Jazz Articles about E.J. Strickland

E.J. Strickland: In This Day

by J Hunter
June 5, 2009

Thanks to his work with Ravi Coltrane, E.J. Strickland is well-established as a talented young percussionist. Coltrane plays producer on In This Day, Strickland's debut as a leader. His compositions display an encouraging focus, and his backup band gives the project a heavyweight punch. The disc's problems come on musical and conceptual detours that hinder the project's overall gait.

“Abandoned Discovery" enters quietly, offering a smiling groove and an intensity level that only gets better. Saxophonists Jaleel Shaw and Marcus ...

E.J. Strickland: In This Day

by Mark F. Turner
May 20, 2009

For those familiar with E.J. Strickland, the anticipated In This Day is well worth the wait. A striking young drummer/composer, he is well-known for his brilliant work as a member of Ravi Coltrane's premier quartet and with other artists, including his twin brother, saxophonist Marcus Strickland. With agile omni-directional traps and emotive playing in the spirit of patriarchs such as Elvin Jones and current firebrands like Eric Harland, Strickland shows his mettle as a leader and gives life to his ...

Take Five With E.J. Strickland

by AAJ Staff
April 12, 2009

Meet E.J. Strickland: Drummer E.J. Strickland is currently a member of the long-lived quartet of Ravi Coltrane (along with pianist Luis Perdomo and bassist Drew Gress), and his brother Marcus Strickland's celebrated electric/acoustic quartets and trio.

E.J. also leads his own bands, The E.J. Strickland Quintet and The E.J. Strickland Project. His playing has been described as emitting “fields of cumulative energy, clouds of feather-touch and heavy-handed syncopations, latent with power like an oncoming storm" (Thomas Conrad, Downbeat Magazine).

Amongst ...