Ronnie Burrage

Ronnie Burrage grew up in St. Louis. When he was was nine years old, Duke Ellington brought him up from the audience to play drums with Duke’s band. And Ronnie’s fate was sealed.

Ronnie’s roots run deep here. As a teenager, he played drums for Fontella Bass and Mae Wheeler. Mentored and guided by members of the Black Artist Group, Floyd LeFlore, Julius Hemphill, Hamiet Bluiett, and JD Parran, Ronnie became the youngest member ever to join the St. Louis Metropolitan Jazz Quartet.

On moving to New York in the late 70s, he started touring with jazz masters, and began leading his own ensembles featuring renowned musicians including Kenny Kirkland, Wynton Marsalis, Wallace Roney, McCoy Tyner and Joe Ford. He was a big part of Weather Report for many years.

Ronnie Burrage is a percussionist, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, and producer. Currently serving as a professor at CUNY Brooklyn College, he is widely recognized as one of the finest jazz musicians on the scene today, with an extensive discography spanning over 170 recordings.

Blue Strawberry is thrilled to welcome Ronnie back to his home town. He kicks off the "St. Louis Comes Home" series of jazz greats coming home to play for their city. Thanks to St. Louis's own Kendrick Smith for producing this series.
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