Ray Reach

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Raymond E. "Ray" Reach (born August 3, 1948 in Birmingham) is a jazz pianist and vocalist, the Director of Student Jazz Programs at the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame, and runs Magic City Music Productions. Reach is a member of several active performing groups, including the SuperJazz Big Band (formerly UAB SuperJazz), the Magic City Jazz Orchestra, the Night Flight Big Band, the W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars, Cleveland Eaton's Alabama All-Stars, and his own group, Ray Reach and Friends.

Reach began piano lessons at the age of 6 under Giula Williams at E. E. Forbes & Sons Piano Company. He went on to continue studying piano under Carolyn Pfau and Hugh Thomas at the Birmingham Conservatory of Music. Later, as a student at Birmingham-Southern College, he studied with pianist Sam Howard. He began vocal studies under New York City Opera veteran Andrew Gainey at age 15 while participating in the Birmingham Civic Opera's production of The Barber of Seville. He attended Dixie Junior High School and graduated from Minor High School, where he learned from Tom Pinion and John Fowler.

Reach attended Birmingham-Southern College, the University of Montevallo and the University of Alabama (and others) as he pursued music studies. As a graduate assistant at Alabama's jazz program (1977 to 1980), he worked with Steve Sample, Sr and won an ASCAP Raymond Hubbell Music Scholarship. In the 1980s Reach joined the music staff at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, Texas. While in Dallas, he became interested in the use of computers and MIDI, co-founding the American MIDI Users Group and developing MIDI software for Systems Design Associates. In 1985 he toured Europe with the Dallas Symphony Chorus, for whom he arranged works by Gershwin, Ellington, Cole Porter and Thad Jones. He accompanied vocalist Marilyn Walton on piano during the tour.

From 1998 to 2005, Reach was the Director of the UAB Jazz Ensemble (at the University of Alabama at Birmingham aka UAB). He is also a faculty member of the W. C. Handy Jazz Camp, a member of the W. C. Handy Jazz All-Stars and a regular featured performer at the W. C. Handy Music Festival in Florence, Alabama. In addition, Reach directs The "Fun With Jazz" Educational Program, which was originated through the Alys Stephens Center, and is now offered by the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.

Reach has performed with and arranged for numerous notable jazz musicians, including Clark Terry, Lou Marini, Ellis Marsalis, Jr, Cleveland Eaton, Lew Soloff and Chaka Kahn with the Lionel Hampton Orchestra. He has produced recordings for choral composer K. Lee Scott, jazz guitarist Eric Essix with the Night Flight Big Band, Lou Marini with the Magic City Jazz Orchestra, and Ellis Marsalis with the SuperJazz Big Band (co-produced with Henry Panion).

As a jazz educator, Ray has taught a number of notable musicians, including: saxophonist Kelley O'Neal, percussionist Beth Gottlieb, drummer Chuck Tilley, trombonist Ned Holder, drummer Mark Lanter, keyboardist / producer Peter Wolf, trumpeter Chris Gordon, saxophonist Dave Miller.

Reach cites Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson and Chick Corea as influences in the development of his piano playing. He has been influenced by Frank Sinatra and Johnny Hartman on his vocals.

Partial Discography

As pianist / keyboardist, arranger, vocalist and producer:

As producer:

As arranger:

As keyboardist and arranger:

  • Dick's Hat Band. "Got The Whole Town Talkin'" (1995) Produced by Ross Roberts. Classic R & B. Chuck Tilley, Drums. Horn arrangements by Ray Reach. Hammond B-3 played by Ray Reach.

As Keyboardist:

  • Little Jimmy Reed. "School's Out" Produced by Ross Roberts. Blues. Hammond B-3 played by Ray Reach.
  • Mark Sallings. (1995) "Let It Be Known - Mark Sallings and the Famous Unknowns" Virtuoso blues harmonica player Mark Sallings. B-3 played by Ray Reach.
  • Mark Sallings. (1996) "Let It Be Known - Talkin' To Myself" Virtuoso blues harmonica player Mark Sallings. B-3 played by Ray Reach. The Famous Unknowns were the house band at B. B. King's in Memphis from 1991 to 1994.

As producer, arranger and keyboardist:

As producer, arranger, keyboardist, vocalist and guitarist:

  • James Clark. "Count On Me" (1997). Original songs by singer / songwriter James Clark, recorded at Bates Brothers Recording Studio
  • Dr. Dan "Harpdog" Marson. "Blues, Gospel and Jazz Harmonica." (1999) Produced by Ray Reach.
  • Chuck Snow (aka "Doc" Snow). "Pray For Me." (2006) For more info about this recording, click here.

As producer, composer, arranger, keyboardist and vocalist:

As keyboardist, arranger and vocalist:

  • Dave Loggins, Ray Reach and Various Artists. "The New Course Record" (1995) A collection of songs about the game of golf. Produced by Don Hays and Mike Chapman on Music Row in Nashville, Tennessee.

External links

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