Terence Blanchard at Stary Klasztor: the five-time Grammy winner at Ethno Jazz Festival

Terence Blanchard is a five-time Grammy winner. His compositions have earned Golden Globe and Emmy nominations, and he has written music for the Pulitzer-winning “A Streetcar Named Desire”, as well as Spike Lee’s films “25th Hour”, “Malcolm X” and “Inside Man”. A pupil of the famous Ellis Marsalis, he has played with Lionel Hampton’s Big Band, the Jazz Messengers and Herbie Hancock, among others. He has made numerous recordings for prestigious label Blue Note Records.

The Terence Blanchard E-Collective is a new project by Terence Blanchard, featuring some of the finest musicians in jazz, world music and R&B. Their music is a jazz-rooted journey into forms of improvisation in jazz fusion, electric music and hip-hop, also incorporating blues, funk and R&B.

E-Collective offers an innovative, extraordinary approach to music by moving away from the traditional soloist/accompaniment arrangement characteristic of straight-ahead jazz. In place of old guidelines comes an approach allowing every band member to improvise continuously. Each individual solo is more expressive and outstanding without overwhelming the music’s collective nature. By design, The Terence Blanchard E-Collective seeks to demonstrate a freer, broader approach to improvisation, similar to Miles Davis’s Bitches Brew period, while also moving towards more groove-oriented, largely arranged music.

The musicians will present the tight, blues-oriented rhythm section of Donald Ramsey (bass) and Oscar Seaton (drums), combined with relaxing sounds and funky grooves from Charles Altura (guitar) and Fabian Almazan (keyboards, piano, synthesisers). This distinctive fusion is an intriguing proposition for a broad audience.

The E-Collective project may prove a turning point in Terence Blanchard's career, making jazz fans fall in love with rhythm and blues and vice versa. “Breathless” fuses funk rhythms with jazz's AABA form and extended soloing.

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