Ron Blake
Ron Blake is an American saxophonist, band leader, composer, and music educator. Born in the Virgin Islands, he attended Northwestern University, and now lives in New York City. Blake began studying guitar at age 8 and turned to the saxophone at age 10. He taught at the University of South Florida before moving to New York, where he spent five years in trumpeter Roy Hargrove's quintet, and seven years in flugelhornist Art Farmer's group. He attended the Interlochen Arts Academy. He completed a master's degree at NYU in 2010. Blake co-founded the 21st Century Band and the Tahmun record label with Dion Parson in 1998. He is a member of NBC's Saturday Night Live Band, and the Grammy award-winning Christian McBride Big Band. He is a professor of Jazz Studies at The Juilliard School. He has more than sixty credits on his discography as a sideman and continues to work as a performer.
As leader
Up Front and Personal Lest We Forget Sonic Tonic Shayari- ''Mistaken Identity''
As co-leader
4-Sight- ''21st Century''
As sideman or featured artist
With Bobby BroomWaitin' and WaitinWith David Byrne and St. VincentLove This Giant
With Marc CaryCary On Listen The Antidote
With Joey DeFrancescoOrganic Vibes
With Cucu DiamantesCuculand
With Denise DonatelliWhen Lights Are Low
With Kat EdmonsonWay Down Low
With Art FarmerThe Company I Keep with Tom HarrellThe Meaning of Art Silk Road
With Tia FullerHealing Space
With Tobias Gebb & Unit 7Free At Last
With Benny Golson
With Roy HargroveOf Kindred Souls With the Tenors of Our Time Approaching Standards Family
With Morgan JamesHunter
With Sean JonesGemini
With Cornelius Claudio Kreusch & Black Mud SoundScoop
With Steve KroonSeñor Kroon
With Oliver Lake Big BandCloth
With Axel Tosca LaugartAxel Tosca Laugart
With Ric MandellA Road Less Traveled
With Armin MarmalejoBoarding Pass
With Christian McBrideSci-Fi Vertical Vision Live at Tonic Conversations with Christian The Good Feeling Bringin' It
With Jorge MorenoMoreno
With Meshell NdegeocelloThe Spirit Music Jamia: Dance of the Infidel
With NicoleViaje Infinito
With OrganissimoWaiting for the Boogaloo Sisters
With Dion Parson and 21st Century BandPeople Music Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola, Vol. 1 Live at Dizzy's Club Coca Cola, Vol. 2 St. Thomas
With Clarence PennPenn's Landing Play-Penn
With Katy PerryPrism
With Tony ReedusMinor Thang
With Diane ReevesQuiet After the Storm
With Justin RobinsonThe Challenge
With Reuben RogersThe Things I Am
With Matthew RybeckiDriven
With Stephen ScottThe Beautiful Thing
With Terell StaffordCentripetal Force
With Mary StallingsLive at the Village Vanguard
With Sunny SumterRite of Passage
With Jimmy SmithDamn!
With Teraesa VinsonOpportunity Please Knock
With Rodney WhitakerBallads And Blues - The Brooklyn Session Hidden Kingdom Winter Moon
With Pharez WhittedMysterious Cargo
With Vanessa WilliamsSweetest Days
With Gerald Wilson
With Yerba Buena!President Alien Island Life
With Dave Matthews Band'Late in the Evening, Guest appearance, Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island, Chicago, IL, July 7, 2023