Ron Blake
Saxophonist Ron Blake has been an integral part of the New
York music scene, performing and recording worldwide, since 1992. The Virgin
Islands native has released four recordings as a leader and has appeared on
more than 60 recordings as a sideman or special guest. Blake began performing
in the Chicago area under the guidance of luminaries Von Freeman, Willie
Pickens and Wilbur Campbell. He began appearing behind jazz greats with the
Chicago Jazz Orchestra in the late 1980s, including Clark Terry, Louis Bellson,
Nancy Wilson and Cab Calloway. Blake credits his growth as a versatile musician
to his primary teacher, Dr. Frederick Hemke, with whom he completed
undergraduate studies in classical performance from Northwestern University in
1986.
Blake has performed internationally with Roy Hargrove
Quintet, Art Farmer, Roy Haynes, the Christian McBride Band, Meshell
NdegeOcello and Spirit Music Jamia, Yerba Buena and the Juilliard Jazz Quartet.
He won a Grammy Award in 2012 for The Good Feeling, his recording with the
Christian McBride Big Band, and was a Grammy nominee for Yerba Buena’s debut
release, President Alien. With fellow Virgin Islander Dion Parson, Blake is
co-founder of the 21st Century Band, a Caribbean jazz band dedicated to
combining the essence of jazz performance with the rhythms of Caribbean music.
Blake is in his 12th season as a member of the Saturday Night Live Band on NBC.
Find out more about Ron Blake online