RB: Music was always around my household. Both my grandfathers played wind instruments and my father had a substantial record collection. I began playing the guitar at 8 years old and I have to thank my mom, Gwen Blake, for taking me to countless lessons and events when I was growing up in the Virgin Islands. I began playing saxophone in the 5th grade, and was very fortunate to have great teachers that took the extra time to work with students throughout my academic career. Between them and my family, there was always support and encouragement to play music and have fun with it. I participated in summer music programs and many extra-curricular activities, working on reading and ensemble performance. I think what was important in those formative years was learning a good practice routine, and to listen to lots of music. By the first years of high school, I knew that I really enjoyed performing and wanted to make it a part of my life.

JI: Could you discuss some specific ideas that Christian McBride contributed as producer of your first Mack Avenue release—which included Joey DeFrancesco on organ—that made an impact on the direction and or result of the album?

RB: Christian really helped me select the material for ‘Lest We Forget’. I didn’t want to do a tribute recording by just covering the ‘greatest hits’ of the artists, so we focused on finding songs that I felt connected to and that I really liked playing. Also, Christian was instrumental in defining the sound of the recording-I wanted something with a bit more edge than my 1st solo release, 'Up Front & Personal’, in terms of the presence of the horn, without losing the perspective that it was a group recording. Christian really helped shape the sound to make the transitions from Stanley Turrentine to Grover Washington, Jr. make sense.

JI: Tell us about your association with the band Yerba Buena—the goals and directions of the group, and the kinds of discussions that helped you complement the group.

RB: My association with Yerba Buena began with the RED HOT + Riot recording several years ago when Meshell Ndegeocello invited me to be a guest on the Fela song, ‘Gentleman’. Andres Levin, the producer of RED HOT + Riot and founder of Yerba Buena, invited me shortly thereafter to do a few sessions for his new project (Yerba). I think he heard how comfortable I was playing the Fela material. Growing up listening to calypso and soca helped somewhat, and I had always felt a need to find ways to incorporate island music into my playing. I had co-founded a Caribbean Jazz project called 21st Century in ‘98, and was still looking for other outlets to explore rhythms of Caribbean music in jazz. Yerba Buena is a natural transition to a much more progressive sound, in which Andres is fusing Afro-Cuban, West African, Soul, and other World music. Through several sessions and live performances my role in the group became more defined as a soloist, bringing the jazz vernacular to certain improvisations and then borrowing from Fela’s sound and Cuban big bands of the 40’s and 50’s for section stuff. The bari sax, being such a prominent part of Fela’s music, would eventually become the main sax voice in the ensemble, sometimes doubling vocals or creating countermelodies to bass lines.

JI: How did your formal education experience, as a student at Northwestern University benefit or challenge you—musically, spiritually, emotionally, etc. or otherwise?

RB: Northwestern was a great experience for me. Musically, the demands of the saxophone studio under the leadership of Dr. Frederick Hemke were familiar to me as I had begun studying with him two years prior at Interlochen Arts Academy. I love the repertoire and the rigorous program, but I had been going pretty steadily with it for two years. I think I started to lose direction after my sophomore year when my interest in jazz started to take hold. Overall, I learned so much about creating melody and being expressive with sound, many things that, with some adjustment, were adapted to my jazz playing years later. Otherwise, I would say I was involved in normal ‘college stuff’ at that time.

JI: Tell us about the first time you played with Dizzy Gillespie in the Virgin Islands and the results that followed?

RB: Dizzy Gillespie was just incredible. I mean, I had no idea how or why I was on stage with him, but he made me feel relaxed and really encouraged me to play. It was one of those moments I’ll never forget, and I knew after that experience that I wanted to move to New York and pursue a career in music.

JI: What was involved and or what process occurred in your winning the National Endowment of the Arts Grant, in 1987, to study with Gary Bartz?

RB: I met and played with Gary Bartz at the same festival where I met Dizzy Gillespie, as well as Bobby Hutcherson. In fact, I probably performed with Bobby Hutcherson the most at the festival. I found out about the grants offered by the NEA at that time to study privately with artists through friends in Chicago, so I applied. I really liked what I heard coming out of Gary’s horn. He’s such a natural player, and his sound was huge! Like the sound of a tenor saxophone. During that time I was just beginning to play tenor, but once I heard Gary I realized that I could get the sound I wanted on alto as well. So I received the grant to work with him in 1991, which was also the first summer that I spent in New York.

JI: Could you cite one or more specific ideas, or dialogues, you and Gary Bartz had or shared during your studies with him, that significantly impacted your artistry?

RB: What’s really interesting about my studies with Gary Bartz is that it was so similar to my work with Dr. Hemke. Gary stresses the importance of etudes to keep your playing solid as well as maintaining sight reading skills, and we also talked about fundamentals of harmony (playing around the cycle of 5ths, ii-V’s)- very basic materials but the essentials of good musicianship nonetheless. Gary loves to practice, and sometimes we would spend no less than three hours straight reading through etudes together before working on harmony or jazz material. His sense of time is impeccable and we talked about ways to improve that through practice, the obvious being the use of a metronome during practice sessions. We also discussed making performing a part of the regular routine to build a level of consistency when on stage.

JI: Tell us about your experience playing with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra. How does playing in a big band setting impact your approach and perspective?

RB: The Chicago Jazz Orchestra, under Mayo Tiana, was a great experience for me as a young player learning the music. Just being around the older musicians that had worked in so many of the great big bands was worth it. Listening, what to listen for, how to blend in a section, these were all things that I learned in that band. No one ever said it me, but I just kept my mouth shut and tried to soak up as much information as possible. Those guys would make the music come to life the first time they read it. I knew I had to get to that level to eventually be a serious musician. We were fortunate to play behind great artists like Louis Bellson, Clark Terry, and Nancy Wilson. Louis Bellson usually brought Don Menza along, so that was an added challenge for me to play opposite him on concerts with all his years of experience.

JI: What were some of the key artistic lessons you learned or benefits experienced performing with Roy Hargrove’s group in the 1990s?

RB: I learned a lot being in that band as it was also my first gig touring internationally. Probably one of the main things I learned playing with Roy was to have fun, and that the music isn’t always about being ‘impressive’ and overly intellectual. Jazz entertains as well, and having some sense of what works with a particular audience is as important as how well you play. And, although I enjoyed working with many great young drummers during that time, the work I did with Greg Hutchinson was significant in developing my style.

JI: How has your involvement in education, as Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies, and conducting clinics and so on, impacted your creativity, music and artistry?

RB: I think teaching is one of the most rewarding aspects of playing this music. Over the years I’ve tried to keep my mind open to learning from my students and their many questions and challenges. I think my need to keep things simple and focused on melodic/motivic development in the (teaching) studio has refined my playing even more. And it has also forced me to spend more time listening to the different artists whose style of playing and compositions have impacted the music significantly. You can never hear enough music when developing your craft.

JI: Tell us about your association with tenor saxophonist Johnny Griffin, and some of the notable understandings you have gleaned from that relationship.

RB: Johnny Griffin has been a dear friend ever since we first worked together on Roy Hargrove’s ‘Tenors of Our Time’. Notable understandings? Play, love what you do, and write. And don’t listen to critics! Seriously, Johnny has been steadfast in encouraging me to find my own voice on the instrument, and how to pace myself through the trends in the music business. He’s done it for over 60 years now, so he has a completely different perspective on the nature of the business. And we discussed and exchanged books as well. I was really into the ‘Celestine Prophecy’ and other inspirational books and he shares similar interests, so that was also a healthy distraction. And his guest appearance on ‘Up Front & Personal’ was a special gift.

JI: There are a number of voices on saxophone whose influence is expansive—Charlie Parker, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, John Coltrane and others. How have you assimilated or avoided what they’ve done to develop your own identity? How have they impacted your conscious or subconscious awareness?

RB: I learned to play listening to all these great musicians. And I will be listening for the rest of my life, trying to embrace the subtleties of their styles. When you spend lots of time on the road you don’t always make the proper time to get in depth with your research. At this point, I listen for the sheer pleasure of hearing the simple beauty and passion of their playing. At various times I’ve stopped listening to certain players because I felt myself getting too caught up in emulating them and not making something my own, but I think they’ve all impacted me in a major way. Specifically, there are certain things like articulation or approaches to developing solos that I refer to with many great players that is always dependent on the context, tempo, and nature of a song I’m playing on. It’s very much like quoting an author in one’s writing. Like I might say (play), ‘I think Bird would say this here, but I’m giving you the Ron version, then I’m going to introduce a response from Sonny, only because I think he was into Bird also or just because the drummer just played something that made me hear Sonny.” There’s so many ways to reference the legacy without regurgitating it.

JI: How have musicians such as Johnny Hodges, Lester Young, Duke Ellington and musicians from earlier jazz eras influenced you?

RB: Lester Young is the #%^$! As I’ve gotten older, I’ve come to really appreciate the music of the earlier periods. I want to understand the social context that was the backdrop for the compositions, the artistry, and just enjoy the beauty and individuality of all those great players. The sound of Duke Ellington’s sax section, Ben Webster, Johnny Hodges, Paul Gonsalves, and Harry Carney (no one omitted intentionally!) so many great stylists on their instruments. That’s the key. Individuality. And ballads! I’ve been listening to Paul Gonsalves rendition of “Happy Reunion” lately. Sublime.

JI: Could you share some of your perspectives about learning how to improvise and the process of improvisation?

RB: I think improvisation is learned through many processes, but primarily it begins when you start trying to create melodies on your own. From there, so much depends on your exposure to different music, an understanding of the significance of the vocabulary and vernacular of different artists, and how to eventually incorporate that into an individual style. I learned from books initially, the Omnibook as well as Jamey Aebersold play along records. That was what was available. Once I began transcribing and learning songs in different keys, I think things began to make much more sense, particularly in terms of grasping the key elements of phrasing and swing. Today, I’m thinking more about composing the music I write so that it will force me to play differently. Everything for me is about melody, so if I can build around specific motives or a particular energy, then I can usually relax more and focus on the dialog with the rhythm section.

JI: You appeared on albums with Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Dianne Reeves, Jimmy Smith. Could you talk a bit about how you grew from those the recording opportunities, and compare the leadership styles of each of those influential artists?

RB: I did my first NY recording with Benny Golson. He’s been a great support system for me throughout my career. He also introduced me to Art Farmer. Benny is very laid back in the studio. He’s so prolific as a composer, but people don’t really say enough about his tenor playing. Art Farmer never said a whole lot, but he had a great sense of humor! I made three recordings with him and performed in his band over the course of seven years. Art had very modern ideas about playing, and always encouraged me to follow my heart when playing. I became really comfortable using more space in my improvisations when sharing the bandstand with him. He was a master of using space. Dianne Reeves is just an incredible artist! I had always played behind vocalists in Chicago. It’s definitely a specific craft. I actually didn’t record live with her on that Blue Note recording, but instead got the opportunity to meet and work with her producer, the great George Duke. And the Jimmy Smith session was crazy. Not because of Jimmy, but because it was a big production with lots of label folks running around and tons of special guests. So it’s difficult to comment on that one. Although, I must say it was a really special session for me because I got to record with the master drummer Art Taylor, who passed away days after the session. A.T. was a great bandleader and we were neighbors when I first moved to New York. He invited me to join Taylor’s Wailers at the same time that I got the Roy Hargrove gig, so I couldn’t do both gigs. But we played together from time to time and he would come check out our sessions over at Marc Cary’s place.

JI: Discuss the creation of your new album, Sonic Tonic, on Mack Avenue Records, on which you worked with MeShell Ndegeocello. JI: Could you comment on the concept and direction for this album? How did this project provide you with more or less creative latitude, and in contrast to your previous one.

RB: SONIC TONIC is, first of all, a recording about my music and not my saxophone playing. The concept is simple: make a great recording that people enjoy listening to. And with Meshell producing, I knew that she understood my desire to have the recording sound present day. I think we achieved that. I’m trying to find a more expansive sound for my compositions that incorporates elements of all the music I like while still presenting in an instrumental setting. So I had lots of space to be creative. In comparison, ‘Lest we Forget’ was a cover recording focusing on the organ trio and those legends that had helped make that sound so popular in jazz. This new release is about the sound as well as the music and performances. Different instrumentations were tried on songs and we selected the ones that put a picture together of, hopefully, great feeling and great sounding music.

JI: Could you share some of your business experience—especially any eye opening lessons you’ve gleaned working as a sideman with various influential artists—and as an artist dealing with this or other record labels, producers, managers?

RB: The music business is an entity separate but related to creating music. Learn as much as you can from older musicians, find out how the people running the business are interrelated. Listen! Discover what you want out of a working relationship with managers, producers, etc., and don’t be afraid to try doing things on your own. The more experience you receive firsthand will help you find the people you want working with you. And get a great lawyer and accountant.

JI: How do you use encouragement among the artists and others with whom you work?

RB: Every experience is a learning experience. I think it’s important to reinforce a positive attitude in the work place, as it will generate the same for you in return.

JI: To many of us, jazz is compelling to play and listen to because it is about authenticity. Yet we are surrounded by a world of media hype. Could you discuss your views of image versus identity?

RB: Everyone has to see for themselves how overblown the hype is in the entertainment industry and media and decide whether or not they are going to become caught up in it. There’s always a fine line between being a successful artist who gains recognition and the ones that are escorted through because of a look or a similarity to the familiar. Having said that, you have to know how important it is to be in the game while maintaining your artistic integrity.

JI: Could you cite an author, artists, philosophers or philosophies have significantly impacted your awareness and sensitivity and how?

RB: I especially like reading Don Miguel Ruiz’s works. Otherwise, I read inspirational material from many authors in hopes of finding something else. I think we know and understand things or we don’t. It’s just acknowledging the truth and living in it. How this affects my playing I’m not certain, but it helps me stay focused on creating music even when so much of what I do these days is business related. I like reading Krishnamurti and Deepak Chopra as well. There’s never enough time to refresh one’s perspective, and, ultimately, I think that life will present you with all the challenges necessary to grow. So maybe lots of reading and philosophy is only useful when you can experience it for yourself.

JI: How do you stay balanced—as an artist, as an individual given the many distractions that surround us and the stress?

RB: I have a beautiful family, and I stay balanced by focusing my energies there. And I try to exercise as much as possible. I love walking in Central Park, meditating (must create more time for that!), and I’m learning not to dwell on the past. It’s all illusion anyway. Living in the present is the ultimate gift of life, so once we de-program and tap into our nature as positive beings, then stress is no more. I know that may sound crazy when you’re on the subway in Manhattan with a few horns during rush hour, but it’s achievable!

Ron Blake endorses Sibelius musical notation software. His latest album Sonic Tonic is available on Mack Avenue Records. Visit Mack Avenue Records at www.mackaverecords.com. Visit Ron Blake at www.ronblakemusic.com.

(Article continued in Jazz Improv Magazine Volume 6, Number 1)