Johnathan Blake
Artist change: Due to unforeseen circumstances, Joe Farnsworth is unable to perform. We're thrilled to welcome drummer Johnathan Blake in his place, same date, same time.
A versatile percussive voice rooted in the tradition
Sponsored by Lorna Jorgensen & Paul Lehnert and Catherine & James DeBlasio
Concerts : Sunday Dec 6 : 5 PM & 8 PM | Monday Dec 7 : 6:30 PM
Johnathan Blake, one of the most accomplished drummers of his generation, has also proven himself a complete and endlessly versatile musician. Blake’s gift for composition and band leading reflects years of live and studio experience across the aesthetic spectrum. Heralded by NPR Music as “the ultimate modernist,” he has collaborated with Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane, Tom Harrell, Hans Glawischnig, Avishai Cohen, Donny McCaslin, Linda May Han Oh, and countless other distinctive voices. DownBeat magazine once wrote, “It’s a testament to Blake’s abilities that he makes his presence felt in any context.”
Born in Philadelphia in 1976, Blake is the son of renowned jazz violinist John Blake, Jr.—himself a stylistic chameleon and an important ongoing influence. After beginning on drums at age 10, Johnathan gained his first performing experience with the Lovett Hines Youth Ensemble, led by the renowned Philly jazz educator. It was during this period, at Hines’s urging, that Blake began to compose his own music.
Blake graduated from George Washington High School and went on to attend the highly respected jazz program at William Paterson University. At this time, Blake also began working professionally with the Oliver Lake Big Band, Roy Hargrove and David Sanchez. In 2006 he was recognized with an ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award, and in 2007 he earned his master’s degree from Rutgers University, focusing on composition.
Deeply aware of Philadelphia’s role as a historical nerve center of American music, Blake has immersed himself in the city’s storied legacy—not just jazz but also soul, R&B, and hip-hop. In many ways he’s an heir to Philadelphia drum masters such as Philly Joe Jones, Bobby Durham, and others.
Blake released his first album in 2012 (“The Eleventh Hour”) and has since released five others, including “Trion,” where he works with Linda May Han Oh (in Boise in 2025). His latest album, “My Life Matters,” was just released on September 19.