kevin ray: News

It's been awhile but Kevin has been busy finishing up the first of three new records-The first-"Make 'em Miss You" is all acoustic and will be available at cdbaby.com this summer. "Speak Now" is a fully produced rock and roll record and should be available by the end of the year along with the companion record "Songs From the Magic Trash Can"

the music of Kevin Ray will be featured on January 18th as 15 plus singers perform his songs at the Laurie Beechman theatre in NYC(407 w 42nd st) at 8 p.m.

kevin will be playing Monday at 9pm at Piano Bar in Hollywood(Selma and cahuenga)

kevin will be playing with a full band this wednesday June 13th at 7 p.m.

show this tuesday in Brooklyn-click under shows

Kevin will be doing a staged reading of his musical "The Last Word" early next year-there are music samples under "music"
Here is a short plot summary

Two young boys are raised and taught music by their musician father. Tension develops between the brothers as the older one receives more praise and attention from their father and the jazz community. The older brother succeeds because of superior technique and a more traditional style. His playing and his life tend to be competent and organized but lacking in passion or vision. Things have a tendency to go his way without much effort. The younger brother has abundant passion and vision but can't seem to get it across consistently. He is constantly trying to please his undemonstrative father. He feels too much and it starts to unravel him.

The family moves to Los Angeles from the South in the early 30's. The father is a failed farmer and has high hopes of a glorious music scene in L.A. that will provide for him and offer a more stable future for his sons. He is never able to make it in the highly competitive scene and falls back on teaching. He starts to become bitter and closed off to his wife as he lives his musical dreams vicariously through his sons. The mother is very religious and reserved and skeptical about their future in Los Angeles. She is not as convinced of music's power as her husband is. She becomes frustrated as her husband withdraws from her.

The sons come of age during the war years and start to play the Central Avenue clubs. Be-Bop is the new hip sound and they form a group together to play the new music. It does not draw crowds the way that swing does and they are not successful financially. This devestates the young brother who loves the new sound. He is also frustrated at the way New York artists overshadow L.A. artists. The older brother is unphased as he starts getting more and more paying gigs around town. The father derides the new music and praises the older brother for his paying gigs. The older brother attracts the attention of a young white actress who frequents the swing clubs. The young brother is immediately jealous.

Soon, the older brother gets chosen to go on a national tour with a major artist and leaves the group. The young brother is angry and hurt and in a drunken haze, seduces his brother's new girlfriend. His brother leaves town without knowing.

The war ends and times get hard again and the mother starts taking work cleaning houses. The father becomes increasingly ashamed of his lack of financial success and starts gambling in a desperate attempt to provide for his family. One night, after losing the last of his savings in a card game, he drinks himself into oblivion and stumbles into the night. He is found dead the next morning by the red line tracks. It's unclear whether he fell down and passed out or if he lay down deliberately. The mother is devestated and becomes a recluse, rarely leaving the house.

Attracted by the connection between be-bop and heroin use and frustrated by his lack of success, the younger brother becomes an addict. His personality changes as he comes to terms with the now impossibility of pleasing his father. He finds it hard to even please himself and sinks deeper into addiction. The older brother comes back to find his girlfriend gone and his brother in poor condition. He tries to help him out with gigs but his brother is tempermental and inconsistent.

Meanwhile, the postwar period brings changes to Central avenue. Alarmed by the scene's popularity and the amount of money flowing into the black neighborhood, Hollywood clubowners conspire with the police to shut down the scene. Police harass interracial couples and shut down after hours clubs. Ironically, desegregation helps to kill the scene as the burgeoning middle class moves into other formerly closed neighborhoods. Central Avenue is not the all inclusive heart of black Los Angeles anymore. Also, rhythm & blues music starts to overtake jazz in popularity.

The older brother's ex-girlfriend pleads with the young brother to embrace life instead of drugs but to no avail. The young brother asks his brother for a gig and is turned down. This brings on a big confrontation between the brothers in which all the resentment and bitterness comes to a head. The young brother, in desperation, finally just begs his brother for money. His brother gives him money and he uses it to take a fatal hit of heroin. His brother's death causes him to examine his life and work. He finally connects with his passion and love and moves to Europe where jazz is still appreciated.

kevin has just finished his first all origanal christmas album entitled "Seasoned Greetings"-featuring the voices of the singing waiters at Ellen's Stardust Diner-it will be available on monday the 20th of november-to purchase click on buy , then link under "Seasoned Greetings"
check out www.stardustfamilyalbum.com for more details

kevin has a couple songs in the new film "Zerophilia" coming out on October 13th- "Raw Nerve" and "I Don't believe you have it in you-he is also putting the finishing touches on a new double cd of music- it should be available early next year-or maybe by the holidays-check out "music" for some selections

some new songs have been put under music-check them out

Kevin is currently working on recording his new record and putting together a new reading for "The Last Word". -he'll be playing live in los angeles on June 17th and in NYC on June 27th-click on Shows for details.

Kevin will be starting a weekly show at Night and Day-a new venue in Park Slope. It will be on Tuesday nights from 7-9 followed by an open jazz jam. First show is Tuesday
November 15th.

Kevin is still kicking around NYC and working on a new record with some producers from Nashville. He's also at work on a new musical about a union drive at a factory in the Maquiladora Zone in Juarez. He will be playing out again soon so stay tuned for upcoming dates.

go to www.cdbaby.com to buy Kevin Ray CD's and listen to his songs

A concert reading of Kevin's new musical "The Last Word" will take place at the Ruby Lounge in NYC this Wednesday January 5th at 7:30 p.m.