Drummers are the hardest to capture because their heads and hands are in constant motion. Kendrick Scott twinkled through his opening set at Le Poisson Rouge for the Blue Note 75 night that kicked off 2015’s Winter Jazz Fest. This was the first time I’d been able to draw an entire band, because LPR put me in the sound booth so I had a particularly good view above the crowd, and a flat surface to sketch. Luxury. The double-page spread of Jose James multiples (see Vocals) and the Glasper Trio (see Keys) were also drawn later that night. Butcher Brown’s drummer, Corey Fonville, does not in fact have five heads, but he was deep into their Winter Jazz Festival set at the Bitter End the next night. Damion Reid’s portrait came later, when Glasper’s Trio played the Village Vanguard the following month.
Clarence Penn, is here at the tiny Cornelia Street Cafe stage right after he killed it with a not-to-be-sniffed at spring solo show at Jazz at Lincoln Center in May 2014. He plays regularly with Chad Lefkowitz-Brown. Aware that I’d sketch during his set, Clarence said “Just draw my teeth”…
Otis Brown III played Summerstage in August 2014, opening the show headlined by Gregory Porter. It was quite the kickoff.
Recently added from a while ago: Marcus Gilmore, here with Vijay Iyer and Stephan Crump, also recently featured on Taylor McFerrin’s debut album. Turned up to Taylor’s release show in June without my sketchbook so he and Emily King remained on the Soundpapered wishlist for a while, til I drew him in January. Emily is still on the wishlist, with a few notable others
