The Gospel of Bone Drye
Written and produced by Mike McGinnis, Animation by Dana Lyn
+ ABOUT
Trombonist and pianist Brian Drye is an integral part of NYC’s creative music scene. His debut as a leader, Bizingas was hailed as “one of the best introductions to a new band” by The New York Times. Drye has spent the last two decades exploring and performing the vast array of music that is available in the NYC area. This includes jazz of all eras, rock, funk, salsa, gospel, reggae, balkan, Pakistani, Mexican, Haitian, Brazilian Forro and Klezmer. The result is one of most distinctive and personal approaches to playing the trombone in music today.
This began in his youth as his father shared with him the music of Ellington and Mingus. He continued developing his sound on the trombone learning directly from masters like Hal Crook, Buddy Morrow and Roswell Rudd.
As a jazz trombonist Brian has performed with Hank Roberts Sextet, Billy Martin’s Wicked Knee, Medeski Martin and Wood, Steven Bernstein (Sex Mob), jazz legend Clark Terry, Andrew D’Angelo’s DNA Big Band, Kirk Knuffke Quartet w/ Bill Goodwin and Mark Helias, Petr Cancura’s Down Home (Mississippi Roots), Marcus Rojas’s Brass Band, Matt Darriau's Jewish Jazz Project, Michael Formanek’s Ensemble Collossus and the Wood Brothers. Brian has performed with celebrated experimental composer Annie Gosfield, performance artist Laurie Anderson and was featured in Andy Biskin’s Goldberg Variations at BAM as well as Bang On A Can's 25th Anniversary Celebration at Lincoln Center with the Asphalt Orchestra. In 2016 Brian made his theatre debut, performing trombone in the cast of Hadestown at the New York Theatre Workshop. He is currently performing on broadway with Hadestown at the Walter Kerr Theatre in NYC.
““TROMBONIST/COMPOSER [BRIAN DRYE] IS A MODERN MUSICIAN FOR WHOM JAZZ IS BUT ONE INGREDIENT IN HIS MUSIC” MARK CORROTO – AAJ”
Brian has been a consistent member of the lower brass sections of balkan brass juggernauts Slavic Soul Party! and Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars, Banda De Los Muertos, a Mexican Banda, The Brooklyn Qwaali Party dedicated to the music of Nusrat Fateh Ali Kahn and the Brazilian groups Maracatu NY and Nation Beat. These diverse influences from Eastern Europe to the Northeast of Brazil and beyond have had a lasting influence on Brian’s approach to improvisation and composition.
Brian spent his formative years touring the nation with The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, crooner Paul Anka and The Four Tops. He has performed and recorded on both piano and trombone with Tony award winner Stew (Passing Strange) from Stew and the Negro Problem.
In 2008, Brian developed a multi purpose performance and rehearsal space, Ibeam Brooklyn which has become a home for creative music in the burgeoning arts and entertainment scene in Gowanus. Ibeam Brooklyn has hosted a who’s who in the downtown and creative music scene, providing a home for up and coming and established artists.
Brian - Dancing onstage at Hadestown
+ leader
Bizingas (Ches Smith, Jonathan Goldberger, Kirk Knuffke, Hank Roberts, guest)
Trio Love Call (Hank Roberts and Ches Smith)
Brian Drye Trio (Matt Pavolka, Jeff Davis)
Celestial Orbits (Curtis Hasselbring, Jacob Garchik)
Lunar Theory (Charlotte Greve, Marc Hannaford, Jeff Davis)
Zodiac Quintet (Oscar Noriega, Jeff Davis, Matt Pavolka, Mike McGinnis)
Gafieira Trio + More (Rob Curto, Dennis Bulhoes, Scott Kettner, Mike Lavalle)
+ Collaborator
Knuffke & Drye (Kirk Knuffke)
Jabberclaw (Mike McGinnis, Jon Arkin)
The Four Bags (Mike McGinnis, Sean Moran, Jacob Garchik)
Ocean State (Eric Hastings w/ special guests Matt Glassmeyer, Jon Goldeberger)
Brian Drye / Billy Martin (billy Martin)
Drye & Drye (Howard Drye, Vinnie Sperrazza, Mike McGinnis, Jeff Hermanson, Dan Fabrictore)
Boppin at the Hop (Petr Cancura)
+ Member
Mike McGinnis’s Road Trip Band (Mike McGinnis, Justin Mullens, Jeff Hermanson, Dan Fabricatore, Jacob Sacks, Barry Saunders, Caroline Davis, Peter hess, Vinnie Sperrazza)
The Hank Roberts Sextet (Hank Roberts, Mike McGinnis, Dana Lyn, Jacob Sacks, Vinnie Sperrazza)
Banda De Los Muertos (Oscar Noriega, Jacob Garchik, Curtis Hasselbring, Jim Black, Mara Mayer, Rachel Drehman, Jeff Davis, Ben Holmes, Justin Mullens)
Peter Hess Quartet (Tomas Fujiwara, Adam Hopkins, Peter Hess)
The Erik Deustch Band (Erik Deustch, Mike McGinnis, Tony Mason, Fred Cash, Avi Bortnick, Jesse Murphy)
The Heavens (Jacob Garchik, Josh Roseman, Curtis Hasselbring, Joe Daley, Alan Ferber, Natalie Cressman,
Petr Cancura’s Down Home (Petr Cancura, Kirk Knuffke, Garth Stevenson, Richie Barshay)
Frank London’s Klezmer All Stars (Frank London, Matt Darriau, Ron Caswell, Michael Winograd, Brandon Seabrook + many guests)
Eleanor Reissa + Frank London (Yiddish Songs + many Guests)
The Manny Blanc Project (Matt Darriau)
Brooklyn Qwaali Party (Brook Martinez, Tony Barba, Mike Gamble, Ben Holmes, Rob Jost, Noah Jarrett, Connor Elmes, Michael Bellar)
Joy Askew + Brass (Joy askew, Marcus Rojas, Rob Jost, Daniel Urness, Steven Bernstein)