Lest We Forget, his 1st self-produced recording for Ron Blake Productions, pays tribute to three musicians – Stanley Turrentine, Charles Earland, and Grover Washington, Jr. - whose music transcended time and category and appealed to vast audiences during their lifetimes. The CD’s ten tracks, including Turrentine’s “Minor Chant,” Earland’s “More Today Than Yesterday,” (the cover of the Spiral Staircase song which earned Earland his greatest popularity) and Washington’s huge hit, “Mr. Magic,” provide a perfect platform for Blake’s distinctive sound and lyrical style of playing. On that track, as well as on such diverse selections as Michel Legrand’s “You Must Believe In Spring” and the traditional, Latin flavored “Asalto Navideño,” producer McBride contributes support on both acoustic and electric bass. Guitarist David Gilmore joins the band on four tracks, including Washington’s “Happenstance.” Lest We Forget also introduces the talents of a young trumpet player from the Virgin Islands (Blake’s own birthplace), “Rawshawn Ross, who is featured on five tunes, including the high-energy “Mighty Burner.”

A member of the Christian McBride Band since 2000, Ron continues to explore a wider range of musical styles with the very talented bassist and composer, as evidenced on McBride's latest release, Vertical Vision (Warner Bros). As a featured soloist with the new band Yerba Buena, which was named IBE Best New Alternative Latin Band of 2002, Ron returned to instruments he'd played during high school and university; the flute and baritone sax. Yerba Buena contributed two tracks to MCA's Red Hot Riot (2002), a compilation dedicated to the music of Fela Kuti, on which Ron joins musical forces with such diverse artists as Meshell N'degeocello and Common.

Born on September 7th in the Virgin Islands, Blake began playing the guitar at the age of eight. Two years later, after listening to his father's many recordings (a lot of Miles Davis, Jimmy Smith, Cannonball Adderley, and King Curtis), he began playing the alto saxophone. After graduating from Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan, Blake entered Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he studied primarily with classical saxophonist Dr. Frederick Hemke, and where he was awarded the Presidential Award for outstanding artistic and academic achievement. While still in college, Blake won first place at the Coleman Chamber Music Competition performing on baritone sax as a member of the Evanston Saxophone Quartet, which was the first saxophone quartet to win that classical competition.

Ron's early dreams of a professional career in jazz would begin to take shape in the summer of 1987, when he was in St. Thomas teaching in summer music programs. At the 1st Virgin Islands Jazz Festival he met and played with the great Dizzy Gillespie, Bobby Hutcherson, Gary Bartz, Jimmy Hamilton, and others. It had a tremendous impact on him, and he subsequently received an NEA Grant to study with Gary Bartz prior to arriving in New York some years later.

Upon graduation from Northwestern, Ron immersed himself in Chicago's jazz scene, where he further honed his skill, performing with Von Freeman, Wilbur Campbell, Jody Christian, and Willie Pickens, among others. During this period he also began taking interest in the tenor saxophone, working with the Chicago Jazz Orchestra and performing with such artists as Nancy Wilson, Louis Bellson, and Clark Terry.

In 1990, Ron left Chicago and moved to Tampa, Florida after being appointed Assistant Professor of Jazz Studies at the University of South Florida (USF). During a two-year stay at USF, he maintained an active performing career, leading the faculty jazz quartet as well as performing with the Florida Symphony Orchestra. He made frequent trips to New York City, sitting in with Branford Marsalis at the Village Vanguard as well as performing with pianists Mulgrew Miller and Kenny Kirkland.

Moving to New York City in 1992, Ron joined the Roy Hargrove Quintet (through 1997), and quickly became one of the most sought after jazz saxophonists in America. He has performed at most major jazz festivals and clubs internationally, and has been fortunate to share the stage with such jazz greats as Johnny Griffin, Arthur Taylor, Stanley Turrentine, Jimmy Smith, Bobby Hutcherson, Benny Golson, Art Farmer, Roy Haynes, and Ray Brown. Ron has made over thirty jazz recordings with his contemporaries as well as with jazz masters Art Farmer, Benny Golson, Jimmy Smith, and Arthur Taylor. He was also a member of the Art Farmer Quintet for seven years.

In 1998, Ron and drummer and fellow Virgin Islander Dion Parson released 21st Century (Tahmun), which received critical acclaim worldwide. As the leader of the Ron Blake Quartet, which featured Shedrick Mitchell on piano, Rueben Rogers on bass and Greg Hutchinson on drums, Blake continued to inspire and innovate. His debut recording with that band, Up Front & Personal, released in 2000, included eight highly original songs, either composed, arranged or co-written by Blake, which amplified his Caribbean heritage and emphasized the breadth of knowledge of various jazz styles. Up Close and Personal also includes the tune "Waltswing!" by Blake’s mentor Johnny Griffin, who appears on the CD as a special guest.

Inspired by their passing from the music scene within a ten month span, on Lest We Forget, Ron Blake has paid fitting tribute to both the memory and ongoing legacy of three jazz greats, and in doing so, has taken another step toward insuring that his own legacy be built.

Ron Blake endorses RICO Reeds, Keilwerth saxophones, and sandals by Zora's of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.