Grammy Award winning Frank Catalano is the only saxophonist to have performed with Miles Davis, Randy Brecker, Charles Erland, Elvin Jones, Stan Getz, Betty Carter, Von Freeman, Tito Puento, Tony Bennett, Les Claypool and Louis Belson while still in high school.
When he was 18 he toured with Santana and then signed on with Delmark Records to record his first record with legendary multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan, which was chosen as album of the year by Los Angeles Times, Jazz Times, Chicago Tribune.
His 2016 recording of Bye Bye Blackbird with David Sanborn is still charting on Billboard. ...
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Grammy Award winning Frank Catalano is the only saxophonist to have performed with Miles Davis, Randy Brecker, Charles Erland, Elvin Jones, Stan Getz, Betty Carter, Von Freeman, Tito Puento, Tony Bennett, Les Claypool and Louis Belson while still in high school.
When he was 18 he toured with Santana and then signed on with Delmark Records to record his first record with legendary multi-instrumentalist Ira Sullivan, which was chosen as album of the year by Los Angeles Times, Jazz Times, Chicago Tribune.
His 2016 recording of Bye Bye Blackbird with David Sanborn is still charting on Billboard.
Virtuoso Drummer Mike Ward gained worldwide recognition as of Americas foremost jazz and funk drummers while playing with Herbie Hancocks Headhunters.
Hes a great jazz drummer-and he hasnt lost any of his stuff that he brought form Oakland. So now hes totally free to do both, and he does. The solo he played on the album Thrust, on the song Actual Proof< is one of the best drum solos on any album. So many people have remarked about that solo, saying, Incredible. Herbie Hancock.
Will Blades-
Yeah, he does it...hes on it. He is the future to carry on the legend, the legacy of the organ, [of] the B-3.
-Dr. Lonnie Smith
" That boy's cookin'! That boy's cookin!"
-John Lee Hooker
"With Field Notes, Blades joins other contemporary organ trios like Medeski, Martin and Wood by paying homage to the soulful roots of the sound while at the same time establishing himself as composer and performer firmly focused on the future at intersection of jazz and funk."
-The Vinyl District
"Field Notes is keenly focused yet brimming with ideas. It extends the B-3 trio tradition by using the rudiments of greasy tuneology in tandem with a wider jazzman's palette of colors and textures that creates new lyric possibilities for hip, funky grooves."
-All Music
Wil Blades has to be one of the most promising cats on the music scene today. His pulsating, hard groovin style on the Hammond B-3 is reminiscent of many great players, but with a flair that is distinctly his own.
-Upcoming.org
"Wil Blades is already a legend on the Hammond B-3 organ...On his debut album, Sketchy, released in August on Doodlin' Records, Blades showcases a smooth, funky sound that recalls heroes like Jimmy Smith without being slavishly derivative.
-SF Weekly
Wil has steadily been rising to the upper echelon of Jazz Organ. His style is his own and is ever evolving; moving in a modern direction, to be sure. He plays for those who still love Jimmy Smith but he also plays for those who are interested in where this musical genre is going. His funk is real and his groove is deep. Wil continues to travel, compose, and play in as many venues as he can... bringing forth the jazz organ message.-
Pete Fallico, KSCM 91.1FM
"A serious, deeply musical performer who shows considerable promise...A musician who knows what he wants to say and chooses not to overstate it, Blades offered one gleaming solo after another."
Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune
"Wil Blades wreaks funky havoc on the Hammond B3 and the clavinet, often on the same song, often at the same time."
Steve Greenlee, Jazz Times
Wil Blades has emerged in recent years as a highly resourceful Hammond B-3 player looking to expand the possibilities of his instrument.
-Jazzwest.com
Wil Blades may be a younger player on the Hammond, but he hits the organ like a seasoned pro from the Soul Jazz years of the 60s! Blades sound is clean and fluid, soaring with clean lines sometimes, hitting more skittish funky rhythms at others.
-Dusty Groove
(Blades) dazzling ability to create an overwhelming groove finally stands out, fulfilling Lonnie Smith's prophecy. We won't dither and slither: Shimmy is an important release and it puts Wil in the B3 Hall Of Fame.
-Paris DJs
Blades works serious voodoo on the organ and clavinet.
-Aspen Times
Blades' playing style is firmly inside the historic B-3 tradition; he's a deeply melodic improviser, his rhythmic invention and his sonic palette set him apart.
Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
"Blades uses his left hand to play swelling chords on the Hammond while his right improvises biting, wah-wah-kissed lines on a Clavinet, and his solos are always fun despite their meticulous architecture."
Peter Margasak, Chicago Reader
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