Wil Blades

Wil Blades

 
Wil Blades

Thursday, June 20, 7:30pm · 9:00pm · 10:30pm
at SFJAZZ Center, Joe Henderson Lab

Wil Blades
B-3 Lounge Series: Artist Residency: Will Blades  

Wil Blades

As the Bay Area’s most prodigious young Hammond B3 champion, Wil Blades has kept the organ flame at a righteous blue glow since relocating from his native Chicago in 1998. Pursuing an old-school bandstand education, he’s sought out knowledge directly from the source. The inimitable Dr. Lonnie Smith, the B3’s cagiest master, declared that Blades “is the future…of the organ.” Before he found the instrument, Blades worked as a drummer, and it’s not surprising that he’s thrived in the company of some of the world’s finest (and funkiest) trap set stars. New Orleans drum legend Idris Muhammad played on Blade’s stellar 2007 debut Sketchy (Doodlin’ Records) and he’s performed widely with Galactic’s Stanton Moore. Last year he released Shimmy, a relentlessly grooving duo session with Medeski Martin and Wood drummer Billy Martin. But his most important percussion partner is Scott Amendola. In the duo Amendola vs. Blades they’ve honed a capaciously ambitious repertoire, including a full-scale interpretation of “The Far East Suite,” a late-career masterpiece by Duke Ellington and Billy Strayhorn. Blades opens his four-night SFJAZZ residency with an Amendola face off, then settles in for the remaining gigs with his rhythm ‘n’ bop trio.

Artist Website

wilblades.com
"A rising force on the Hammond B-3 organ " — San Francisco Chronicle
"Blades…wreaks funky havoc on the Hammond B3 and the clavinet, often on the same song, often at the same time. " — JazzTimes