Grammy-winning musician returns home for concert
The legacy of the Blade music family in Shreveport includes the accomplishments of Brian Blade — a singer-songwriter and drummer.
He has performed with Emmylou Harris, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Wayne Shorter's quartet and a host of others in his long career. As a third of the Chick Corea Trio — with lead vocalist Chick Corea and bassist Christian McBride — he won two Grammy awards for improvised jazz solo and best jazz instrumental album for "Trilogy" earlier in the year.
He's also the front-man for Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band, whose last album "Landmarks (Blue Note)" also was nominated for a Grammy for best jazz instrumental album.
On Dec. 19, Brian Blade and The Fellowship Band — including band mates Jon Cowherd (piano), Melvin Butler (soprano, tenor saxophone), Myron Walden (alto saxophone, bass clarinet) and Chris Thomas (bass) — perform in Blade's hometown to put on a concert that crosses jazz, gospel and other genre barriers to appeal to music lovers alike. The show is much anticipated by locals, who will attend the homecoming concert in a historic venue.
Blade talked to The Times about his return to his hometown after two decades, the upcoming Shreveport House Concerts show and how the group plans to make a difference through their music in 2016.
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The Times: Brian Blade and The Fellowship is currently touring the country, but what does it mean to you to play in Shreveport?
Brian Blade: It's my home. Since my wife and I moved back two years and some months ago I had to find my place in it again after not having lived at home since I was 17. Twenty-something years have gone by and my connection to whatever artistic scene might have existed in the 80s has vanished. Everyone has moved on and doing different things in different places and the haunts I used to frequent (are gone). I find it challenging coming back home in that regard.
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The scene I used to feel so much a part of in high school I don't have that any more, so what else can we do? Offer a listening experience in places where people can hear music and hopefully enjoy it and take that experience with them and tell others about it.
TT: Why did you decide to play as a part of the Shreveport House Concerts opposed to a night club or bar?
BB: I'm a fan of what Alan Dyson and his company are doing because they want to provide that listening experience for people.
Not that you can't have a beer and enjoy it, but you don't want a lot of constant chatter around you while you're trying to draw something from the song. The songwriter is sort of revealing themselves in song. So no distractions.
(The Shreveport House Concerts') home on Fairfield Avenue is a sort of an inner sanctum and they've kept it somewhat of a secret because they want it to remain this very chill and intimate environment. I hope this will be an alternative for people who really want to listen and not just talk and that's what they have on Fairfield Avenue.
TT: Why the change of venue from the Fairfield location to the museum?
BB: The Louisiana Exhibit State Museum — where we will be Dec. 19 — it's incredible. I hope people come to not only come to the concert, but also to be able to take a stroll through the exhibition before coming into the theater to share with us. It's so special to me.
TT: Who should attend the concert?
BB: Everyone is welcome. If you like music and want to gather and listen and enjoy music — all ages, all ethnicities — that's the message of the music and that's what we're hoping to share. Let's start something. Let's be a part of the beginning of something. And let's build an awareness of our town and its greatness and its local efforts to shine life on different artists' gifts from with-out and within the community.
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TT: What songs can the audience look forward to hearing at the show?
BB: Since we're in Shreveport we'll probably play Stoner Hill, which is a song I wrote about where I grew up. We may play another song I wrote called Ark.La.Tex. We might play a song or two that feature my father, (Reverend) Brady Blade Senior. He's just as excited about us coming.
It's going to be a blast and I'm looking forward to all the surprises, seeing old friends and making new friends.
TT: What are you most proud to accomplish in 2015? And what do you hope to achieve in 2016?
BB: That's so tough to put a dot on because there's so many great things that happened — not just for me, but in general that I witnessed or experienced vicariously through my friends. I just know in 2016 I want to focus my energy on more frequency of output on our music and to think about other ways the music might benefit folks in need and also things that need attention. If I can somehow align myself with this and the music then that's going to be my effort in the next year.
The Fellowship Band is so dear to me and important and I'm glad they're coming to town again. We recorded in Blade Studios on our last recording ("Landmarks"), so it's the first time we're playing at home since we released that record. I'm glad about it.
If you go:
What: Brian Blade and the Fellowship Band
Where: Louisiana State Exhibit Museum, 3015 Greenwood Road, Shreveport
When: 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., Dec. 19
Cost: $30