In addition to regular headline slots at ‘Ronnie’s’, Ray has also performed throughout the UK, Europe, USA, Canada and Brazil at prestigious venues, festivals and events such as The Blue Note (NYC), Edinburgh Festival, VE Day celebrations in Trafalgar Square, Proms In The Park, Montreal Jazz Festival, Sir Paul McCartney’s wedding, The Ritz London for HM The Queen and opened for Robbie Williams at The Royal Albert Hall. Recently Ray headlined the 1940’s Torch Club at the inaugural Vintage At Goodwood Festival held in August 2010. His multiple award nominations include BBC Radio 2 Jazz Awards, Jazz Artist Of The Year, Best Of Jazz, BBC Radio 2 ‘Heart Of Jazz’ Award. In 2007 Ray won Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Award for ‘Best UK Small Band’. Gelato has performed live with his band on TV shows such as Strictly Dance Fever, ITV’s This Morning, TOTP2 , The Terry & Gaby Show and BBC News. Ray's songs have made many TV and movie appearances including Enigma, Scandal, Inventing The Abbotts, The Perfect Man, Levi’s Dockers commercial, No Reservations and most recently his version of ' If You Were The Only Girl In The World' was featured in the US TV series ‘Hung’. Ray’s first musical influences stemmed from his father, a US airman, living in London. Ray's dad had a huge collection of records by artists such as Sammy Davis, Dean Martin and Bill Haley. Later Ray discovered the sounds of Louis Jordan and Louis Prima, who would become huge influences on his music. On taking up tenor sax as a teenager, Ray was introduced to such sax greats as, Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Illinois Jacquet, Ben Webster etc. Around this time, Ray would ask to sit in with any live band that would let him! It was then that he realised that music was to be his life. Now considered by many to be one of the last in a long line of classic jazz entertainers and a true showman, Ray’s live repertoire includes a mixture of classic swingin’ standards from ‘the greats’ mixed with original self- RAY GELATO GIANTS
Awards
His multiple award nominations include BBC Radio 2 Jazz Awards, Jazz Artist Of The Year, Best Of Jazz, BBC
Radio 2 ‘Heart Of Jazz’ Award. In 2007 Ray won Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Award for ‘Best UK Small Band’.
Dates: Mon 13thSat 18th December 2010 Mon 20thThu 23rd December 2010 Wed 29thFri 31st December 2010
Ronnie Scott's 47 Frith Street London W1D 4HT Tel: 0207 439 0747
Times: Monday to Thursday: Doors open 6:00pm Friday and Saturday: Doors open 6pm and 10:30pm Sunday: Doors open 6.30pm
Ticket prices: £25£41.50 (31st Dec call for details) The 'Godfather Of Swing' Ray Gelato will perform 13 dates with his 7 piece band The Ray Gelato Giants ... read more
“This may be good time music (retro for sure) but it takes balls to play it this well” Jazzwise
“Gelato’s dapper mixture of swing and Louis Prima jumping jive remains as invigorating as ever” The Times
“To underestimate Ray and his albums is a mistake… he possesses real artistry” Evening Standard
“You close your eyes and hear shades of each tenor sax giant in his playing” Jazzwax New York
“He plays what he means and he means what he plays” Jools Holland
“Awesome sax man” Sam Butera
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