seamusblake.com
news

Seamus at Smalls on January 27 & 28!!!

**UPDATE** 

Unfortunately, Lage sustained an injury to his finger and will not be able to perform this weekend. Seamus, Dave, Matt and Bill will still tear it up as a quartet. Hope to see you there!



Mark your calendars! The Seamus Blake Quintet will bring the same line up that recorded the CD, "Live at Smalls" to the popular Greenwich Village venue on January 27 and 28. It's always a full house so get there early!

If you can't make it in person, you can become a SMALLSLIVE member to access streaming video of the performance. 


New video featuring BANN

Jazz Eyes, the Italian label that produced BANN's most recent CD, " AsYou Like" has just released a high-end video recording of the band playing the Rogers and Hammerstein standard, "All the Things You Are" . Click HERE to check it out!

Biography Update

Biography updated July 23, 2011

"Live at Smalls"



Review Comments:

"Blake is a strong player, capable of fast and fairly wild solos, without any danger of losing control. He's also able to craft a more romantic and reflective sound, as he shows on "Stranger in Paradise" or his own "Consequence.""  Bruce Lindsay (UK), All About Jazz, April, 2011


 “Fear of Rooming” closes the session capping another sizzling performance from Blake and his crew to cheers and calls for more from the crowd'  Ed Blanco, Ejazz, July, 2011


Seamus Blake's Live at Smalls record is now available for purchase or download at: www.smallslive.com

Bellwether Now Available

The newest Criss Cross release is now available! 



You can purchase it through amazon.com or tower.com and itunes.

Here are some of the reviews so far:

www.allmusic.com

"It cannot be overemphasized how well this group plays together... This studio effort, along with the Live in Italy double-disc, both indicate Seamus Blake is not on the verge any longer, but in the prime of his career as one of the finest exponents of current-day jazz."

www.allaboutjazz.com

"Blake brings a number of shrewd twists and extensions to the contemporary, post-hard bop genre... Bellwether becomes more enticing and satisfying with each listen."

www.ejazznews.com

“...a scintillating post-bop album of primarily original compositions... Bellwether taps into a very progressive jazz sound distinguished by its sophistication, bold improvisations and sheer swagger"



SKYPE LESSONS

For those of you interested in studying with me but live in the far flung corners of the globe I am now offering Skype lessons.  Contact me for further info and availability. 

Downbeat gives Live in Italy 4 and a 1/2 stars!!!

 

Live in Italy
was recently given 4 and a 1/2 stars in Downbeat magazine!

"Like fellow Thelonious Monk Competition honorees Josh Redman and Eric Alexander, Blake has that liquid rhythmic flow and inexhaustible propulsion that sets him apart..."


You can read the entire review here

Seamus Blake's double album Live in Italy is available for download
through itunes, amazon, or emusic, which features David Kikoski on Piano, Danton Boller on Bass and Rodney Green on drums.

Hard copies are available at jazzos.com

Check out some of the other reviews:

allaboutjazz.com:

"As exhilarating as a shot of espresso, this album should rank among the best of 2009" 


ejazznews.com:

"Seamus Blake seems to have a winner on his hands with “Live in Italy,” his first live recording which just may be one of the elite albums of this year"

www.jazzchicago.net

"A CD that's darn tough to take out of the player as it bears repeated listening, Live in Italy is a knock out."

www.allmusic.com

"Those who take the time to listen will find many gifts and treasures within the folds of these two CDs, firmly keeping Blake at the forefront of the modern jazz movement."

www.artsjournal.com

"The New York tenor saxophonist out of Canada by way of Berklee affirms that he is one of the most consistently interesting soloists of his generation."