Maverick pianist Ran Blake celebrates his 75th Birthday today.
Since his 1961 collaboration with Jeanne Lee on RCA, Ran Blake has released 35 albums on such labels as ESP, Soul Note, Arista and hatOLOGY. His 2006 album on the Tompkins Square label, All That Is Tied, received 4 stars in Downbeat and earned top honors in the 2007 Penguin Guide to Jazz. Penguin's editor Brian Morton and Wire Magazine hailed the record as a “masterpiece." On his most recent solo piano outing, Driftwoods, Ran salutes his favorite singers, interpreting songs popularized by Billie Holiday, Mahalia Jackson, Hank Williams, Nat King Cole and more. The album has received wide praise via the New York Times, Popmatters, NPR and many more. Ran continues to perform, record and inspire generations of jazz faithful.
Since his 1961 collaboration with Jeanne Lee on RCA, Ran Blake has released 35 albums on such labels as ESP, Soul Note, Arista and hatOLOGY. His 2006 album on the Tompkins Square label, All That Is Tied, received 4 stars in Downbeat and earned top honors in the 2007 Penguin Guide to Jazz. Penguin's editor Brian Morton and Wire Magazine hailed the record as a “masterpiece." On his most recent solo piano outing, Driftwoods, Ran salutes his favorite singers, interpreting songs popularized by Billie Holiday, Mahalia Jackson, Hank Williams, Nat King Cole and more. The album has received wide praise via the New York Times, Popmatters, NPR and many more. Ran continues to perform, record and inspire generations of jazz faithful.
