Ray Reach
| Ray Reach | |
|---|---|
Reach (right) with Branford Marsalis
|
|
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Raymond Everett Reach, Jr. |
| Born |
August 3, 1948 Birmingham, Alabama, U.S. |
| Genres | Jazz, classical, pop, R & B, gospel, contemporary Christian, country |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Keyboards, guitar, vocals |
| Years active | 1964–present |
| Associated acts | Lou Marini, Lew Soloff, Chuck Redd, Chuck Leavell, Chaka Kahn, Jonathan Butler, Ellis Marsalis, Jr., Magic City Jazz Orchestra, SuperJazz Big Band, Night Flight Big Band, Cleveland Eaton and the Alabama All-Stars, W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars, Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars |
| Website | www |
Raymond Everett Reach, Jr. (born August 3, 1948) is an American pianist, vocalist and educator. He serves as Director of Student Jazz Programs for the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, director of the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame All-Stars and President and CEO of Ray Reach Music and Magic City Music Productions.
He has performed and recorded in various genres, including pop, R & B, Motown/soul, gospel, rock, classic rock, country (contemporary and traditional), contemporary Christian, classical and jazz music, and perhaps best known for his work in the jazz idiom, combining straight-ahead jazz piano stylings with Sinatra-style vocals. He resides in Birmingham, Alabama.
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Reach is the only child of Erma Elizabeth Hillman (a beautician) and Raymond Everett Reach, Sr. (a coal miner). He began piano lessons at age 6, studying with Giula Williams of E. E. Forbes and Sons Piano Company in Birmingham. Later, he studied piano at the Birmingham Conservatory of Music.
He attended Minor High School,Birmingham-Southern College, the University of Montevallo and the University of Alabama (UA), among others. At Birmingham-Southern, he studied voice with New York City Opera baritone Andrew Gainey, and studied piano with Sam Howard of the concert piano duo, Hodgens and Howard. At UA (1977–1980), he served as graduate assistant to jazz educator Steve Sample, Sr, directing Jazz Ensemble B, and playing piano in and arranging for Jazz Ensemble A. During his time at the University of Alabama (1979), ASCAP presented Reach with the Raymond Hubbell Musical Scholarship, for his contributions to jazz and popular music in America.
Reach has been an active jazz educator since the early 1970s. While attending Birmingham-Southern College, he created a series of jazz workshops which were hosted by the music department. He has taught jazz courses and computer music (MIDI) courses and workshops at numerous colleges, including Cedar Valley College in Dallas, Texas, Birmingham-Southern College, the University of Montevallo, the University of Alabama, and the University of North Texas. In the late 1970s, Reach was chosen by jazz educator Steve Sample, Sr to be the first ever graduate teaching assistant in the jazz program at the University of Alabama.
...
Wikipedia