ABOUT BLUE

Musician and Educator

Blue Noyes is a drummer, educator, and composer based out of Lawrence, Kansas. She began playing drum-set at age 2 after her parents discovered her interest in music. Beginning lessons at age 4, Blue has had a long time to develop her own style and technical abilities behind the drum set. She later began playing classical percussion instruments in the 5th grade, and went on to be a performing member of the KMEA All-State bands for 3 years in a row (mallets 2021-2022, jazz 2023).

Beginning in her Sophomore year of high school, Blue started playing small gigs around KC at bars, clubs, coffee shops, and private venues. Within 2 years, she was playing with some of the most influential musicians and bands in and around Kansas City such as Marcus Lewis, Matt Otto, Chris Hazelton, Jeff Harshbarger, Chris Burnett, Julia Haile, Eddie Moore, Matt Hopper, and various established groups at KC's Green Lady Lounge and Black Dolphin jazz clubs. She currently performs multiple times weekly with her quintet (New Resonance), the RSS Trio, and with various other local musicians.

During her life, Blue has had the opportunity to study with many great musicians. Her most influential teachers include Brandon Draper, Matt Otto, Dylan Bassett, Sam Platt, Dan Gailey, Loyd Warden, Brian Steever, Johnny Vidacovich, and Carl Allen.

Blue's musical repertoire spans many genres, from second line to metal, with a specialty in modern jazz and free improvisation musics. She has performed with groups of many different sizes ranging from organ duos and quintets to 50 person steel pan ensembles. She has performed and recorded with the KC Area Youth Jazz Fellows for two seasons (heard on the albums 2022 Fellows and 2023 Fellows), as well as releasing her own experimental solo drumset EP "Meditations On Human Emotion" and her newest full band album- First Steps (available only on BandCamp)

Blue is currently attending the University of Kansas and majoring in jazz studies where she works under the direction of Brandon Draper, Dan Gailey, and Matt Otto