John Edward Blake Jr. (July 3, 1947 – August 15, 2014) was an American

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

violin The violin, sometimes known as a ''fiddle'', is a wooden chordophone (string instrument) in the violin family. Most violins have a hollow wooden body. It is the smallest and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in the family in regular ...

ist from

South Philadelphia South Philadelphia, nicknamed South Philly, is the section of Philadelphia bounded by South Street to the north, the Delaware River to the east and south and the Schuylkill River to the west.Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

, United States. He performed most prominently as a

sideman A sideman is a professional musician who is hired to perform live with a solo artist, or with a group in which they are not a regular band member. The term is usually used to describe musicians that play with jazz or rock artists, whether solo ...

in groups led by

Grover Washington Jr. Grover Washington Jr. (December 12, 1943 – December 17, 1999) was an American jazz-funk and soul-jazz saxophonist. Along with Wes Montgomery and George Benson, he is considered by many to be one of the founders of the smooth jazz genre. He wr ...

(in the late 1970s) and

McCoy Tyner Alfred McCoy Tyner (December 11, 1938March 6, 2020) was an American jazz piano, jazz pianist and composer known for his work with the John Coltrane Quartet (from 1960 to 1965) and his long solo career afterwards. He was an NEA Jazz Masters, NEA ...

(in the early 1980s), as well as led his own groups. He died on August 15, 2014 from complications of

multiple myeloma Multiple myeloma (MM), also known as plasma cell myeloma and simply myeloma, is a cancer of plasma cells, a type of white blood cell that normally produces antibodies. Often, no symptoms are noticed initially. As it progresses, bone pain, an ...

Discography

As leader

* ''Maiden Dance'' (Gramavision, 1984) * ''Twinkling of an Eye'' (Gramavision, 1985) * ''Rhythm & BLU'' (Gramavision, 1986) * ''Adventures of the Heart'' (Gramavision, 1987) * ''A New Beginning'' (Gramavision, 1988) * ''Quest'' (Sunnyside, 1992) * ''Motherless Child'' (Artists Recording Collective, 2010)

As sideman

With

James Newton James W. Newton (born May 1, 1953) is an American jazz and classical flutist. Biography He was born in Los Angeles, California, United States. From his earliest years, James Newton grew up immersed in the sounds of African-American music, inclu ...

* ''James Newton'' (Gramavision, 1983) * ''Luella'' (Gramavision, 1984) * ''The African Flower'' (Blue Note, 1985) With

* ''

Horizon The horizon is the apparent line that separates the surface of a celestial body from its sky when viewed from the perspective of an observer on or near the surface of the relevant body. This line divides all viewing directions based on whether i ...

'' (Milestone, 1980) * ''

La Leyenda de La Hora ''La Leyenda de La Hora (The Legend of the Hour)'' is a 1981 album by jazz piano, pianist McCoy Tyner released on the Columbia Records, Columbia label. It features performances by Tyner with alto saxophonist Paquito D'Rivera, tenor saxophonist Ch ...

'' (Columbia, 1981) * ''

Dimensions In physics and mathematics, the dimension of a mathematical space (or object) is informally defined as the minimum number of coordinates needed to specify any point within it. Thus, a line has a dimension of one (1D) because only one coordina ...

'' (Elektra Musician, 1984) With

* ''

Live at The Bijou ''Live at the Bijou'' is a 1977 live album by jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. It was released via Kudu Records label. Reception Recorded live in May 1977 at the Bijou Cafe in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Released as a double album in l ...

'' (Kudu, 1977) * ''

Reed Seed ''Reed Seed'' is a 1978 studio album by jazz saxophonist Grover Washington Jr. released on the Motown label. Track listing # "Do Dat" (John E. Blake Jr., Leonard "Doc" Gibbs Jr.) - 4:27 # "Step'n' Thru" (Richard Lee Steacker) - 6:15 # "Reed S ...

'' (Motown, 1978) * ''

Paradise In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in paradis ...

'' (Elektra, 1979) With others *

Muhal Richard Abrams Muhal Richard Abrams (born Richard Lewis Abrams; September 19, 1930 – October 29, 2017) was an American educator, administrator, composer, arranger, clarinetist, cellist, and jazz pianist in the free jazz medium. He recorded and toured the Uni ...

, ''

Colors in Thirty-Third ''Colors in Thirty-Third'' is an album by Muhal Richard Abrams released on the Italian Black Saint label in 1987 and featuring performances of seven of Abrams' compositions by Abrams, John Blake, John Purcell, Dave Holland, Fred Hopkins and Andr ...

'' (Black Saint, 1987) *

Catalyst Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recyc ...

, ''Unity'' (Muse, 1974) * Catalyst, ''A Tear and a Smile'' (Muse, 1976) *

Norman Connors Norman Connors (born March 1, 1947) is an American jazz drummer, composer, arranger, and producer who has led a number of influential jazz and R&B groups. He also achieved several big R&B hits of the day, especially with love ballads. He is pos ...

, ''You Are My Starship'' (Buddah, 1976) *

Will Downing Wilfred "Will" Downing (born November 29, 1963) is an American singer and songwriter. He is married to singer Audrey Wheeler, who was a member of the R&B group Unlimited Touch. Biography Downing enrolled in Erasmus Hall High School in Brooklyn, ...

, ''Moods'' (Mercury, 1995) *

Carlos Garnett Carlos Garnett (born December 1, 1938) is a Panamanian-American jazz saxophonist. Biography Garnett was born on December 1, 1938, in Red Tank, Panama Canal Zone. He was interested in jazz after hearing the music of Louis Jordan and James Mood ...

, ''Let This Melody Ring On'' (Muse, 1975) *

Damon Harris Otis Robert "Damon" Harris Jr. (July 17, 1950 – February 18, 2013) was an American soul and R&B singer, most notable as a member of The Temptations from 1971 to 1975. Twenty years old when he joined the group, Harris was the youngest member ...

, ''Damon'' (Fantasy, 1978) * George Howard, ''Asphalt Gardens'' (Palo Alto, 1982) *

Cecil McBee Cecil McBee (born May 19, 1935) is an American jazz bassist. He has recorded as a leader only a handful of times since the 1970s, but has contributed as a sideman to a number of jazz albums. Biography Early life and career McBee was born in Tu ...

, ''

Flying Out ''Flying Out'' is an album led by bassist Cecil McBee recorded in 1982 and first released on the India Navigation label.

'' (India Navigation, 1982) *

Carmen McRae Carmen Mercedes McRae (April 8, 1920 – November 10, 1994) was an American jazz singer. She is considered one of the most influential jazz vocalists of the 20th century and is remembered for her behind-the-beat phrasing and ironic interpre ...

, ''I'm Coming Home Again'' (Buddah, 1980) * Carmen McRae, ''Ms. Magic'' (Del Rack, 1986) *

Marvin Peterson Hannibal Lokumbe (born Marvin Peterson on November 11, 1948) is an American jazz trumpeter. Career A native of Smithville, Texas, United States, he is sometimes known by the name "Hannibal". He attended high school in Texas City, Texas and was i ...

, ''Children of the Fire'' (Sunrise, 1974) *

Vanessa Rubin Vanessa Rubin (born March 14, 1957) is an American jazz vocalist. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, to parents from Trinidad and Louisiana, Rubin grew up in a musical household. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from Ohio St ...

, ''I'm Glad There Is You'' (Novus/RCA, 1994) *

Gilberto Santa Rosa Gilberto Santa Rosa Cortés, nicknamed "El Caballero de la Salsa" (The Gentleman of Salsa) (born August 21, 1962), is a Puerto Rican bandleader and singer of salsa and bolero. He is a six time Grammy Award winner and has sold over three million ...

, ''En Vivo Desde El Carnegie Hall'' (Sony, 1995) *

Avery Sharpe Avery Sharpe (born August 23, 1954) is an American jazz double-bassist, electric bassist, composer, educator and founder of the artist-owned record label, JKNM Records. Sharpe has a distinguished percussive and rhythmic approach on double bass. ...

, ''Legends & Mentors'' (JKNM, 2008) *

Archie Shepp Archie Shepp (born May 24, 1937) is an American jazz saxophonist, educator and playwright who since the 1960s has played a central part in the development of avant-garde jazz. Biography Early life Shepp was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, but ...

, '' Attica Blues'' (Impulse!/ABC, 1972) * Archie Shepp, ''The Cry of My People'' (Impulse!/ABC, 1973) *

O. C. Smith Ocie Lee Smith (June 21, 1932 – November 23, 2001), known professionally as O. C. Smith, was an American singer. His recording of " Little Green Apples" went to number 2 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1968 and sold over one million rec ...

, ''What'cha Gonna Do'' (Rendezvous, 1986) *

Jamaaladeen Tacuma Jamaaladeen Tacuma (born Rudy McDaniel; June 11, 1956) is an American free jazz bassist born in Hempstead, New York. He was a bandleader on the Gramavision label and worked with Ornette Coleman during the 1970s and 1980s, mostly in Coleman's Pr ...

, ''Brotherzone'' (P-Vine, 1999) *

Steve Turre Stephen Johnson Turre (born September 12, 1948, in Omaha, Nebraska) is an American jazz trombonist and a pioneer of using Conch (instrument), seashells as instruments, a composer, arranger, and educator at the collegiate-conservatory level. For ...

, ''Fire and Ice'' (Stash, 1988) * Steve Turre, ''Right There'' (Antilles, 1991) *

James Blood Ulmer James "Blood" Ulmer (born February 8, 1940) is an American jazz, free funk and blues guitarist and singer. Ulmer plays a Gibson Byrdland guitar. His guitar sound has been described as "jagged" and "stinging". His singing has been called "ragge ...

, '' Harmolodic Guitar with Strings'' (DIW, 1997) *

Gerald Veasley Gerald Veasley (born July 28, 1955) is an American jazz bass guitarist. Veasley was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he played in R&B groups as a teenager. He worked with Joe Zawinul from 1988 to 1995, and began releasing h ...

, ''Look Ahead'' (Heads Up, 1992) * Gerald Veasley, ''Soul Control'' (Inak, 1997) *

Kazumi Watanabe is a Japanese guitarist. Other guitarists such as Luke Takamura and Sugizo have cited him as an influence. Career Watanabe learned guitar at the age of 12 from Sadanori Nakamure at the Yamaha Music School in Tokyo. He released his first album ...

, ''The Best Performance'' (Better Days, 1982) *

Paula West Paula West (born April 5, 1959) is an American jazz and cabaret singer. Early career West was born on April 5, 1959, and raised in the San Diego, California area, the daughter of a Marine Corps family. As a child she was not much exposed to jazz ...

, ''Come What May'' (Hi Horse, 2001) *

Buster Williams Charles Anthony "Buster" Williams (born April 17, 1942) is an American jazz bassist. Williams is known for his membership in pianist Herbie Hancock's early 1970s group, working with guitarist Larry Coryell from the 1980s to present, working in th ...

, ''Dreams Come True'' (Buddah, 1980)

References

Bibliography

*Richard Cook: ''Jazz Encyclopedia.'' Penguin, London, 2007,

External links

John Blake Jr. official site
1947 births 2014 deaths American jazz violinists American male violinists Deaths from multiple myeloma Musicians from Philadelphia 20th-century American violinists Jazz musicians from Pennsylvania 20th-century American male musicians American male jazz musicians Gramavision Records artists Sunnyside Records artists Deaths from cancer in Pennsylvania 20th-century African-American musicians 21st-century African-American people {{US-violinist-stub