerstone from the Fellowship

20 Horse Outboard Mojo | 05/15/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This record is slower and more somber and deliberate in general than the previous two Fellowship releases. It's also missing the inspirational and atmospheric pedal steel work of Dave Easley, who was a big part of the first two discs.



But it's still a must-have and a must-listen for me. It has the instantly recognizable Fellowship vibe, which is not to be found anywhere else. This band plays with tremendous commitment and communion, and the writing is truly singular and remarkable. There's nothing else out there that sounds like this ensemble, and few efforts go as deep or feature such empathetic playing.



Brian Blade and the other players in this band have been involved in many other noteworthy projects, but this thing that they have together as a unit is special. To me, the three Fellowship records are confirming and uplifting emotional and spiritual touchstones. I frequently give them to people and hope that they can take some time out, soak the music in and give it a chance to make a difference to them.



Whether you're a musician or not, as many people have said, music has the power to change and enhance lives, and the Fellowship's body of music is right up at the top of my personal list of life changing and enhancing music. I know it's not for everyone and some people are not overly enthusiastic about it - that's OK. It reached out and grabbed me involuntarily, and I'm so glad that many others feel as strongly about this group as I do.



Keep this band working and recording, Brian. I know the economics are a challenge for a 6 or 7 piece band playing original music. But it needs to keep on being heard and felt.

"