Johnathan Blake: My Life Matters
W/ DAYNA STEPHENS, JALEN BAKER, FABIAN ALMAZAN & DEZRON DOUGLAS
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Originally filmed on FEB 9, 2024
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This week on Fridays Live, we broadcast a live performance featuring one of the most accomplished drummers in modern jazz, Johnathan Blake and his stellar quintet. The group features Bay Area raised saxophone great Dayna Stephens and piano phenom Fabian Almazan along with young vibraphone virtuoso Jalen Baker and Blake’s longtime collaborator, bassist Dezron Douglas.
ABOUT JOHNATHAN BLAKE
Known worldwide for his 15-year membership in Kenny Barron’s working trio and sideman duty with Pharoah Sanders, Chris Potter, Bill Frisell, and Tom Harrell among others, one of the most accomplished drummers in modern jazz makes his West Coast debut as a leader, joined by his quintet My Life Matters — a band named for the dynamic new suite of music they will be performing.
Featuring Bay Area raised saxophone great Dayna Stephens and piano phenom Fabian Almazan along with young vibraphone virtuoso Jalen Baker and Blake’s longtime collaborator, bassist Dezron Douglas, the group performs material from Blake’s new suite My Life Matters as well has his 2023 sophomore Blue Note release Passage.
Commissioned by New York’s Jazz Gallery, My Life Matters is a dual treatise on the importance of family values and the social imperative to stand up in the face of injustice.
In the composer’s words, “It’s not just about Black Lives Matter, it’s about us as a whole. We have to learn how to coexist. We were all created here to live in harmony with one another. These pieces will hopefully serve as a jumping point for open discussion on that.”
Setlist, Personnel, & More
Available Now On-Demand
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SFJAZZ 10th Anniversary ConcertFT. JOSHUA REDMAN, LAURIE ANDERSON, BILL FRISELL, EDWARD SIMON, MARCUS SHELBY & TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON
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AFRO-CUBAN ALL STARS W/ JUAN DE MARCOSOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
ANAT COHEN TENTETOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
BLUES LEGACIES & BLACK FEMINISMW/ MARCUS SHELBY, ANGELA DAVIS, TERRI LYNE CARRINGTON, TIA FULLER, TAMMY L. HALL, TIFFANY AUSTIN, PAULA WEST & KIM NALLEY
On-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
CARMINHOOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
CHRISTIAN MCBRIDE QUINTETW/ NICOLE GLOVER, ELY PERLMAN, MIKE KING & SAVANNAH HARRIS
On-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
CHUCHO VALDÉS & DIANNE REEVESOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
Chucho Valdés & Irakere 50On-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
CINDY BLACKMAN SANTANA BANDOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
Cosa Nostra StringsOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
Dianne ReevesOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
DONNY MCCASLIN QUARTETOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
Howard Wiley: California LoveOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER ORCHESTRA W/ WYNTON MARSALISOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
JOHN SCOFIELD & LETTUCEOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
Johnathan Blake: My Life MattersW/ DAYNA STEPHENS, JALEN BAKER, FABIAN ALMAZAN & DEZRON DOUGLAS
On-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
Kandace SpringsOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
Kenny Barron QuintetW/ DAYNA STEPHENS, MIKE RODRIGUEZ, KIYOSHI KITAGAWA & JOHNATHAN BLAKE
On-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
LIZZ WRIGHTOn-Demand
Marcus MillerOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
MARK GUILIANA BEAT MUSICOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
McCoy Tyner TributeFT. JOE LOVANO, GARY BARTZ, EDDIE HENDERSON, GERALD CANNON, JEFF “TAIN” WATTS & KENNY BARRON
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Monsieur PerinéOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
PINK MARTINI W/ CHINA FORBESSFJAZZ At Home • On-Demand
Paolo AngeliOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
Ravi Coltrane: Pharoah Sanders TributeOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
RHIANNON GIDDENS & FRANCESCO TURRISIOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
SFJAZZ COLLECTIVE: 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
SUN RA ARKESTRAOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
TAJ MAHAL: SAVOYOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
THELONIOUS MONK BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONW/ MARCUS SHELBY NEW ORCHESTRA, GERALD CLAYTON & BENNY GREEN
On-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
TONY WILLIAMS LIFETIME TRIBUTEW/ CINDY BLACKMAN SANTANA, CARLOS SANTANA, JOHN MEDESKI, & VERNON REID
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VERONICA SWIFTOn-Demand • SFJAZZ At Home
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