Home » Jazz Articles » Take Five With... » Take Five With Ray George

262

Take Five With Ray George

By

Sign in to view read count
Meet Ray George:

Mixing... musical talent; acting bbility and audience participation. Ray George presents a uniquely different approach to the music and club scene.

Standards, oldies, vintage music. Songs ff Gershwin, Porter and Berlin. Oldies from Carol King, The Everly Brothers And Elvis. Mellow, vocal styling, with backings of light jazz combo group, pop arrangements and big band sounds. Variety, with swing!

Ray George puts the emphasis on vocal standards, pop standards and vintage oldies.

His interaction with the audience, engaging them in musical trivia competition, helps to keep the audience involved in his shows.

Instrument(s):

Vocalist.

Teachers and/or influences? Big Band; Swing and jazz music from the '30s and '40s.

I knew I wanted to be a musician when... I heard my first Big Band record. A 78 RPM on the jukebox in my parents' cafe.

Your sound and approach to music: Try for a club sound, sometimes intimate, sometimes brassy and bold.

Create backing tracks for vocal practice; keep reworking them until they are just right!

Make it swing, swing, swing!

Your teaching approach: I do not teach music.

Your dream band:

To be able to sing and to work with a live Big Band!

Road story: Your best or worst experience:

Have never been on the road.

Favorite venue:

Have not found the perfect venue yet; but am still looking.

Your favorite recording in your discography and why?

No recordings available yet.

The first Jazz album I bought was: Benny Goodman's Swing Into Spring EP.

What do you think is the most important thing you are contributing musically?

Keeping the music of the '30s and '40s alive, as well as the songwriters and artists of that period.

Did you know...

I used to be a folk singer, song writer and guitarist.

CDs you are listening to now: Right now, delving into old recordings and videos of the '30s and '40s Big Bands. I especially like Duke Ellington and Cab Calloway.

Desert Island picks:

Anything by Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, Glen Miller and Artie Shaw.

How would you describe the state of jazz today?

I prefer Swing music to the jazz of today.

What are some of the essential requirements to keep jazz alive and growing?

We must promote jazz music to younger folks, and instil in them a love and respect for jazz.

What is in the near future?

Forming my own jazz combo.

By Day:

None.

If I weren't a jazz musician, I would be a:

Priest or Monk.

Comments

Tags


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Jazz article: Take Five with Saxophonist Nick Stefanacci
Jazz article: Meet Tubist Jim Shearer
Take Five With...
Meet Tubist Jim Shearer
Jazz article: Take Five With Pianist Olivia Perez-Collellmir
Jazz article: Take Five With Bassist / Composer Jakob Dreyer

Popular

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.