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Matt Ray

MATT RAY is a Brooklyn-based pianist, singer, songwriter, arranger, and music director. His arrangements have been called “wizardly” (Time Out NY) and “ingenious” (NY Times), and his piano playing referred to as “classic, well-oiled swing” (NY Times) and “to cry for” (Ebony). For his work on Taylor Mac’s show A 24- Decade History of Popular Music he and Mac shared the 2017 Kennedy Prize for Drama Inspired By American History. Notable live performances include playing at Carnegie Hall with Kat Edmonson, headlining his own show at Lincoln Center, playing the Hollywood Bowl with reggae legend Burning Spear, and touring the Caribbean and Central America with his piano trio as a US Department of State Jazz Ambassador. Other work includes music directing The Billie Holiday Project at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, penning a string and piano arrangement for the fifth season finale of Showtime’s Nurse Jackie, music directing for Justin Vivian Bond, performing with Joey Arias, a month of shows at the Edinburgh Fringe with Lady Rizo, music directing Taylor Mac’s Obie award winning play The Lily’s Revenge at the HERE Arts Center in New York, and co-writing songs for and performing in Bridget Everett’s one-hour Comedy Central special Gynecological Wonder as well as Everett’s hit show Rock Bottom. Matt has released two jazz albums as a leader: We Got It! (2001) and Lost In New York (2006); and one album of original pop/folk material called Songs For the Anonymous (2013).

Awards

2017 Edward M. Kennedy Prize For Drama Inspired By American History 1999 Semi-Finalist, Thelonious Monk Piano Competition


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Album Review

Matt Ray: Lost in New York

Read "Lost in New York" reviewed by Paul Moots


It takes courage to include the word “lost in a CD title--some might draw a parallel between title and content. In this case, though, the parallel is both apt and positive. As pianist Matt Ray's liner notes imply and his performance illustrates, he is lost in the best possible sense: totally immersed in the moment and the music.

From the first notes of Wayne Shorter's “Lost --the album's opening cut--there is significant interplay among Ray, bassist Danton Boller and drummer ...

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“A talented pianist” — Billboard

“Ingenious musical arranger” — New York Times

“A pianist whose plaintive playing was to cry for” — Ebony

“Classic, well-oiled swing” — New York Times

“Wizardly song arrangements” — Time Out NY

“Superb musical director and pianist” — The Guardian

“Magnificent pianist” — Artburst Miami

“Virtuosic” — Village Voice

“Evocative musical arrangement” — Broadwayworld.com

“Musicianship is top-notch” — womanaroundtown.com

“Wonderful—so instinctive” — Across the Arts UK.

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Lost in New York

Consolidated Artists Productions
2007

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