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Corey Fonville

orey Fonville, an influential drummer in today's music scene, has dedicated his life to learning the craft and its history in order to be one of the best drummers of his time. As an artist and music-enthusiast, he studied a variety of genres, mostly through his father’s music collection, which generally consisted of jazz, R&B, alternative, and funk. His skills are rooted in an eclectic background and call attention to the fact that music is hard to typify.

Originally from Virginia Beach, VA, Corey has played with recognized musicians whom have not only helped him develop as a drummer, but also introduced him to the life of a touring artist. Since the age of 2, Corey hasn’t been able to put the sticks down — music was always his passion. He first started creating a buzz after high school when he attended New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. While he lived in New York City, he played almost every night with prominent artists from the city and quickly made close connections with influential musicians. He eventually left New School to study at the Dave Brubeck Institute in Stockton, CA where he received a full scholarship to play drums. The Brubeck Institute gave Corey the opportunity to network with many artists whom he aspired to be and to whom he listened when he was a child.

Almost immediately after completing his studies at The Brubeck Institute, he began traveling the world with notable artists such as Nicholas Payton, Jacky Terrasson, and Christian Scott. Corey is currently working with Christian Scott Additionally, Corey has his own band Butcher Brown which he plans to continue recording with them and hopes to keep building a international fan base.

Corey has proved that his skills make him one of the most recognizable and accomplished contemporary drummers.

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11
Album Review

Lawrence Fields: To the Surface

Read "To the Surface" reviewed by Mike Jurkovic


As if chomping at the bit, pianist Lawrence Fields launches into his proper debut as a leader with “Parachute," a tune of his own making that strikes that perfect chord between piano trios past and present. And right away the listener is immersed in To The Surface. A fixture on Rising Star category since 2019, Fields, who has made his name in the piano chair for such determined and willful creators as Joe Lovano, Chris Potter, Terri Lyne ...

11
Album Review

Kurt Elling & Charlie Hunter: SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree

Read "SuperBlue: The Iridescent Spree" reviewed by Chris May


As Shakespeare said, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Kurt Elling and Charlie Hunter follow up their Grammy-nominated 2021 album, SuperBlue (Edition), with another sublime blend of jazz and groove. As on the first disc, jazz is represented by Elling, groove by Butcher Brown keyboardist DJ Harrison and drummer Corey Fonville. Hunter, who has had a foot in both camps for over two decades, acts as marriage broker. Some jazz fans have an aversion to singers, ...

1
Album Review

Kurt Elling: SuperBlue

Read "SuperBlue" reviewed by Angelo Leonardi


Nel pieno delle restrizioni Covid, la condizione artisticamente più difficile dopo la seconda guerra mondiale, Kurt Elling ha realizzato uno dei suoi album migliori, quello dal groove più intenso e coinvolgente.Il merito va condiviso col chitarrista Charlie Hunter e con gli altri due partner, il tastierista DJ Harrison e il batterista Corey Fonville. Chi segue la scena della black popular music attuale sa che i due sono membri del collettivo Butcher Brown, la band jazz/funk/hip-hop di Richmond che ...

12
Album Review

Chad Lefkowitz-Brown: Quartet Sessions

Read "Quartet Sessions" reviewed by Jack Bowers


The Quartet Sessions (there are two of them) mark the eighth recording as leader by New York-based tenor saxophonist Chad Lefkowitz-Brown, an heir-apparent to an acclaimed dynasty of hard-boppers whose monarchs include Dexter Gordon, Wardell Gray, Gene Ammons, Charlie Rouse, Hank Mobley, Sonny Rollins and their peers, and embraces such contemporaries as Eric Alexander, Don Menza and Josh Redman, among others. In fact, it's hard to listen to Lefkowitz-Brown (or Chad LB, as he is often called), especially on the ...

23
Album Review

Logan Richardson: AfroFuturism

Read "AfroFuturism" reviewed by Chris May


In a 2016 interview, Kansas City-born alto saxophonist Logan Richardson said: “Jazz will constantly change because there's constantly a new us, new times. There will always be a fight from the conformists--but they don't represent where the tradition is coming from." Richardson was talking not long after the release of his adventurous Blue Note album, Shift. Warning! That album sounds positively conservative compared to the paradigm-shattering monster AfroFuturism. Among the latest album's various conceptual references, either intended ...

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Album Review

Christian Scott aTunde Adjuah: Axiom

Read "Axiom" reviewed by Phillip Woolever


As evidenced here, those in attendance for Christian Scott Atunde Adjuah's 2020 engagement at New York's Blue Note from March 11-15 witnessed what turned out to be some of the most powerful performances of this restricted musical year, just before everyday life changed for most people on the planet. The record is dedicated to the victims of Corona-19. This exceptional concert compilation could well be the first of “jazz's" present day, classic live albums released during the pandemic ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

To the Surface

Rhythm 'n' Flow Records
2024

buy

SuperBlue: The...

Edition Records
2023

buy

AfroFuturism

WAX Industry / Whirlwind Recordings
2021

buy

Quartet Sessions

Self Produced
2021

buy

SuperBlue

Edition Records
2021

buy

Axiom

Ropeadope / Stretch Music
2020

buy

Parachute

From: To the Surface
By Corey Fonville

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