Jeff Ballard

He has been a member of the Brad Mehldau Trio since 2005, a co-leader of Fly (a collective trio with Mark Turner and Larry Grenadier), and leads the Jeff Ballard Trio and Jeff Ballard Fairgrounds.

• Name — Jeff Ballard • Landscape — yes • Born — 17 September 1963 • Birthplace — Near Santa Cruz, California, U.S. • Genre — Jazz • Occupation — Musician • Instrument — * Drums • percussion • Label — * OKeh • Edition • Past Member Of — * Brad Mehldau Trio • Fly

• Illustration — The Fly trio in 2010; from left: Mark Turner, Larry Grenadier, and Ballard Ballard was born September 17, 1963, in Southern California but grew up and studied in Santa Cruz, California. He began playing the drums at age 14; attended Cabrillo College, where he studied music theory; and toured with many bands, all the time while absorbing influences and developing his own approach to drumming. He met Larry Grenadier in 1982, with whom he plays in both Fly and Brad Mehldau's trio. At the age of 24, he went on the road with Ray Charles for eight months each year from 1988 to 1990, playing in Charles's big band. He moved to New York in 1990, where he began collaborating with Ben Monder, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Turner, and Ben Allison. Later on in New York, he joined with the bassist Avishai Cohen and Chick Corea. Ballard formed the Fly trio with Larry Grenadier and Mark Turner around the time he was working with Corea. During a performance with Fly in New York City in 2005, Brad Mehldau was invited to sit in, which led to Mehldau inviting Ballard to join his own trio, subbing for Jorge Rossy, who for some time had been planning on moving back to Spain to focus on his piano playing. Ballard formed another trio with Lionel Loueke and Miguel Zenón, releasing Time's Tales (OKeh, 2014) – his recording debut as leader. His second album as leader, Fairgrounds (Edition, 2019), was with Loueke, Kevin Hays, and Reid Anderson, with guest appearances from Mark Turner and Chris Cheek.

• Jeff Ballard Trio, Time's Tales (OKeh, 2013) with Lionel Loueke, Miguel Zenón • Fairgrounds (Edition, 2019) – live; rec. recorded 2015

Fly (With Mark Turner and Larry Grenadier) • Fly (Savoy, 2004 [2003]) • Sky & Country (ECM, 2009 [2008]) • Year of the Snake (ECM, 2012 [2011]) SFJAZZ Collective • Live: SFJAZZ Center 2013 – The Music of Chick Corea (SFJAZZ, 2013)[2-CD]

With Avishai Cohen • Adama (Stretch, 1998) – rec. recorded 1997 • Devotion (Stretch, 1999) • Colors (Stretch, 2000) With Chick Corea • Change (Rykodisc, 1999) • Corea.Concerto: Spain For Sextet & Orchestra / Piano Concerto No.1 (Sony Classical, 2000) • Past, Present & Future (Stretch, 2001) • Rendezvous in New York (Stretch, 2003) – live • 5trios – 3. Chillin' in Chelan (Stretch, 2007) With Brad Mehldau • Day Is Done (Nonesuch, 2005) • Metheny/Mehldau (Nonesuch, 2006) • Metheny/Mehldau Quartet (Nonesuch, 2007) • Brad Mehldau Trio Live (Nonesuch, 2008) • Highway Rider (Nonesuch, 2010) • Ode (Nonesuch, 2012) – rec. recorded 2011 • Where Do You Start (Nonesuch, 2012) – rec. recorded 2008–11 • Blues and Ballads (Nonesuch, 2016) – rec. recorded 2012–14 • Seymour Reads the Constitution! (Nonesuch, 2018) With Pat Metheny • Metheny/Mehldau (Nonesuch, 2006 [2005]) • Metheny/Mehldau Quartet (Nonesuch, 2007 [2005]) With Kurt Rosenwinkel • The Enemies of Energy (Verve, 2000) – rec. recorded 1996 • The Next Step (Verve, 2001) – rec. recorded 2000 • Heartcore (Verve, 2003) – rec. recorded 2001–03 • Deep Song (Verve, 2005) With others • Ted Nash, Sidewalk Meeting (Arabesque, 2001) – rec. recorded 2000 • The Herbie Nichols Project, Love Is Proximity (Soul Note, 1996) • Joshua Redman, Momentum (Verve, 2005) • Chihiro Yamanaka, Madrigal (Atelier Sawano, 2004)

Jeff Ballard is recorded with the occupation jazz musician. Recorded as a citizen of United States. Classed in the genre vocal music. Classed in the genre jazz.