Ballard’s past and present recording sessions and touring associates read like a who’s who of jazz. To name a select few: Ray Charles, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, Joshua Redman, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and Brad Mehldau. His present work continues with the Brad Mehldau Trio, as co-leader of collective group FLY (featuring Mark Turner, Ballard, and Larry Grenadier) and with his own groups The Jeff Ballard Trio and Jeff Ballard Fairgrounds. In 2014 The Jeff Ballard Trio with Lionel Loueke and Miguel Zenon released their debut album, Time’s Tales, on Sony/OKeh Records. On January 25th, 2019 the group, Jeff Ballard Fairgrounds, will release their debut album entitled Fairgrounds on Edition Records. This album presents music recorded and selected from a tour done in March 2015. The music is filled with wide open improvisations and originals touching on the blues, rock and roll, electronica, RB. From the funky to meditative minimalistic spaces all the way to throw-down high energy free jazz, thus confirming Ballard as one of the most stylistically diverse drummers on the scene.