Interview with  an ungrateful, impolite, dull, unhuman, drawn creature, as if  musician Rick Ray. An interview by email in writing. Sorry, this is such an unknown person that we even confused the photo.

JazzBluesNews.com: – First, let’s start out with where you grew up, and what got you interested in music. How exactly did your adventure take off? When did you realize that this was a passion you could make a living out of?

Rick Ray։ – I grew up in the Cleveland, Ohio area. My interest in music started when I saw The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show back in ’64. While I was only 4 and half years old at the time, I knew what I wanted to do the rest of my life.

OUR US/EU Jazz and Blues Festivals 2023

I was always trying to put bands together and by 1974 I finally put one together that was “good”. We could all play the intense music I was writing. I was never worried about making a living off of making music, this was something I had to do.

JBN: – How has your sound evolved over time? What have you been doing to find and develop your own sound?   

RR: – My sound has evolved by learning from other musicians such as going to concerts, picking out songs off of records or watching footage of musicians playing live. As for developing my own sound, that just comes from playing the guitar all of the time. Things pop up from doing that and I work on those things till they become something.

JBN: – What routine practices or exercises have you developed to maintain and improve your current musical proficiency, in terms of both rhythm and harmony?   

RR: – Again, it’s just always playing guitar. I’m an artist also, so when I’m not drawing I’m playing guitar, when I’m not playing guitar, I’m drawing.

There could be talk or advertising about your CD

JBN: – In your opinion, what’s the balance in music between intellect and soul? 

RR: – Probably half and half. There is a lot of knowledge, but there is also a lot of “just go with the feel” type of thing. When we get together Shaggy calls it church.

JBN: – There’s a two-way relationship between audience and artist; are you okay with delivering people the emotion they long for?  

RR: – Always trying to make the audience feel the way we do when we play the music.

JBN: – How can we get young people interested in jazz when most of standard tunes are half a century old?  

RR: – Exposure. The younger generation doesn’t realize what great music is out there. It’s available but unknown. They have to be made aware. They don’t know what to even look for and the attention span that existed back in the day has been eroded away. That has to be built back up somehow. So, I know what needs to be done just not exactly “how” to do it.

JBN: – If you could change one single thing in the musical world and that would become reality, what would that be?  

RR: – Probably some kind of campaign to make people aware that good music does exist and that they don’t have to listen to the stuff that’s pushed on them constantly.

JBN: – Whom do you find yourself listening to these days?  

RR: – Lately I’ve been listening to the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Emerson, Lake & Palme.

OUR US/EU Jazz and Blues Association 2023

JBN: – Do You like our questions? So far, it’s been me asking you questions, now may I have a question from yourself…  

RR: – The questions are great. How did you find out about me?

JBN: – By chance, you won’t meet anywhere, you are not that famous. Even in Google search, you don’t have a normal photo because your hand is closed․․․ ha, ha, ha …

Interview by Simon Sarg

Note: https://jazzblues.eu/2023/03/19/useu-jazz-blues-association-festivals/ You can express your consent and join our association, which will give you the opportunity to perform at our Jazz and Blues festivals, naturally receiving an appropriate royalty. We cover all expenses. The objectives of the interview are: How to introduce yourself, your activities, thoughts and intellect, and make new discoveries for our US/EU Jazz & Blues Association, which organizes festivals, concerts and meetings in Boston and various European countries, why not for you too!! You can read more about the association here. https://jazzblues.eu/2022/11/19/useujba/