Ray Blue
Always With A Purpose
© 2001 Ray Blue (4042064001476)
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"Smooth jazz in a classic way, sensitive and very expressive... an old fashioned touch to his unpretentious mainstream sound."
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RAY BLUE HAS AN ESSENTIAL SAXOPHONE QUALITY, HE OWNS A BIG SOUND"
Ray Blue born in Portsmouth, Virginia was raised in Peekskill, New York and now lives in Berlin and New York City. Ray grew up playing clarinet, bass clarinet and saxophone in school orchestras, concert, jazz big bands as well as r&b/soul bands. Rays focus has always been on developing his skills as a musician and music clinician.
Ray studied with Paul Jeffreys, Charles Davis and Sonny Sherrock while taking advisement from Ornette Coleman and mentoring with Arthur Blythe and others. He continued his intense study while working in different jazz and r&b bands on the New York scene and emerged an accomplished composer, arranger and performer on tenor and soprano saxophones. Over the years, he�s been both student and teacher. He relishes both roles. Ray is a performer, educator/clinician, consulting and performing in festivals, concerts, colleges, universities and public schools internationally. He is an endorsee of GB Saxophones, Metz, France and Jody Jazz Mouthpieces, New York, New York. "The Ray Blue Jazz Award", established in 2004 at Wm. Penn University, is presented annually to a graduating senior.
In addition to leading his own band, Cross-Continental Spirit, Ray is a mainstay with Spirit of Life Ensemble, a New York based band. He worked with the Sun Ra Arkestra, Cotton Club All Stars and other bands that included such musicians as Clifford Adams, Steve Turre, Gary Bartz, Ted Curson, Eddie Henderson, Joe Ford, Joe Lee Wilson, Noel Pointer, Ed Pasant, John Gilmore and former teacher Charles Davis. As a leader John Patton, Wycliff Gordon, Ed Cherry, Michael Cocherane, Bruce Cox, Benny Powell, Art Davis, Beldon Bullock, Doc Powell, Calvin Hill, Chip White, Andy McKee, Reggie Moore, Larry Willis, Bobby Battle, Victor Jones, Sipho Kunene and others have shared the stage and/or recording studio with Ray.
Ray Blue's performance history includes festivals, concerts, nightclubs, TV specials, TV commercials, documentary films and live theatre. Ray has recorded with bands for Columbia, RCA and Crystal record companies and other independent labels. In 2001 his first CD, "Always With A Purpose" was released.
In November 2004 there was a release of the CD "Ray Blue Live At Liars" and May 2005, Ray Blue Live At Liars 2. Ray is currently recording on the NeuKlang record label and his new CD,Transvision will be released in 2006. He is also preparing to record a CD of Spiritual Music and one of American-South African jazz.
Festival performances as leader and featured artist include: North Sea Jazz Festival-Cape Town and Macufe Festival-Bloemfontain, South Africa; European Union Annex Festival-Dublin, Ireland; Audi Jazz Festival-Brussels, Belgium; Berlin Fringe Jazz Festival and Koepenick Jazz Festival-Berlin, Germany; Macao Jazz Festival-Macao and Midi Music Festival-Beijing, China; Newport in New York Festival-New York and New York State Black Arts Festival-Albany, New York; Bayonne Jazz Festival-Bayonne and Foix Jazz Festival-Foix, France; Pori Jazz Festival-Pori, Finland and more.
Contact: Email - ray@rayblue.com
Tel. +49-(0)160 278 1233 or +49-(0)30 33 77 85 76 (Germany)
+1-646-319-8008 (U.S.A.)
Ray Blue / Concert Review
“The highlight September performance in Paris was tenor saxophonist Ray Blue. This former member of Sun Ra's Arkestra and student of Ornette Coleman set the Caveau des Oubliettes on fire. Also a member of the Spirit of Life Ensemble, he played for a full and enthusiastic house. The aptly named Blue showed a warm penchant for the blues, with wild forays into some circular breathing. He offered great poetic impact on originals and displayed a thick and multifaceted tone. His music was fresh and captured the mind without straying away too long from the strongest groove.”
Downbeat (US),/ Jazz Hot (Paris)
Ray Blue / Concert Preview and Interview
“His name is his business card. The “blue” which in Jazz usually stands for a melancholy mood, seems, if you listen to his music, to refer to the color of the clear sky. His playing is like a relaxed giant slalom in a deserted snow landscape. Ray Blue is being praised for his tone; in its depth he has the sonorous confidentiality of the baritone saxophone, in its height the gentle smoothness and sensitivity of the alto.” Berliner Morgenpost
Ray Blue Portrait and Interview
“While Blue's brand of self-expression is certainly free, his saxophone timbre is just like he is - natural, modest and skilfully controlled, … his trademark is a soft and relaxed quality. … Looking at Blue's very personalized style of performance, one can see clearly that he is very true to his purpose of connecting people with his music.” China Daily
CD Review “Always With A Purpose”
“Relaxation is the theme and the feeling that one gets from this album, which presents wonderful After Hours Jazz in a classical quartet.” Tagesspiegel
CD Review “Always With A Purpose”
“After listening to the nine pieces, which are performed by a quartet – apart from five of his own compositions the CD presents convincing interpretations of Jazz standards such as Duke Ellington’s “In A Sentimental Mood” – you wonder why the tenor saxophonist waited so long (to release his first album). He has a unique sound on his instrument, which is played with a pure tenor quality, adding a special and – in a positive sense – old-fashioned touch to his all in all unpretencious Mainstream Jazz.” Jazz thing magazine,
“Stuff’n Such – New York Saxophonist Ray Blue displayed his talent in Berlin
With the brilliance of his sound the New York Saxophonist Ray Blue brings out new attractions to the standard tunes. A convincing performance.“ Jazzportal meOme, May 2001
Ray Blue / Concert Preview
“Smooth Jazz.... a sensitive, very expressive music. One could say Ray is „singing on the saxophone“ ... wonderful Jazz which gets underneath your skin.“ Jazzdimensions
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very relaxing and soulful!
author: Lisa SchmidtThis is exactly the kind of music I like to hear when I'm trying to unwind! Ray's sound just oozes with emotion! LOVE it!