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Joel Ross

For the past several years, Joel Ross has been refining an expression that’s true to his sound and his generation. In 2019, the vibraphonist-composer released his anticipated Blue Note debut KingMaker to eruptive critical acclaim. He’s topped the DownBeat Critics Poll Rising Star category for vibraphone and in 2017, he became one of the youngest artists to receive a coveted Residency Commission from The Jazz Gallery. With the release of Who Are You? (Blue Note, 2020), Ross shares the culmination of a year-long exercise in experimenting and risk-taking on and off the bandstand.

Inspired by mentor Stefon Harris’ empathetic, whole-self approach to articulation, Ross has adopted an entire ethos dependent on truthful, ongoing communication. Honesty persists throughout his sets. And with each release, he reaffirms a commitment to authentic discourse, particularly among the members of his band Good Vibes: Jeremy Corren, Immanuel Wilkins, Kanoa Mendenhall and Jeremy Dutton.

A steadfast improviser, Ross saturates live sets with a lyrical intuition that’s equally grounded in melody and phrasing. He plays the moment. Rather than impose energies on the music, he allows moods to set, linger and transform. In recent years, he’s engaged established artists of similarly tenacious voices, including Makaya McCraven (Universal Beings, 2018), Maria Grand, Kassa Overall, Nicole Mitchell, Gerald Clayton, Melissa Aldana (Visions, 2019), Walter Smith III (In Common, 2018), Georgia Anne Muldrow, Jure Pukl (Broken Circles, 2019), Rajna Swaminathan, Wynton Marsalis & the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Marquis Hill (Modern Flows Vol. 2, 2018), who penned liner notes for Who Are You?

Playing thoroughly in the broad, resonating tradition of Black music, Ross draws inspiration for his layered expression from vital, intersecting scenes of his native Chicago. Imbibing nuanced traditions from improvised music hubs to the church, he embraced a range of gestural possibilities he’d begin refining in New York. After graduating from University of the Pacific in Stockton, California, Ross pursued a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Jazz Studies from The New School in downtown Manhattan. Now based in Brooklyn, he regularly performs across the country and around the world. As a leader, he’s appeared at such storied venues and iconic events as Smalls Jazz Club, Umbria Jazz Festival, The Jazz Gallery, Winter Jazz Fest, Newport Jazz Festival, Dizzy’s Club, BRIC Jazz Festival, The Blue Whale, North Sea Jazz Festival, The Brubeck Institute and Kuumbwa Jazz Festival, among others. A highly sought collaborator, he’s performed at Jazz at Lincoln Center, The Village Vanguard, SF Jazz, Duc des Lombards, Ronnie Scotts, Jazz Standard, Red Sea Jazz Festival, Yoshi’s Oakland and California Jazz Conservatory.

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Album Review

Neta Raanan: Unforeseen Blossom

Read "Unforeseen Blossom" reviewed by Vincenzo Roggero


Un album di debutto della durata di quasi ottanta minuti ha tutta l'aria di un'impresa ardita, se poi a intraprenderla è una giovane sassofonista pressoché sconosciuta si aggiunge anche una massiccia dose di incoscienza. Evidentemente Neta Raanan non si fa intimorire e con un quartetto completato dalla batteria di Kayvon Gordon, il basso di Simon Wilson e il vibrafono di Joel Ross, licenzia il notevole Unforseen Blossom. L'etichetta è la Giant Step Arts, organizzazione no-profit del rinomato fotografo Jimmy Katz, ...

Live Review

Umbria Jazz Winter 2024

Read "Umbria Jazz Winter 2024" reviewed by Libero Farnè


Umbria Jazz Winter 2024 Orvieto, varie sedi 28 dicembre 2024--1° gennaio 2025 Come avviene ormai da 31 anni, Umbria Jazz Winter si svolge nel raccolto, accogliente e suggestivo centro storico di Orvieto nel clima festoso di fine anno, distribuendo i concerti in sedi storiche di grande prestigio. La serata inaugurale si è aperta con un evento inatteso: Ashley Kahn ha consegnato il DownBeat Magazine Lifetime Achievement Award a Carlo Pagnotta, un ambito riconoscimento alla sua lunga ...

12
Album Review

Out Of/Into: Motion I

Read "Motion I" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


Most supergroups happen and barely dent the dust. Despite those odds, one or two happen for a reason. That reason is  Motion I  by Out Of/Into. Formerly known as The Blue Note Quintet--pianist Gerald Clayton, alto saxophonist  Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist Joel Ross, drummer Kendrick Scott, and bassist Matt Brewer--hijack the lead track “Ofafrii" with a brazen romp of everything tuneful and tasty. Wilkins and Ross virtually ground the driving ethic while power-gliding above the whole enterprise. It is a hellion ride, considering ...

1
Album Review

Harry Skoler: Red Brick Hill

Read "Red Brick Hill" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Metodo catartico. Con questa tecnica, ideata da Freud e Breuer nelle prime fasi della psicoanalisi, si aiutavano i pazienti ad affrontare i postumi di un trauma. Da allora gli psicoterapeuti hanno perfezionato i loro metodi ma fuori dagli studi professionali anche l'arte s'è rivelata un mezzo per affrontare le ferite della psiche. Ad esempio con l'opportunità di elaborare un lutto in forma simbolica. Il nuovo disco di Harry Skoler sembra porsi in questa prospettiva e l'autore lo presenta ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Big Feet and Nu Blues

Read "Big Feet and Nu Blues" reviewed by Patrick Burnette


Halloween's in the rear view mirror but the boys still have a mixed bag of treats on offer, including an album whose cover boasts the best costumes of the year. A piano playing Duke makes his appearance on the 'cast for the first time in roughly 300 episodes and we dig deep into a percussionist's tricky second album from 2006. Like a trick or treater, this episode is short and sweet. Playlist Discussion of Duke Pearson's album Honeybuns ...

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Radio & Podcasts

Joel Ross, Simona Severini, Larry Goldings, John Sneider & More

Read "Joel Ross, Simona Severini, Larry Goldings, John Sneider & More" reviewed by Ludovico Granvassu


Billy Valentine's new single, three albums that will end up on our best of the year list, and more... that's what you'll find in this thoroughly enjoyable ride!Happy listening!Playlist Ben Allison “Mondo Jazz Theme (feat. Ted Nash & Pyeng Threadgill)" 0:00 Laurent de Wilde “Get Up and Dance" Life Is a Movie (Gazebo) 0:16 Host talks 7:22 Billy Valentine feat. Jeff Parker, Pino Palladino, Larry Goldings “Lady Day and John Coltrane" Lady Day and John Coltrane--Single ...

15
Album Review

Joel Ross: Nublues

Read "Nublues" reviewed by Chris May


Planning this, his fourth album as leader on Blue Note, Joel Ross set out to connect with a wider audience, to make things a little easier for listeners. The vibraphonist and composer says that, with hindsight, his previous work for the label has been too focused on the musicians in his band and rife with devices such as time and tempo changes which may have limited appeal for lay listeners. Thinking about the album during pandemic-enforced social isolation, Ross says ...

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Performance / Tour

Premier Marimbist Mika Stoltzman Premieres Works By Geoffrey Keezer, Joel Ross, And John Zorn At Carnegie Hall May 2nd

Premier Marimbist Mika Stoltzman Premieres Works By Geoffrey Keezer, Joel Ross, And John Zorn At Carnegie Hall May 2nd

Source: AMT Public Relations

Premier Marimbist Mika Stoltzman Returns to Carnegie Hall for the Eleventh Time in One-Night Only Concert May 2, 2023 Including world premiere by Geoffrey Keezer, U.S. premiere by Joel Ross, and New York premiere by John Zorn Featuring special guest clarinetist Richard Stoltzman “high-wire jazz marimbist…an amazing, energetic performer” –The Los Angeles Times “Mika brings a joyful enthusiasm to the marimba that is captivating.” –Chick Corea “She’s a brilliantly borderless artist…one-of-a-kind musician.” –All About Jazz Hailed as a “Japanese marimba ...

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Event

Live recording and concert, May 23-24: Jason Palmer Qt. feat. Mark Turner, Joel Ross, Kendrick Scott, Edward Perez at NYC's InterContinental Barclay

Live recording and concert, May 23-24: Jason Palmer Qt. feat. Mark Turner, Joel Ross, Kendrick Scott, Edward Perez at NYC's InterContinental Barclay

Source: Ludovico Granvassu

A one-of-a-kind musical experience, combining the intimacy of a house concert with the luxurious ambience, comfort and breath-taking views of the Harold S. Vanderbilt Penthouse. Limited space available as this is a recording session that aims at providing the intimacy of a house concert, but with world-class musicians. Contact Astrid ([email protected]) to reserve your spot. Concert and live recording on May 23 and 24 debut an all-star quintet led by Jason Palmer featuring Mark Turner, with Joel Ross, Kendrick Scott, ...

“Ross swings effortlessly on the vibraphone, sometimes opting for a brittle sound reminiscent of Lionel Hampton, other times creating smooth and expressive lines in the vein of Milt Jackson. Yet while Ross’s sound is grounded in tradition, his rhythmic approach is very contemporary—intensely syncopated and excitingly abstract.” —Kevin Laskey, The Jazz Gallery

“[Ross is a] bright young vibraphonist on his own rocket-like trajectory,...he’s somebody I’ll keep my eye on in the coming months.” —Nate Chinen, The New York Times

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Red Brick Hill

Sunnyside Records
2025

buy

Unforeseen Blossom

Giant Step Arts
2025

buy

The Big Room

Smoke Sessions Records
2025

buy

Ones & Twos

Blue Note Records
2025

buy

Motion I

Blue Note Records
2024

buy

Billy Valentine And...

Flying Dutchman
2023

buy

Prime Time

From: The Big Room
By Joel Ross

Haven't Meta Yet

From: Same Moon in the Same World
By Joel Ross

La Madrina

From: Visions
By Joel Ross

Chez Tortoni (Manet)

From: The Concert: 12 Musings for...
By Joel Ross

Videos

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