About Ryan Blotnick Band Ryan Blotnick- Guitar Michael Blake - Saxophones Joachim Badenhorst - Clarinets Perry Wortman - Bass Jeff Williams - Drums 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

Other Bands

Akoya Afrobeat Ensemble is a 13-piece afrobeat band featuring frontman Kaleta, who played with Fela Kuti and King Sunny Ade for a number of years before moving to New York.  Our live shows have featured Cedric IM Brooks of the Skatalites, and members of Budos Band and Antibalas.  

Dakar Tuesdays is a series curated by James Ilgenfritz with help from Blotnick.  It often features Ryan in new musical situations with some of Brooklyn's more compositionally oriented improvisers.

The Michael Blake Band is a quintet with Michael Bates, Jesse Stacken, Russell Lacy and myself.  We spent three days in the studio this summer carving out the beginnings of a unique album.

The Hump is a funk-soul band featuring the great Nigel Hall.  We revive the music of Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, James Brown and others.  We play special events and clubs in New England.   

Ryan Blotnick/Peter Van Huffel Quartet played in Dublin and London in 2008 with Simon Jermyn, Jeff Williams, Robin Finker and Sean Carpio.

Pete Robbins and Centric is a 5-7 piece group consisting of some of the most frightening musicians of the New York Avant Garde.  With a rotating cast of rhythm sections including Dan Weiss, Tyshawn Sorey, Thomas Morgan and Eivind Opsvik, and a frontline of Pete Robbins, Sam Sadigursky, Mike Gamble, Eliot Cardinaux, and myself, this band always packs a big punch.

We have performed the music of Carlo Gesualdo as part of a grant from Chamber Music of America/Doris Duke Foundation.  Pete adapted the music of this little known and underrated baroque composer for the septet with as many as seven independent voices going at the same time.  It was fantastic.  Centric plans to tour Spain at the end of March.  

Ryan can occasionally be found accompanying jazz vocalist Christiana Drapkin. Check her out!

My danish trio, Blotnick/Osgood/Westergaard recorded an album in 2007, which is unreleased for the time being. We play mostly improvised and original music with Kresten Osgood on drums and Jonas Westergaard on bass.

Michael Blake and Free Association

MB - saxophones
Avishai Cohen - trumpet
Marcus Rojas - tuba
Briggan Krauss - bari and alto sax
Ryan Blotnick - guitar
Frank Kimbrough - piano
Ben Allison - bass
Daniel Freedman - drums

I also play with occasionallly with Mads Mouritz and the Bleeding Hearts, the Pat Wolfe Quartet, JoJo Kuo, and a Danish band called the Band of the Universe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Ryan Blotnick's playing has the rare blend of a modern conception with the depth of having explored and absorbed vocabulary of many of the jazz greats. His ideas are clear and straightforward, as well as his compositions." -Steve Cardenas

"Displaying a gracious tone and deep musical sensibility, Ryan's patience sets him apart from his peers." - Michael Blake