Biography
“I never had a doubt that I was going to do music,” says Joel Ross, the most thrilling new vibraphonist in America. “My whole life it was just about finding a way to do it.” In the past few years, keeping up with all of those ways has, for aficionados, turned into a virtuosic practice unto itself. The Chicago-born, Brooklyn-based player and composer has a way of being everywhere interesting at once: from deeply innovative albums (Makaya McCraven’s Universal Beings and Deciphering the Message, Walter Smith III & Matthew Stevens’ In Common) to reliably revolutionary combos (Marquis Hill’s Blacktet, Peter Evans’ Being & Becoming) to his own acclaimed Blue Note albums: KingMaker, Who Are You?, and The Parable of the Poet. Even with his own bands—which include quartets and a large ensemble dedicated to works of and in-the-style-of Ornette Coleman and the Keith Jarrett’s American Quartet—Ross is basically a living blur of mallets and talent and ideas. But 2019 is his year to be the star as he joins the Blue Note Records roster and adds his name to an illustrious jazz vibraphone legacy on the label that extends from Milt Jackson and Bobby Hutcherson to Stefon Harris and now Ross.
Ross grew up in a harmonious home with three older sisters and police officers for parents in a quiet South Side neighborhood. By 3, he and his twin had spent enough time beating on things around the house that it was deemed wisest to buy them separate toddler-sized drum sets. Before long they were taking turns sitting in at church, where dad was choir director at one point. They joined school band as soon as they could, age 10, and since Joel was the younger twin, he was consigned to xylophone while his brother hit skins. They auditioned for the multi-school All City concert and jazz bands too.
“To be fair my brother was the better drummer,” Ross admits. “We both made the cut and since I already played mallets they said, ‘Why don’t you try vibraphone?’ I was like, ‘I don’t know what a vibraphone is. I don’t want to do this.’” But he did, and found it the most natural way to express himself. He practiced and played constantly through numerous opportunities from the Jazz Institute of Chicago, and later became one of the first students at the city’s first public arts high school, Chicago High School for the Arts. Through ChiArts’ partnership with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, Ross got to meet kindred spirits at other high schools around the country, jam with Herbie Hancock (his class of 2013 keynote speaker), and learn from special guest Gerald Clayton, a gateway to the beguiling music of Akinmusire, in particular the trumpeter’s own Blue Note debut When the Heart Emerges Glistening, which Ross didn’t immediately understand, so, naturally he became keenly devoted to unpacking every note.
Still, he’d never had a dedicated vibraphone teacher. Enter Stefon Harris, who after meeting Ross at a festival, invited him to try out for his Brubeck Institute Jazz Quintet at University of the Pacific in Nor Cal. Ross won it, and for two intense years worked to tear down and rebuild his approach to the instrument. “Stefon completely revamped my technique,” says Ross. “We were also learning his [now-famous] ear-training method, applying emotions to chords and hearing harmony in new ways. I figured out how I wanted to sound.” Ross soon transferred to the New School and formed his band Good Vibes featuring his favorite players he met at camps, contests, and gigs along the way.
Releases
Motion I - Out Of/Into
nublues - Joel Ross
The Parable of the Poet - Joel Ross
Who Are You? - Joel Ross
KingMaker - Joel Ross
Videos
Joel Ross “mellowdee” (Live)
Joel Ross “equinox” (Live)
Joel Ross “early” (Live)
Joel Ross “First Look” With Don Was
Joel Ross “GUILT” (Official Video)
Joel Ross “First Look” With Don Was
Joel Ross “First Look” With Don Was
Joel Ross “More?” (Visualizer)
JOEL ROSS “YANA” (OFFICIAL VIDEO)
SPOTLIGHT
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JOEL ROSS “NUBLUES”
By Marcus J. Moore Joel Ross has amassed a dedicated following by creating music you have to lean into. That doesn’t make it any less palatable, but across the vibraphonist’s recorded output — 2019’s KingMaker, 2020’s Who Are You?, and 2022’s The Parable of the Poet — the compositions were somewhat complex, and ushered the virtuosity of his band’s live performance to a studio... read more
JOEL ROSS “THE PARABLE OF THE POET”
Vibraphonist and composer Joel Ross returns with stunning conviction, issuing his third release for Blue Note Records: The Parable of the Poet. Steadfast in his commitment to skewing perceptions of improvisation and written composition, the critics’ favorite explores new, more expansive territory with his eight-piece Parables band, bringing together young artists of sharply defined expression:... read more
JOEL ROSS ASKS “WHO ARE YOU?”
Joel Ross nurtures his artistry in a continuum. The vibraphonist-composer lets melodies inform improvisation, and collective spontaneity inspire written composition. “I don’t believe in coming into anything with expectations,” he says. “As musicians, we’re just expressing ourselves.” In 2019, the Brooklyn-based artist of out Chicago issued his Blue Note debut KingMaker to peer... read more
Joel Ross’ Good Vibes
“I never had a doubt that I was going to do music,” says Joel Ross, 23 years old and the most thrilling new vibraphonist in America. “My whole life it was just about finding a way to do it.” In the past few years, keeping up with all of those ways has, for aficionados, turned into a virtuosic practice unto itself. The Chicago-born, Brooklyn-based player and composer has a way of being... read more
News
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OUT OF/INTO RELEASE NEW SINGLE “GABALDON’S GLIDE”
The Blue Note Records story has unfolded over the past 85 years with equal regard for jazz’s past and its future, a seamless blend of tradition and innovation, and a mission to elevate the greatest young talent in jazz. Out Of/Into, the all-star collective that began its life earlier this year as the Blue Note... read more
ANNOUNCING “MOTION I” BY OUT OF/INTO FEATURING GERALD CLAYTON, JOEL ROSS, IMMANUEL WILKINS, KENDRICK SCOTT & MATT BREWER
The history of Blue Note Records is defined by a seamless blend of tradition and innovation. From the advent of hard bop to the label’s knack for elevating the greatest young talent in jazz, the Blue Note story has unfolded over the past 85 years with equal regard for jazz’s past and its future. Out Of/Into, the... read more
PRESENTING BLUE NOTE REVIEW: VOLUME THREE – TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLEE MORGAN
Presenting Blue Note Review: Volume Three – TRULY, MADLY, DEEPLEE MORGAN, the long-awaited third edition of our acclaimed vinyl boxset series, which returns with an emphatic celebration of Blue Note legend Lee Morgan. Curated by Blue Note President Don Was, the set encapsulates the continuum of the legendary jazz... read more
JOEL ROSS SHARES NEW SINGLE “BACH (GOD THE FATHER IN ETERNITY)”
On Feb. 9, Joel Ross will release his remarkable fourth Blue Note album nublues, and the acclaimed vibraphonist has shared the new single “bach (God the Father in Eternity),” a stunning piece that injects the sound of the church and the rhythm of Black American music into a melodic fragment by J.S. Bach. nublues... read more
THE BLUE NOTE QUINTET TO EMBARK ON 2024 TOUR IN CELEBRATION OF BLUE NOTE’S 85th ANNIVERSARY
The Blue Note Quintet—an all-star collective comprised of Blue Note recording artists pianist and musical director Gerald Clayton, alto saxophonist Immanuel Wilkins, vibraphonist Joel Ross, and drummer Kendrick Scott, as well as bassist Matt Brewer—will embark on an extensive North American tour next month in... read more
JOEL ROSS ANNOUNCES BALLADS & BLUES ALBUM “NUBLUES” OUT FEB. 9 FEATURING HIS BAND GOOD VIBES
Acclaimed vibraphonist Joel Ross returns with the Feb. 9 release of his remarkable fourth Blue Note album nublues, a collection of ballads and blues as seen through the lens of one of the most creative modern jazz groups of our time featuring Immanuel Wilkins on alto saxophone, Jeremy Corren on piano, Kanoa Mendenhall... read more
VIBRAPHONIST JOEL ROSS UNVEILS NEW SINGLE “DOXOLOGY (HOPE)”
Vibraphonist and composer Joel Ross has released “DOXOLOGY (Hope),” the second single to be revealed from The Parable of the Poet, an expansive album-length suite composed by Ross which will be released April 15 on vinyl, CD, and digital formats. Ross explores new territory with his 8-piece Parables band, bringing... read more
VIBRAPHONIST JOEL ROSS RETURNS WITH EXPANSIVE NEW ALBUM “THE PARABLE OF THE POET” OUT APRIL 15
Vibraphonist and composer Joel Ross returns with stunning conviction on The Parable of the Poet, an expansive album-length suite composed by Ross which marks his 3rd release for Blue Note following his 2019 debut KingMaker and 2020’s Who Are You?. The Parable of the Poet will be released April 15 on vinyl, CD, and... read more
LISTEN TO VIBRAPHONIST JOEL ROSS’ NEW SINGLE “3-1-2”
Joel Ross has released “3-1-2,” an anthemic love letter to the vibraphonist’s hometown of Chicago. Without realizing it, Ross wrote the city’s famed area code into the form, repeating the melody three times, the middle section once and the ending twice. The song appears on Ross’ highly anticipated sophomore... read more
HEAR “GATO’S GIFT” THE NEW SINGLE FROM VIBRAPHONIST JOEL ROSS
Joel Ross has released “Gato’s Gift,” a melodic new single from the vibraphonist’s highly anticipated sophomore album Who Are You?, which comes out October 23. The track features Ross’ band Good Vibes with Immanuel Wilkins on alto saxophone, Jeremy Corren on piano, Kanoa Mendenhall on bass, Jeremy Dutton on... read more
Live Dates
Mar 06
Joel Ross
Mershon Auditorium, Columbus United States
