Wil Blades
Born in 1980 in Chicago, Wil has been performing since he was ten years old. He moved to San Francisco and has played professionally in the Bay Area since his first year of college as jazz studies major at the New College of California. He began playing and studying drums at the age of 8, guitar at 13 and organ at 18. He has also received tutelage from jazz organ great, Dr. Lonnie Smith. Since 2001, Wil has maintained the position of house organist at John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom Room and teaches at the renowned Berkeley Jazz School.
 
Wil's rhythmic, blues driven style is reminiscent of Jimmy Smith, Larry Young, and "Groove" Holmes, but stays in touch with current sounds. Wil has performed and recorded with legendary artists such as John Lee Hooker, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Melvin Sparks, Idris Muhammad, Soulive, Don Braden, Betty Joplin, Will Bernard, Eddie Marshall, Herbie Lewis, and many others.
contact: wilblades@gmail.com
homepage: www.wilblades.com
myspace www.myspace.com/wilbladesb3
on tour Click on the logo to see Wil's tour dates.

 

Discography [13]
Stinky Stinky
Hammond Beat HBL002EP
recorded March 2005 in Emeryville, CA/USA
Brian Fishler, drums
Joel Ryan, trumpet
Fil Lorenz, tenor sax
Sebastien Lanson, guitar
Wil Blades, organ
Roadhouse Manifesto
Blueblack Records BB 5328
recorded in San Francisco, CA/USA
Julien Vaught, sax
Keith Karloff, guitar, percussion, vocals
Wil Blades, Hammond B-3 organ
Margrit Eichler, keyboards
R.D. Maynard, bass
Mike McCurdy, bass
Thom Stokes, bass
Randy Gzebb, drums
Johnnie Colleton, vocals
Sketchy
Doodlin Records DR-003
recorded March 2007 in Menlo Park, CA/USA
Wil Blades, organ
Idris Muhammad, drums
Dayna Stephens, tenor sax
Gabe Eaton, alto sax
Michael Rinta, slide
Will Bernard, guitar
Party Hats
Palmetto Records PM 2123
recorded in Berkeley, CA/USA
Will Bernard, guitar
Cochemea Gastelum, alto sax
Peter Apfelbaum, tenor sax, melodica, qarqaba
Joe Cohen, tenor sax
Adam Theis, trombone
Mike Olmos, trumpet
Wil Blades, Hammond organ
Michael Bluestein, Hammond organ, piano
Keith McArthur, bass
Ryan "Iron" Newman, bass
Jan Jackson, drums
Paul Spina, drums
Josh Jones, percussion
Lunar Orbit
Bobby Ace Records
Karl Denson, sax, flute
Wil Blades, organ
Kenneth Crouch, keyboards, organ
Jake Najor, drums
Aaron Redfield, drums
Steve Haney, congas
Tales from the Barbary Coast
Jazz Mafia

Joe Cohen, sax, keyboards, organ, piano, synthesizer, vocals
Adam Theis, trombone, tuba, synthesizer, bass, vocals
Wil Blades, organ
Teeko, turntable
George Ban-Weiss, bass
pDubL, drums, cymbal, vocals
Eric Garland, cymbal
Dublin, vocals
Outdoor Living
Dreck To Disk Records DTD003

Will Bernard, guitar
Wil Blades, Hammond B-3 organ
Simon Lott, drums
Shimmy
The Royal Potato Family RFP1123

Billy Martin, drums
Wil Blades, organ, clavinet
Field Notes
The Royal Potato Family #RPF 1414

Wil Blades, organ
Jeff Parker, guitar
Simon Lott, drums
Greatest Hits
Sazi Records SR 004
recorded June 2015 in Oakland, CA/USA
Scott Amendola, drums, cymbals
Wil Blades, Hammond B-3 organ, clavinet
Never Twice
Innovative Leisure Records IL2037
recorded in San Francisco, CA and North Hollywood, CA/USA
Nick Waterhouse, guitar
Ralph Carney, tenor sax
Ron Dziubla, tenor sax
Paula Henderson, baritone sax
Adam Theil, trombone
Mike Olmos, trumpet
Bob Kenmotsu, flute
John Anderson, guitar
John Allair, Hammond organ
Wil Blades, Hammond organ
Audie DeLone, piano
Danny Eisenberg, Hammond organ, piano
Rob Douglas, bass, vocals
Josh Adams, drums
Eric Jackowitz, drums, percussion, vocals
Andres Renteria, drums, percussion
Roberta Freeman, vocals
Carol Hatchett, vocals
Brit Manor, vocals
Kyle Stephens, vocals
Everybody Wins
The Royal Potato Family #RPF 1916

Scott Amendola, drums, electronics, Moog synthesizer, Wurlitzer
Wil Blades, clavinet, Hammond B-3 organ, Moog synthesizer, bass
Skerik, sax
Jeff Parker, guitar
Rob Burger, bowed vibes, synthesizer
Cyro Baptista, percussion, voices
Try
Color Red Music

Kim Dawson, vocals
Brant Williams, guitar
Wil Blades, organ
Paul McDaniel, bass
Braxton Kahn, drums
Jeff Franca, tambourine

 
Sound Samples
MP3 "Whas Up Doc" from the album "Sketchy"
08:57 - 8,398kB
Video n/a

 
YouTube videos
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