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.

Mentored and guided by members of the Black Artist Group, Floyd LeFlore, Julius Hemphill, Hamiet Bluiett, and JD Parran, Ronnie became the youngest member of BAG. He was also the youngest to join the St. Louis Metropolitan Jazz Quartet, which featured, John Mixon, Freddie Washington, "Ironhead" James Matthews, and Willi Aikens.

On moving to New York in the late 70s, he started touring with jazz masters McCoy Tyner, Sonny Rollins, and Sonny Fortune. He began leading his own ensembles featuring renowned musicians including Kenny Kirkland, Wynton Marsalis, Wallace Roney, and Joe Ford. He also toured with Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorious, and Joe Zawinul 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.