About Ronnie Burrage

Ronnie Burrage is a renowned musician, composer, producer and educator. As a drummer percussionist and composer, Ronnie’s style draws from jazz, funk and soul.

As a producer Ronnie has a history of creating influential global music and jazz educational initiatives and festivals. In 1987 he was invited to the University of Sankt Polten Austria to advise in the creation of their jazz music section and their first international jazz festival. In 2008 he helped in the creation of the International Jazz School in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. From 2008-2015 he was the advisor to the Penn State Jazz Club where he procured all the artist and created world music festivals that included artist such as Joe Lavano, The Grover Washington Tribute Band, Gary Bartz Group, MC Lyte, Amiria Baraka, Sonya Sanchez, Sonny Fortune Band, Ablaye Cissoko and artist from Peru, Japan and Cuba. Similarly, his musical career has allowed him to perform at Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, Wimbledon Stadium, Taj Mahal, Royal Albert Hall, Mann Theater Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, Sir Shankar Lal Concert Hall, Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Yamaha Hall and many other venues and festivals around the world.

Having performed with numerous well-known artists throughout the years, Ronnie was awarded the opportunity to perform with Duke Ellington in Ronnie’s hometown of Saint Louis at the age of nine. Ronnie moved to New York City, at age 17, and began playing with St. Louis musicians that include John Hicks, Hamiet Bluiett and the Bowie brothers, trumpeter Lester, trombonist and vocalist Joseph Bowie. In addition, Ronnie was a founding member of the popular Punk Punk/Rock/Funk/Jazz group “Defunkt”. His working relationships continued to grow with bassist’s Teruo Nakamura, Major Holley and pianist Sir Roland Hanna. Ronnie’s career was thrust into notoriety once he began working with Sonny Fortune. This led to his three-year stint with McCoy Tyner, during this time he also worked with Sonny Rollins, Pat Metheny, Jackie McLean, Aurther Blythe and many others. After working with trumpeter Woody Shaw, Burrage founded an “avant-garde jazz” group named “Third Kind of Blue” with bassist Anthony Cox and saxophonist John Purcell.

In the 1990’s, he began producing and recording artists like, violinist Billy Bang, saxophonist Hamiet Bluiett, The World Saxophone Quartet. Ronnie has also toured and recorded with, Wayne Shorter, Jaco Pastorius, Joe Zawinul, Courtney Pine, Sonny Fortune, Randy Brecker, Richard Davis, Eddie Gomez, Chico Freeman, Bobby Hutcherson, Jackie McLean and many other giants of jazz. He toured with the Smithsonian Jazz MasterWorks orchestra under the direction of Gunther Schuller, and saxophonist Julius Hemphill’s notable recording, “Big Band”. Burrage can be heard on more than 100 recordings on major recording companies as well as producing 10 on his own independent record label.

To date, Ronnie Burrage has led programs and taught at The Pennsylvania State University, University of the Arts and continues to teach courses such as “History of Jazz” and “Music of Global Cultures” at SUNY Old Westbury and CUNY Brooklyn Conservatory. He also leads a trio, “Holographic Principle” that recently released their Grammy-considered album “Dance of the Great Spirit”. With regards to WRA, Ronnie functions as president and producer, overseeing partner relationships and event logistics.