Blaque Dynamite at Dazzle and on the Thursday Night Jazz Odyssey!

This portion of the interview above has been edited for length and clarity:

Abi Clark: I just wanted to give you a huge congratulations. I saw that you were named 2025 Jazz Drummer by Modern Drummer Magazine. How does that feel? 

Blaque Dynamite: Yeah, I was. They gave me that honor.  I'm really excited, actually. I kind of expect the worst most of the time. So when they told me that I was nominated, I was like, that's so nice. And then I just kept it moving because I'm like, I'm for sure going to lose. Especially when I saw the people I was in the category with, they're like all my heroes! So I was very okay with just being nominated. But when they told me I won, I was speechless. I was really excited. My mom screamed on the phone for a while. And my friend's really supportive of the whole band, Dolphin, everybody. It's been a really nice celebratory end of ‘25 going into ‘26 with everything new that we have going. So it was really cool. 

Abi Clark: What a way to cap it. And I think I heard in an interview that you'd been reading those magazines like your whole life. So that must have been like surreal! 

Blaque Dynamite: I have my first modern drummer magazine that I bought, and I bought them every month, up until I was in my mid 20’s when I moved. I think my first modern drummer that I have recollection of was from ‘93. 

Abi Clark: Wow! 

Blaque Dynamite: But I remember buying my first modern drummer in like maybe 1997, ‘98. And I have them all. I still have them all in Texas in my storage with my old drums and stuff. 

Abi Clark: Shoot! Yeah, I know it exposed you to a lot of different styles and a lot of different musicians. 

Blaque Dynamite: Modern Drummer Magazine was the thing that jumped my like drum education off because I didn't know anything. I was just looking at pictures, and I saw these dudes with these huge drum sets, dudes with small drum sets, these weird names, these artists, I don't know what, you know, what it meant. So, like my mom would take me to the CD store and I would, I remember like, oh, this guy named Vinnie Colaiuta plays with something named Sting, Mom, what's a sting?” Like she would let me get the CD. And that's how I started, you know, hearing, putting names to faces to music from just reading that magazine. 

Abi Clark: That's pretty amazing because your style and your sound is so eclectic. It doesn't sound like you went into one route. You've been open to all the different kinds of sounds from electronic to hip hop to R&B to metal, free jazz. All of that works its way into your experimental sound. I want to get to the new album, but I would love to talk about Stop Calling Me. That was your last full-length album released in 2023 and a lot of those same sounds are represented. And this was, it feels very introspective. What was going on when you were writing this record? 

Blaque Dynamite: I was going through hell. 

Abi Clark: Oh. 

Blaque Dynamite: Hell on ice was what that was. And it took, that album probably took like maybe, I don't know, maybe almost four years to finish. I'd been recording it since like before the pandemic. And so, once we finished it, was just such a, because the world stopped and then that was like its own thing. Everybody's just sitting in depression. So that was whack. I had to wait a whole, like, whole year and a half to keep working, to start back working on this thing that we had recorded. And then, and yeah, I mean, it was just, it was terrible emotionally. But to work out the actual music was obviously like the greatest thing ever because it's stuff that, some of the music's things we've been playing for a while, since we were kids like, me, Ben and Max and Ethan and Jojo and Quinn, like a lot of some of that music we've been playing for a really long time. And then a lot of it is brand new that I got the right with Q Ferb and Joe Cleveland and Chris Fishman. and Delvyn Brumfield-Kirlin and Colin Cook and Marcus Jones. And new songs with Van too, because he produced a great deal of like a lot of electronic stuff. So like it's all like a good mix of like each a specific period of time that was happening in my life because it took so long to record everything. So like all the lyrics are extremely significant and all the like the drum things and the solos took, it took a lot of time to just, I wanted it to be as perfect as possible to my imagination, not necessarily perfect, but close to my imagination as I could possibly get to it, which can take a long time. 

Abi Clark: No, for sure. 

Blaque Dynamite: Yeah, but once it's done, it's just awesome. You know, it's like, you know, and it's also a privilege to be able to work with people that have the patience to like sit with you and kind of dissect whatever, maybe ideas or unpack some type of emotion that needs to turn into a sound. 

Abi Clark: Yeah. And a lot of those players you said, you've known your whole life. Like I know some of them went back, go back to high school, right? What perfect people to really process some of that. And it feels like a release. and lots of standouts on that album from the way that it opens, kind of bringing me back to like the late 60s, like funk and just drive of like a Max Roach with that vocal that's just so like permeating to one of my favorites, Corduroy Suspenders, which really stretches out. It's great. 

Blaque Dynamite: Yeah, thank you. That's Matthew Babineau. That was written by Matthew Babineau, another person that went to Booker T with all of us. 

Abi Clark: Do you carry a lot of the same things that you learned from that pivotal school? Like so many greats came out of that high school. 

Blaque Dynamite: Literally, that's the only way I think. Like it was so instrumental to my like everything, anything music related. And I mean, life as well. Like that school was such a special place because it's like, it's like it's a college that is for teenagers, essentially. It's a high school, but like they treat it like it's a college program. So everything was extremely intense. Like the educational part of the, besides the music, like the theater teachers, the dance, everybody, everybody was really, really serious. So, and it, and it's, and those years, 14 to 18 are extremely formative years for a person's brain. So like, that's my whole formative years was at Booker T. I didn't go to any other school. So I don't really know what it feels like to like, be able to, I don't know, go to a football game and be in a marching band and things like the cheerleaders and things like that. I don't, know about that. But like, it's also, we grew up putting plays together, like with dancers, actors, and then we have to arrange the music and we have to write the, that's a whole different universe of, you know, brain, brain chemistry got, we have to use. 

Abi Clark: Yeah. No kidding. 

Blaque Dynamite: You know, 14 to 18. You're just putting a Wizard of Oz, play together. That's just not even realistic. 

Abi Clark: Wow, especially learning some of the same ways, you know, that the people have gone through, Roy Hargrove or Erykah Badu, you're learning the same track. 

Blaque Dynamite: We all have the same teachers. That's the thing. It's not even, I mean, the school is a wonderful palace, but like, we have the same teachers. Those same teachers that taught Erykah and Roy and Spud and Daniel and Shaun and Keith, like they didn't retire until years after we graduated. 

Abi Clark: Wow! 

Blaque Dynamite: So they were teaching us the exact same thing that they were talking to Roy and Erykah and Norah about. Like they were telling us the exact same brain chemics, do it like this, do it like this, is why this is important. If you don't do this, you're gonna be like this. If you do this, then do this, so this makes sense. Like, it's like, you know, it's full, it's like a whole DNA kind of process with that program. 

Abi Clark: Yeah, I mean, I'm sure, especially with the kind of music that you make, it's so exploratory. So to have that anchor. 

Blaque Dynamite: Bart Marantz! shout out Bart Marantz! 

Abi Clark: Is that one of your educators?  

Blaque Dynamite: Yeah, that's our jazz teacher! Mister E! Love you, Mister E! 

Abi Clark: One of the folks that you met there, one of your dear friends, Max Gerl, is the collaborator with your Hard Pan album. album, which you've been hard at work with. What's going on with that? And what kind of chemistry do you have with Max Gerl, like when you get into the studio together? 

Blaque Dynamite: It's like we can be blind and deaf and we would play the same thing. we would play the same thing! It wouldn't matter. We could be blind and deaf, but not knowing anything, we would just cough and magic, but we've been playing with each other since we were 14. 

Abi Clark: Right! 

Blaque Dynamite: And it's like, you know, almost 20 years of, you know, that's, yeah, that's more than, that's a lot of chemistry. 

Abi Clark: Not a lot of people have that, yeah, that opportunity, you've like grown with each other musically, I'm sure, over the years. 

Blaque Dynamite: Like, and we've played so many different things together. Like we've played really sick gigs together. We've played the most depressing, office party gigs when we were really young, like, just figuring out just how to just have a good time together. And we always did, we always figured that out. But we've done like all types of country gigs, rap gigs. We played for a rap group. We had a rap group, like EDBSG. 

Abi Clark: Oh yeah? 

Blaque Dynamite: It was, it's a lot of history. It's a lot of history. 

Abi Clark: What are you working on with this Hard Pan album? Did you have a destination in mind? What was your goal with this record? 

Blaque Dynamite: There's not a lot of like, you know, collabs in that way. Sometimes when you have a duo project, you can hear the two people versus it being a collective one person that's doing... I don't know, it's strange kind of doing duo records. So trying to figure out like how to make us still sound like a band was like kind of just the idea behind everything. And these are songs that we like to play and that we were able to like communicate well on together. And that's open enough for us to have, you know, like a playing field for us to just do whatever we also want to do to, you know, change things. But it was more so we wanted to just sound like two people that sound like a band. 

Abi Clark: So that making the, expanding the sound between the two of you. 

Blaque Dynamite: Yeah. 

Abi Clark: You're on your Sick and Tired tour right now, which is an EP that released last year, which I really enjoyed as well. Like from Sick and Tired, it has like an afro-rhythm, but also electronic-vibe. Is that kind of the centerpiece of this tour then? And then you're working in some, throwback songs and some new songs or? 

Blaque Dynamite: We're doing all, well, not all new songs, but I'm just, I'm excited about this new album. So I've been doing the new songs from the new album. And then I'm also doing songs from the Sick and Tired record. And I'm also doing stuff from the Stop Calling Me record. And then sometimes we'll do some things from Killing Bugs. You know, recently we've been doing more of the newer songs, like Sick and Tired and this new record. 

Abi Clark: What was going on with Sick and Tired? It's more electronic-leaning. Is that kind of the focus, to explore more of that realm? 

Blaque Dynamite: No, it was just, it was, that was a situational kind of thing. Like I wanted to sing. I was really like focused on writing and Ben Hickson and Stefan Ringer, they produced the whole thing. And me and Ben, Ben sent me like a bunch of instrumentals that were just like, I lost it! Which is that album; those are the ones that like I really lost it over. And then I just, I didn't get a chance to play drums on it and put a band on it. But also that wasn't the goal for that either. Like I wanted to write like song-songs. So, versus more of a jazz approach with the writing part of it. So, getting with the producer to write music versus writing with a band, I wanted that process for this album. 

Abi Clark: Did you learn? Did you get what you wanted from that? It must have been very different. 

Blaque Dynamite: Yeah, I love that album. I hope everybody else does. 

Abi Clark: It's great! Yeah, it's definitely great. I guess I was just speaking more personally, because you said you're not, you hadn't written like that before.  

Blaque Dynamite: Yeah, I'm normally like a part of the production process when we write. So like, maybe I play keys here, maybe it just stems from whatever idea that whoever I'm working with, but we're doing it together versus like, like me going through different instrumentals with the producers and them being like, you should try this, you should try this, you should try this. And it being a challenge for me to like, it was a challenge for me to have to like, create something from something else that I didn't necessarily think of first. So the emotional attachment to things, you just have to, for me, at least, like when I'm writing lyrics and stuff, if I have a melody in line, it's easier for me to write lyrics. If you show me that there's a melody and then there's a way to write, I'm like, okay, what do we do here? But you know, you figure it out. You figure it out. 

Abi Clark: I appreciate that about your nature when it comes to your music. It seems like you're not afraid to put yourself in new spaces, in new collaborations, and really feel that growth and explore fully and just creatively. I think that's like such a really amazing quality in your work. 

Blaque Dynamite: Thanks. Thank you, I appreciate that. I mean, that was another thing that we were taught at Booker T, like Mr. Davidson. If you're going to do anything, you got to really commit. Like we had this journal that we had to write for, He's our English teacher, by the way. We have this journal that we have to turn in at the end of every six-week period before our report card. And as a jazz kid, we like me, Ben, Max, Matthew, Alex Silver. Yeah, that was the jazz combo, right? We were like popular enough to leave school. But we would be on little like jazz school tours. And he would be like, you have to mail your journal in. Otherwise, I'm going to flunk your a**. And we're like, no, we're on tour. Like, this is lit. And he's like, bet. Tell your mom if she don't mail me your notebook, you’re failing and you won't be able to go to this contest. And I'm like, damn, I really need to, okay. But it's just the journal, you know, but he also was teaching you like, if you say you're going to do something, you need to follow through with it, which is a long game lesson that I learned, which is what he was telling us about. Like, whatever, you're doing something else important. This is also important so stay consistent as you do other things. Him and Bart Marantz's Congo and Mr. Boykin, Roger Boykin, these are all like super instrumental teachers in our lives that like taught us how to just be like decent human beings, relatively decent human beings, hardworking musicians, like ways to stay creative, ways to like just hone up to what you need to do. Like if you need to do something quickly, do it quickly, well. You figure out certain things that like get you to have a relatively complete package of what it means to be a functioning, a high functioning musician or artist, especially right now. 

Abi Clark: Yeah, it's a whole different game right now. I feel like there's so much as a musician that you have your hands in as your own brand and then there's, keeping up with your craft.. it's a lot. 

Blaque Dynamite: Yeah, I mean, you find a balance. You find a balance or not, you know, either you find a balance or you don't. 

Abi Clark: Right. That's true. Well, we're excited to have you in town at Dazzle on the 22nd. 

Blaque Dynamite: I’m lit! I'm so hyped for that! 

Abi Clark: Have you been in Colorado before or? 

Blaque Dynamite:  I haven't been to Denver in like 4 years, maybe. I think it's been like 3 or 4 years. And this is my first time at Dazzle too. And I have a few friends that have played there and they gave me really great reviews of it. So I'm excited to play and eat and talk s*** and yeah! 

Abi Clark: All the things! 

Blaque Dynamite: Yeah! 

Abi Clark: You bringing your band with you? 

Blaque Dynamite: Absolutely! 

Abi Clark: Your core band? 

Blaque Dynamite: Absolutely! Max Gerl is playing bass, obviously. And Javier Santiago is going to be playing keys and piano. And I'll be playing the kazoo. 

Abi Clark: The kazoo! 

Blaque Dynamite: Yeah. And... 

Abi Clark: Yo, what??? 

Blaque Dynamite: Yeah, no! I'll be up there doing my thing. 

Abi Clark: Cool! 

Blaque Dynamite: It'll be really cool. I'm really excited! 

Abi Clark: And you're bringing your kit? That thing is huge! 

Blaque Dynamite: I don't know. I haven't decided that yet. 

Abi Clark: Yeah, I was checking out a recent video a couple years ago. You had like percussive instruments on it and it's 2 kick drums. 

Blaque Dynamite: Yeah. I mean, I don't know if there's enough room? I would bring it if there's enough room. If there's enough room, I'll bring it. 

Abi Clark: They've got leaves for the stage, so it does get bigger. 

Blaque Dynamite: Really? 

Abi Clark: Yeah! 

Blaque Dynamite: Oh, Lord. Don't tell me that! Don't tell me that.