Bruce Hornsby

===The Noisemakers===
Hornsby's touring band lineup underwent extensive changes between 1998 and 2000, with longtime drummer [[John Molo]] joining former [[Grateful Dead]] bassist [[Phil Lesh]] in his band [[Phil Lesh & Friends]].<ref name=grateful/> A set of twenty consecutive shows performed by Hornsby and his band at [[Yoshi's Jazz Club]] in [[Oakland, California]] included a lot of spontaneity and taking requests from the audience, a form that he continues at live shows to this day.<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.diablomag.com/blog/popcorn-picks/awesome-exclusive-interview-with-bruce-hornsby/article_cacd09fa-2e32-5665-a9cc-85a775adc89d.html | title=Awesome Exclusive Interview with Bruce Hornsby | work=Diablo | date=March 20, 2015}}</ref> As Hornsby experimented with a different sound, ushering in frequent collaborations with such musicians as [[Steve Kimock]] on guitar and Bobby Read on heavily effects-driven electronic woodwinds, a new band, dubbed the Noisemakers, took shape. In 2000, Hornsby chronicled this journey with a compilation live album entitled ''[[Here Come the Noise Makers]]'', and did extensive touring with his new band featuring John "J.T." Thomas ([[keyboard instrument|keyboards]], [[organ (music)|organ]]), Bobby Read ([[saxophone]]s, [[woodwinds]], [[flute]]), J.V. Collier ([[bass guitar|bass]]), Doug Derryberry ([[guitar]], [[mandolin]]), and several different drummers before [[Sonny Emory]] took over full-time.

[[File:BruuuceRequests.jpg|right|thumb|Hornsby performing a solo piano show June 21, 2005, in [[North Bethesda, Maryland]], audience requests visible across keyboard]]
In 2002, Hornsby released ''[[Big Swing Face (Bruce Hornsby album)|Big Swing Face]]''. The album was Hornsby's most experimental effort to date. It was the only album on which Hornsby barely plays any piano and relied heavily on post-electronica beats, drum loops, Pro Tools editing, and dense synthesizer arrangements.<ref name="allmusic-bigswingface">{{cite web | last=Erlewine | first=Stephen Thomas | title=Big Swing Face: Overview | url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r593251|pure_url=yes}} | publisher=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine | url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/75176/hornsby-eschews-trademark-sound-for-big-swing-face/ | title=Hornsby Eschews Trademark Sound For 'Big Swing Face' | magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] | date=July 8, 2002}}</ref> ''Big Swing Face'' received mixed reviews, ranging from "a new and improved Bruce Hornsby"<ref>{{cite web | last=Miller | first=Skyler | title=Halcyon Days: Overview | url={{AllMusic|class=album|id=r695109|pure_url=yes}} | publisher=[[AllMusic]]}}</ref> to being called one of the "strangest records of 2002".<ref name="allmusic-bigswingface" />

In 2004, after 19 successful years on RCA Records, Hornsby signed with [[Columbia Records]] and returned to a more acoustic, piano-driven sound on his Columbia Records debut album, ''[[Halcyon Days (Bruce Hornsby album)|Halcyon Days]]'', released in June 2004. Guests included [[Sting (musician)|Sting]], [[Elton John]] and [[Eric Clapton]].<ref>{{Cite press release | url=https://www.sony.com/content/sony/en/en_us/SCA/company-news/press-releases/sony-music-entertainment/2004/bruce-hornsby-comes-to-columbia-records-with-new-album-halcyon-days.html | title=Bruce Hornsby Comes to Columbia Records With New Album, Halcyon Days | publisher=[[Sony Music]] | date=June 1, 2004}}</ref>

Throughout tours following the album's release, both with the Noisemakers and in solo performances, Hornsby continued to demonstrate his desire to "grow" as a singer and performer and to expand the instrumental possibilities of the piano in various genres.<ref name="cathalenaeburch" />

In July 2006, Hornsby released a four-CD/DVD box set titled ''[[Intersections (1985–2005)]]''. The discs are thematically broken into three categories: "Top 90 Time", "Solo Piano, Tribute Records, Country-Bluegrass, Movie Scores", and "By Request (Favorites and Best Songs)".<ref>{{Cite news | url=https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2006-08-25/397721/ | title=Bruce Hornsby | first=JIM | last=CALIGIURI | work=[[The Austin Chronicle]] | date=August 25, 2006}}</ref> A full third of the music is previously unreleased; many familiar tracks are presented as unreleased live versions rather than the original studio recordings, and the majority of the remaining tracks are from single [[B-side]]s, collaborations or tribute albums, and movie soundtracks.<ref>{{cite web | title=Bruce Hornsby: Intersections | publisher=[[All About Jazz]] | url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/bruce-hornsby-intersections-1985-2005-by-john-kelman.php | last=Kelman | first=John | date=November 4, 2006}}</ref> One song, "Song H", a new composition, was nominated for Best Pop Instrumental in 2007 at the [[49th Annual Grammy Awards]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/winners-nominees/193 | title=GRAMMY Awards Winners & Nominees for Best Pop Instrumental Performance | publisher=[[Grammy Awards]]}}</ref>

In 2007, Hornsby began more regularly playing classical music: at a concert in [[St. Louis, Missouri]], during Hornsby's improvisational session in "The Way It Is", he began playing [[J.S. Bach]]'s [[Goldberg Variations]] along with the drums. In a different city, he played five straight Goldberg Variations over the drum intro of "Gonna Be Some Changes Made".<ref name=hitsong/>

On September 15, 2009, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers released their fourth album, ''[[Levitate (Bruce Hornsby album)|Levitate]]'' to mixed reviews; it included new solo material with several songs co-written with Chip DiMatteo for the Broadway play ''[[SCKBSTD]]''.

In May 2011, the band released a live album, ''Bride of the Noisemakers''.

On June 17, 2016, Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers released their sixth album and fourth studio album, ''Rehab Reunion''. Hornsby only plays the [[dulcimer]] on the album and does not play piano. The album was also Hornsby's first release on 429 Records. Like on many of his previous releases, ''Rehab Reunion'' features collaborations with guest artists. [[Justin Vernon]] of [[Bon Iver]] sings background vocals on "Over the Rise". [[Mavis Staples]] duets with Hornsby on "Celestial Railroad". Also noteworthy is a folk version of "The Valley Road", originally a hit in 1988 with Hornsby's first backing band, the Range.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.niagara-gazette.com/news/night_and_day/jennings-bruce-hornsbys-show-will-be-the-way-it-is/article_ba5e862a-b61b-5fe1-9fa4-34a1bf006ff8.html | title=JENNINGS: Bruce Hornsby's show will be 'The Way It Is' | first=Thom | last=Jennings | work=[[Niagara Gazette]] | date=June 14, 2018}}</ref>