Ray Anderson (musician)
Ray Anderson (born October 16, 1952) is a jazz trombone and trumpet player.[1] Trained by the Chicago Symphony trombonists, he is regarded as someone who pushes the limits of the instrument. He is a colleague of trombonist George Lewis. Anderson also plays sousaphone and sings.[2] He was frequently chosen in DownBeat magazine's Critics Poll as best trombonist throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s.[3]
Ray Anderson | |
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Background information | |
Born | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | October 16, 1952
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Instruments | Trombone, trumpet |
Years active | 1973–present |
Labels | Enja |
Website | www |
Biography
After studying in California, he moved to New York in 1973 and freelanced. In 1977, he joined Anthony Braxton's Quartet (replacing George Lewis) and started working with Barry Altschul's group. In addition to leading his own groups since the late '70s (including the funk-oriented Slickaphonics), Anderson has worked with George Gruntz's Concert Jazz Band. In the '90s, he began taking an occasional good-humored vocal, during which he shows the ability to sing two notes at the same time (a minor third apart).
Anderson has worked with David Murray, Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra, Dr. John, Luther Allison, Bennie Wallace, Gerry Hemingway, Henry Threadgill, John Scofield, Roscoe Mitchell, Randy Sandke's Inside Out Band, Sam Rivers' Rivbea Orchestra, Bobby Previte, George Russell and others. Anderson is a member of Jim Pugh's Super Trombone with Dave Bargeron and Dave Taylor. He received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for a series of solo trombone concerts.
Anderson has frequently returned to his early love of New Orleans music for inspiration. His Alligatory Band and Pocket Brass Band, featuring tuba player Bob Stewart, are rooted in its tradition. Since 2003 he has taught and conducted at Stony Brook University.
Discography
As leader/co-leader
- Harrisburg Half Life (Moers, 1980)
- Right Down Your Alley (Soul Note, 1984)
- Old Bottles - New Wine (Enja, 1985)
- It Just So Happens (Enja, 1987)
- Blues Bred in the Bone (Enja, 1988)
- What Because (Gramavision, 1989)
- Wishbone (Gramavision, 1991)
- Every One of Us (Gramavision, 1992)
- Big Band Record (Gramavision, 1994)
- Azurety (hat ART, 1994) with Han Bennink and Christy Doran
- Don't Mow Your Lawn (Enja, 1994) with the Alligatory Band
- Slideride (hat ART, 1994) with Craig Harris, George Lewis and Gary Valente
- Cheer Up (hat Art, 1995) with Han Bennink and Christy Doran
- Where Home Is (Enja, 1998)
- Bonemeal (Raybone, 2000)
- Bobby Previte & Bump, Just Add Water (Palmetto, 2001)
- Ray Anderson/Ibrahim Electric, Ibrahim Electric Meets Ray Anderson (Sundance, 2005)
- Sweet Chicago Suite (2012)
With BassDrumBone
- Wooferlo (Soul Note, 1989)
- Hence The Reason (Enja, 1997)
- Cooked To Perfection (Auricle, 1999)
- March Of Dimes (Data, 2002)
- The Line Up (Clean Feed Records, 2006)
- The Other Parade (Clean Feed Records, 2011)
- The Long Road (Auricle, 2016)
With Slickaphonics
- Wow Bag (Enja, 1982)
- Modern Life (Enja, 1984)
- Humatonic Energy (Blue Heron Records, 1985)
- Check Your Head at the Door (Teldec, 1986)
- Live (Teldec, 1987)
As sideman
- Live in an American Time Spiral, George Russell's New York Band (Soul Note, 1983)
With Barry Altschul
- Somewhere Else (Moers, 1979)
With Anthony Braxton
- Creative Orchestra (Köln) 1978 (hatART, 1978 [1995])
- Performance (Quartet) 1979 (hatART, 1979 [1981])
- Seven Compositions 1978 (Moers Music, 1979)
- Composition No. 94 for Three Instrumentalists (1980) (Golden Years of Jazz, 1980 [1999])
- Composition 98 (hatART, 1981)
With Charlie Haden
- The Montreal Tapes: Liberation Music Orchestra (Verve, 1989 [1999])
- Dream Keeper (DownBeat's Jazz album of the year)
With Hank Roberts
- Black Pastels (JMT, 1988)
- Lion Hearted (1993)
With Roseanna Vitro and Kenny Werner
References
- Cook, Richard (2005). Richard Cook's Jazz Encyclopedia. London: Penguin Books. pp. 14–15. ISBN 0-141-00646-3.
- Allmusic
- "1988 DownBeat Critics Poll". Archived from the original on 2012-03-06.