Dubbed the “ultimate modernist” by NPR Music, Johnathan Blake is above all one of the most technically versatile drummers of his generation. Moreover, the 48-year-old American has also proven himself to be a trusted sideman, working with Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane and Avishai Cohen, among others. Blake’s mastery of complex compositions and his gift for leading bands are proof of the live and studio experience he has garnered over the decades. At his solo debut at this year’s NN North Sea Jazz, the Philadelphia-based, creative all-rounder’s focus is on the upcoming release My Life Matters (August 2025), his third album on the famed Blue Note label. Commissioned by the Jazz Gallery in New York City, it is a suite in which Blake and his band Pentad focus on speaking out against social injustice. The album’s text tells us “Don't stay silent; then, you have become part of the problem.”
