Ray Blue - Transvision

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 42:22
Size: 39,3 MB
Art: Front

( 7:52) 1. Attitude
( 8:44) 2. Classic Meeting
(10:36) 3. Softly as in a Morning Sunrise
( 5:31) 4. My Friend and I Took a Walk
( 9:36) 5. Transvision

Bauer Studios released Transvision on the Neu Klang label. I had reviewed other releases that Ray Blue and many of the personnel on Transvision participated on, (please read the Music Scene - Spirit of Life Ensemble - a little oasis), so I knew that Transvision would be tight, creative, and worth listening to; I was not wrong. I know Ray and his co-producer Daoud-David Williams personally, thus when I saw that Ray had listed the release from "Ray Blue and Cross Continental Spirits," I knew that this would be a collaboration with some of the best musicians in the industry. The personnel on Transvision work independently, and many work long international gigs, but it seems that when one of the group has a project ready to be recorded, the individuals make time to contribute; the bond that holds the personnel together is stronger than music, it is respect, admiration, and love for their fellow performer, and the music reflects this philosophy.

Transvision is five tracks that note-for-note pack a powerful sound; as Ray writes, "we recorded in a classic style, not too many tunes, make a statement and move on to the next idea." Ray Blue wrote four tracks and arranged all five tracks. Ray is a musician who knows how to blend his sound with the other musicians, and his arrangements are not about him, but about the total compilation. The lead track Attitude is full of attitude, it features some great individual solos as Ray lets the group spread their wings and loosen up, and the result is a progressive, fused sound, not a series of random solos. When I listened to the track Classic Meeting, I could feel that special feeling that I had when I happened upon my love at first sight, and love of my life, my wife, Debra C. Argen.

Classic Meeting is a beautiful and heart rendering song that shows off the true talents of the ensemble. The third track Softly as in a Morning Sunrise is a jazz standard that swings, it features Ray on saxophone and Michael Cochrane on piano; Ray takes the arrangement's tempo down a bit, but nothing is lost as this standard still pops. My friend and I took a Walk features Joan Minor providing the spoken word to complement Ray's mesmerizing saxophone; in addition, the lyrics embody the friendship between the band members. The last track Transvision takes us home with an up-tempo beat that connects all of the players musically and spiritually. Ray writes, "As our life paths intersect we experience several transformations and find elements of true friendship," this encapsulates the release Transvision. http://luxuryexperience.com/music_scene/music_artists/ray_blue_-_transvision.html

Personnel: Ray Blue: saxophonist, composer, arranger, co-producer; Daoud-David Williams: multi percussionist, co-producer; Michael Cochrane: piano; Calvin Hill: bass; Bruce Cox: drums; Willie Williams: conga-percussionist; Joan Minor: spoken word

Transvision

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Ray Blue - Berries and Blues

Styles: Saxophone Jazz
Year: 2017
File: MP3@128K/s
Time: 48:48
Size: 45,7 MB

(0:47) 1. Lift Every Voice and Sing
(5:20) 2. Baby Just Tell Me
(4:49) 3. Berries for Breakfast
(5:37) 4. There Is No Greater Love
(8:10) 5. Stella by Starlight
(5:25) 6. Work
(6:10) 7. Strollin
(6:26) 8. Here We Go
(5:21) 9. Ubuntu
(0:39) 10. Amazing Grace

Ray Blue - a big saxophone sound that touches your soul. Saxophonist Ray Blue has a sound and style that are energetic, powerful, and sensitive. Ray takes you for a musical ride that is characterized by passion and precision. He delivers dynamic poetic phrases, strong grooves and leaves audiences wanting more. A Ray Blue Music Experience stays with you for a long time. “Ray Blue has a majestic presence. When playing, his sense of purpose is obvious. As evidence of that - people’s enthralled smile. It's one thing to be a good composer it's another to be a great performer. Ray Blue's got the whole package.” (Jean Szlamowicz, Jazz Hot, Down Beat)

“Growing up in New York in a musically rich environment, I learned an appreciation for all music”, Ray says. “Through music I am able to help people experience wonderful moments… I love what I do, whether performing, composing or just listening ...music is wonderful. I want to bring people together to share and gain an understanding of the music and one another”. Having studied music and performed all his life, Ray began playing clarinet at age 8 and added tenor saxophone and bass clarinet at age 14. “My Jr. High School music teacher introduced the class to ‘Kind of Blue’ by Miles Davis. ‘This is your music’, he said. That was it for me.”

Jazz, r&b and soul music became Ray’s passion in High School and he started playing for dances and in clubs at age 15. During these years he was nurtured by several musicians in his community: the late Dr. Jesse J. Johnson, Dr. Art Davis, Asbury “Sticks” Medowbrook and Vince Corozine as well as his contemporaries, Chip White and Michael Cochrane. Ray learned to be a student of the music, the importance of being an avid listener and to embrace the tradition of jazz.

He later studied at the Jazz Mobile with Charles Davis also with Paul Jeffreys, Charlie Lagond, Sonny Sharrock and was mentored by Arthur Blythe and Ornette Coleman, with whom he maintains a close relationship. Ray Blue is a graduate of the University of Iowa and Wm. Penn University, which annually presents “The Ray Blue Jazz Award” to a graduating senior.

Over the years, Ray played in jazz, blues and r&b bands on the New York scene and learned from veteran musicians in a variety of contexts. He honed his skills as a saxophonist, composer and leader performing in clubs, concerts, at festivals and recorded with bands for Columbia Records, RCA Records and several Independent record labels. Ray has performed with a host world known musicians including Steve Turre, John Gilmore, Michael Cochrane, Eddie Henderson, Gary Bartz, Clfford Adams, T.K. Blue, Victor Jones, Joe Ford and Blues Legend Bob Gaddy, The Sun Ra Arkestra, The Cotton Club All Stars and others. He is also a main stay with the Spirit of Life Ensemble. As a leader; John Patton, Wycliff Gordon, Michael Cochrane, Ed Cherry, Larry Willis, John Betch, Wayne Dockery, Bobby Battle, Bruce Cox, Benny Powell, Chip White, Calvin Hill and many more have shared the stage and studio with Ray. Ray performs on numerous world stages connecting people with his music.

His festival performances as leader and featured artist include: Zanzibar International Film Festival, Zanzibar, Tanzania; North Sea Jazz Festival-Cape Town, South Africa; Macufe Festival-Bloemfontain, South Africa; European Union Annex Festival-Dublin, Ireland; Audi Jazz Festival-Brussels, Belgium; Macao Jazz Festival, China; The Newport in New York Festival, New York, New York; New York State Black Arts Festival-Albany, New York; Köpenick Jazz Festival-Berlin, Germany; Midi Music Festival-Beijing, China; Pori Jazz Festival, Finland; Foix Jazz Festival, France; Bayonne Jazz Festival, France and others. Ray released his first CD, Always with a Purpose, in 2001. Then came “Ray Blue Live at Liars Theater” in 2004 and “Ray Blue Live at Liars Theater 2” in 2005. And in 2006 Ray released ‘Transvision’ on the Neu Klang label. Most of the songs were composed while traveling and meeting people around the world…”It's a celebration of friendships.”

A monumental experience for Ray was to establish a connection in Africa and in 2003 he visited South Africa for the first time. While performing with South African musicians, conducting jazz and educational workshops, a unique blend of musical language was being formed. This was a fusion of American and African cultures, rhythms and melodies. People listened, danced, smiled and it happened everywhere his music was performed. For Ray this was “like coming back home.” Ray returns to Africa each year to perform, study and conduct workshops. He is now working on an American-African World Music production for a new release. Mr. Blue is also an educator/clinician and he consults at colleges, universities, schools and communities around the world. He is the founder of Cross-Cultural Connection, Inc. a 501 (c) 3 performance and educational organization that promotes jazz in educational and community institutions. Ray Blue lives in New York, U.S.A. and Berlin, Germany. https://www.allaboutjazz.com/musicians/ray-blue

Berries and Blues

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