Ryan Blotnick
Biography Ryan Blotnick
The Ryan Blotnick Band is a powerhouse of some of New York City's most adventurous and soulful jazz musicians. This multi-generational band led by the 26-year old guitarist knits together the styles of bebop, free-jazz, downtown, post-rock, and pure improvisation through the kaleidoscope of Blotnicks "evocative, emotionally stirring composi- tions." The front line of Joachim Badenhorst (of the Han Bennink Trio) and Michael Blake (of the Lounge Lizards, Ben Allison) is supported by a rhythm section of Perry Wortman and veteran drum legend Jeff Williams (of Stan Getz, Paul Bley, Lee Konitz, and Joe Lovano's groups).
The band's extended family includes Barcelona-based drummer Joe Smith, Irish bassist Simon Jermyn, Spanish pianist Albert Sanz and alto saxophonist Pete Robbins.
"...Emotionally elusive themes whose thematic drift and textures suggest a strong Paul Motian influence (traces of Bop language filtered through a highly distinct melodic sense)" (Jason Bivins, Cadence Magazine)
"Ryan Blotnick's guitar playing shows the influence of Jim Hall and Pat Metheny, two guitarists he claims as influences. But Blotnick is edgier than either of those players is assumed to be, and his willingness to take risks shows how much he has learned from his predece- ssors" (Joseph Taylor, GoodSound.com)
Ryan Blotnick - Guitarist
has been called "a vital contemporary voice" by Time Out New York, "an authentic, compelling player" by Cadence Magazine, and has garnered praise from guitarists John Abercrombie, Steve Cardenas and Ben Monder. Deeply rooted in the jazz tradition, but always listening for new sounds and trends in improvised music, Blotnick has drawn together the American and European jazz scenes, playing regularly with musicians from Denmark, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Canada and England. His debut album "Music Needs You" was recorded in Spain with Brooklyn saxophonist Pete Robbins, Spanish pianist Albert Sanz and Barcelona-based drummer Joe Smith. His upcoming release "Everything Forgets" for Songlines will feature drum master Jeff Williams (of Stan Getz, Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, etc.), Joachim Badenhorst (of the Han Benink Trio), and the Irish bassist Simon Jermyn.
Guitarist Ryan Blotnick has been called "a vital contemporary voice" by Time Out New York, "an authentic, compelling player" by Cadence Magazine, and has garnered praise from guitarists John Abercrombie, Steve Cardenas and Ben Monder. Deeply rooted in the jazz tradition, but always listening for new sounds and trends in improvised music, Blotnick has drawn together the American and European jazz scenes, playing regularly with musicians from Denmark, Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Canada and England. His debut album "Music Needs You" was recorded in Spain with Brooklyn saxophonist Pete Robbins, Spanish pianist Albert Sanz and Barcelona-based drummer Joe Smith. His upcoming release "Everything Forgets" for Songlines will feature drum master Jeff Williams (of Stan Getz, Lee Konitz, Joe Lovano, etc.), Joachim Badenhorst (of the Han Benink Trio), and the Irish bassist Simon Jermyn.
Ryan Blotnick first appeared in New York in 2004 as what he calls a "reverse exchange student" from the Rytmisk Musikkonservatorium in Copenhagen, becoming the first American to complete the Danish graduate program. His association with the school in Denmark between 2002 and 2006 allowed him to form relationships with some very unique European musicians and study in New York with Steve Cardenas, Lionel Loueke, Ben Street, Lee Konitz and others. Since graduating Blotnick has performed in New york, Ireland, England, Germany, Sweden, the Copenhagen Jazz Festival, and extensively in Northern Spain.
Born in Alfred, Maine, April 30th, 1983, Ryan started playing guitar at age eight. He attended Maine Jazz Camp in middle school and left high school when he was sixteen to study music at William Paterson University. There he played with classmates Ned Ferm, Sam Barsh, Mark Guiliana and Tyshawn Sorey, and studied with Paul Meyers and Gene Bertoncini. Dropping out of school to join Maine-based rock band the Rustic Overtones led Ryan away from the New York scene, but gave him the freedom to travel and explore Europe. While living in Copenhagen, he found himself more and more often in the position of leader, and became increasingly interested in composition. There he composed pieces for film, modern dance and recorded music for woodwinds, brass and rhythm section.
Since moving to New York, Blotnick has led a quartet with Jonathan Rossman, a septet with Tyshawn Sorey and Thomas Morgan, a quintet with Albert Sanz and Bill McHenry, a trio with RJ Miller and Chris Higgins, and various other projects. As a sideman he has worked with Pete Robbins & Centric, Michael Blake's Free Association, Tyshawn Sorey's Oblique, Mads Mouritz and the Bleeding Hearts, The Allison/Blake Morphestra, James Ilgenfritz, and the Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble. He has played in various configurations with Steven Bernstein, Ben Street, Kresten Osgood, Kenny Wollesen, Marcus Rojas, Michael Attias, Gerald Cleaver, Avishai Cohen, Dan Weiss, Jeff Williams, Lee Konitz and others.
Joe Smith - Drums
Born in Chicago, 1971. Joe attended the Cincinnati Conservatory and the Manhattan School of Music studying with Vernel Fornier, Jimmy Lovelace, John Riely and Jeff Williams. During the nineties, Joe lived in New York City where he played with such musicians as Reid Anderson, Jason Lindner, John Stetch and Ben Waltzer. In the spring of 2002, his depute disc “Happy” was released to critical aclaim and in 2003, Joe presented his new group, The Melodic Workshop, playing in the Barcelona Jazz Festival and later recording his second disc “Melodic Workshop” (Fresh sound) which features Bill McHenry, Gorka Benitez, Guillermo Klein, Chris Lightcap and Jorge Rossy. Joe has been a featured side man on the recordings of John McNeil, Arthur Kell, Laura Simo, Ila Cantor, Ryan Blotnick, Juan DeDiego, Dave Mitchell, Fredrik Carlquist, Juliane Heinemann, Brandon Miller (Sarsaparilla) and Michele Faber. He has toured extensively in Germany, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, Poland, Hungary and Romania. In 2008 Joe formed the Asociación Libre Orkesta, a free form Big Band that he also directs which performs music inspired by Poetry and projected Images. The A.L.O’s first self titled disc was released in 2010 by the Columbian label Festina Lente Records. The Orkesta also took part in the summer festival Jazz al Parque in Bogotá, Columbia performing for more than 10,000 people. Joe is currently living in Barcelona, Spain.
Joachim Badenhorst - Tenor Saxophone
Belgian reedplayer Joachim Badenhorst is currently living in Brooklyn, New York. He is a Co-Leader of groups in different European countries: Mogil (iceland), Red Rocket (Ireland), Rawfishboys (France), Ploug/Pettersen/Badenhorst (Denmark), Os Meus Shorts (Belgium), Taro (Austria). Joachim is a member of the Han Bennink Trio, the first group that the legendary Dutch drummer fronts as a leader. Their record `Parken` (available on the Danish ILK label) was chosen by all about jazz ny as `best new release of 2009`. In New York he is currently working on a few new projects: a collaboraive trio with trombonist Steve Swell and drummer Ziv Ravitz. Joachim is writing music for his own trio with drummer Devin Grey and viola player Frantz Loriot, he is one third of Clarino: a trio that works on the new compositional language of trumpeter Thomas Heberer; Baloni: a collaborative trio with Pascal Niggenkemper and Frantz Loriot. Joachim is a member of Tony Malaby`s new octet `Novela` and plays is Jean Carla Rodea`s Azares (with Joe Morris, Pascal Niggenkemper and Gerald Cleaver).
Simon Jermyn - Bass/ Guitar
Simon Jermyn is an electric bassist / guitarist and composer living in New York. Simon tours worldwide regularly and spent time living in The Hague, Reykjavik and Dublin before moving to New York. He holds a Masters Degree in Jazz Perfromance from The Royal Conservatory of The Hague in The Netherlands. Simon’s debut album as a leader, Trot A Mouse, was released on the prestigious Fresh Sound New Talent record label in 2009. Since then he has recorded for Songlines and released a solo album on Diatribe Records entitled Hymni. Some recent performance highlights include premiering new music with Morla and the Smith quartet at the Sligo New Music Festival for BBC Radio 3, as well as two European tours with the Pete Robbins Trans Atlantic-Quartet.
Jeff Williams - Drums
In a career spanning four decades drummer Jeff Williams' musical associates have included Stan Getz, Lee Konitz, Dave Liebman and Lookout Farm, Joe Lovano, Paul Bley, Bill McHenry, Ethan Iverson, Tony Malaby, and many more. During the 1990's Jeff performed with his own quintet and released two CDs of original compositions: Coalescence (SteepleChase) and Jazzblues (Cathexis). For the past five years he has been based both in New York and London. In the UK Jeff has performed with Kenny Wheeler, Norma Winstone, and has toured with McHenry, Konitz, the Phil Robson/Dave Liebman Quartet, and Martin Speake's Change of Heart (with Bobo Stenson). Jeff has also collaborated with The Hans Koller Quartet, Sextet and Big Band, Nikki Iles, Kit Downes, and Alex Merritt and Barry Green's Blue Note Band.
In New York Jeff performs regularly with his quartet, featuring Duane Eubanks, John O'Gallagher and John Hébert.
