About Ray
Specializing in straight-ahead, standards, and be-bop, with deep roots in the blues, Ray performs extensively in the Puget Sound area and teaches jazz piano and improvisation at Olympic College
in Bremerton, WA.
Born in Wichita KS (hey, don't laugh, Charlie Parker was born in Kansas too), Ray started playing piano and drums at a young age. Early -- and lasting -- influences include Wynton Kelly, Ahmad Jamal, Oscar Peterson, Thelonious Monk, Bill Evans, among many others. After successfully launching his professional musical career in Detroit, MI, he joined the U.S. Navy Music Program and toured Europe extensively with the Sixth Fleet band based in Naples, Italy. As a member of the prestigious U.S. Navy Band in Washington DC, Ray honed his chops playing for presidents, vice presidents, various world leaders, and heads of state. He has played with such jazz masters as trumpeters Marcus Belgrave and Bobby Shew, saxophonists Wendell Harrison and Ernie Rodgers, trombonists Andy Martin and Bob McChesney, and guitarist John Stowell.
Ray describes himself as a musical and intellectual auto-didact. In other words, he is mostly self-taught, and consequently, he says, "I mispronounce a lot of notes." This has resulted in his unique and authentic playing and compositional style. His musical philosophy is, "When you play jazz, you need to dig in and swing hard."
Now retired from the Navy Music Program, Ray is available for solo and combo gigs with some of the best area players. Enliven your event -- fundraisers, weddings, private parties -- with some tasty jazz! Ray is also available for teaching and workshops. Now accepting private students.
How to get in touch with Ray
Email: jazzentertainers@aol.com
