Five–time GRAMMY Award–winning Terence Blanchard has been a consistent artistic force in making powerful musical statements concerning painful American tragedies past and present. With the April 20 release of his new Blue Note album Live, the trumpeter/composer and his band, The E–Collective, address the staggering cyclical epidemic of gun violence in America. These seven powerful songs, recorded live in concert in areas where gun violence has occurred, reflect the bitter frustration of the conscious masses while also providing a balm of emotional healing. Live is an impassioned continuation of the band’s GRAMMY–nominated studio recording, Breathless, hailed by Larry Blumenfeld in The Wall Street Journal as Terence Blanchard’s “most accessible CD in years yet also one of his most complex.” “This band represents the best of America's ideals,” says Blanchard. “We’re five very different personalities with different visions who play together for a common goal: creating music that hopefully heals hearts and opens minds. Live is an album for these troubled times yet it’s also an album filled with hope.”  Terence Blanchard - trumpet Charles Altura - guitar Fabian Almazan - piano and keys David Ginyard Jr. - bass Joe Blaxx Grissett - drums