Jay Bellerose is an American drummer and percussionist known primarily for his session and live performance work. He has contributed to the work of many well-known artists.
Biography
Bellerose was born in Maine. A jazz enthusiast, he attended the Berklee College of Music where he worked with Paula Cole, Torsten de Winkel and others, and eventually went Los Angeles where he was part of Joe Henry's band.
Bellerose has been influenced by blues and jazz, and his sound is in part derived from his vintage 1940s Slingerland Rolling Bomber kit. He often performs with shakers strapped to his ankles. He often uses a shallow 32-inch bass drum.
Bellerose is a member of the Band of Sweethearts, which includes Brad Meinerding (guitar), Eric Heywood (pedal steel guitar) and Bellerose's long-time partner, Jennifer Condos (bass guitar). They frequently accompany Over the Rhine and other artists.
Bellerose performed on the 2007 Raising Sand album by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss and supported them on tour in 2008.
Bellerose supported Robert Plant and Alison Krauss at Glastonbury 2022.
Discography
The Invisible Light: Acoustic Space, with T Bone Burnett and Keefus Ciancia (2019)
With Larry Goldings and David Piltch
2014: Music from the Front Room (Sticky Mack)
With Adam Levy
2016: Blueberry Blonde (self–released)
With Dennis Brennan
1995: Jack in the Pulpit (Rounder) 1997: Iodine in the Wine (Rounder) 2000: Rule No. 1 (Esca)
With Paula Cole
1995: Harbinger (Warner Bros.) 1996: This Fire (Imago / Warner Bros.) 1999: Amen (Imago / Warner Bros.) 2007: Courage (Decca) 2016: This Bright Red Feeling (675 Records) 2016: 7 (675 Records) 2017: Ballads (675 Records) 2021: American Quilt (675 Records, distribution through Renew Records, BMG)
With Donna De Lory
2002: Live & Acoustic (self–released) 2012: In the Glow (Secret Road)
With Rhiannon Giddens
2015: Factory Girl (Nonesuch) 2015: Tomorrow Is My Turn (Nonesuch)
With Joe Henry
2003: Tiny Voices (ANTI–) 2007: Civilians (ANTI–) 2009: Blood from Stars (ANTI–) 2011: Reverie (ANTI–) 2014: Invisible Hour (Work Song)
With Elton John
2001: Songs from the West Coast (Mercury) 2013: The Diving Board (Mercury)
With Hugh Laurie
2011: Let Them Talk (Warner Bros.) 2013: Didn't It Rain (Warner Bros.)
With Aimee Mann
2002: Lost in Space (V2 / SuperEgo) 2005: The Forgotten Arm (SuperEgo) 2006: One More Drifter in the Snow (SuperEgo) 2008: @#%&*! Smilers (SuperEgo) 2012: Charmer (SuperEgo) 2017: Mental Illness (SuperEgo)
With Alexi Murdoch
2002: Four Songs (self–released) 2006: Time Without Consequence (Zero Summer)
With Nina Nastasia
2002: The Blackened Air (Touch & Go) 2006: On Leaving (FatCat) 2010: Outlaster (FatCat)
With Over the Rhine
2011: Long Surrender (Great Speckled Dog) 2013: Meet Me at the Edge of the World (Great Speckled Dog) 2014: Blood Oranges in the Snow (Great Speckled Dog)
With Madeline Peyroux
2004: Careless Love (Rounder / Universal) 2006: Half the Perfect World (Rounder / Universal) 2013: The Blue Room (Decca / Emarcy)
With Sam Phillips
2004: A Boot and a Shoe (Nonesuch) 2008: Don't Do Anything (Nonesuch) 2011: Solid State (Littlebox) 2013: Push Any Button (Littlebox)
With Punch Brothers
2015: The Phosphorescent Blues (Nonesuch) 2015: The Wireless (Nonesuch)
With Bonnie Raitt
2012 Slipstream (Redwing) 2016: Dig In Deep (Redwing)
With Pal Shazar
1999: Safe (Stylus) 2000: Woman Under the Influence (Stylus)
With Duncan Sheik
2002: Daylight (Atlantic) 2006: White Limousine (Rounder)
With Regina Spektor
2012: What We Saw from the Cheap Seats (Sire) 2016: Remember Us to Life (Sire)
With Dave Stringer
2004: Mala (Ajna) 2005: Japa (self–released)
With Allen Toussaint
2009: The Bright Mississippi (Nonesuch) 2016: American Tunes (Nonesuch)
With Suzanne Vega
2001: Songs in Red and Gray (A&M) 2014: Tales from the Realm of the Queen of Pentacles (Cooking Vinyl)
With Kenny White
2004: Symphony in 16 Bars (WildFlower) 2005: Never Like This (WildFlower)