Album Notes

Justin Ray began his musical career while attending Del Norte High School in Albuquerque, NM. After graduating, he received a scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston MA. While studying at Berklee, Ray performed with many different ensembles. Ray graduated from Berklee cum laude with a degree in music education, then moved to Los Angeles to complete his masters degree at the University of Southern California. Once in LA, he quickly became one of the most in-demand jazz trumpeters in the region. He was a regular member of many groups, including those led by pianists Bill Cunliffe and Alan Pasqua, and drummer Joe LaBarbara (formerly with Tony Bennett and Bill Evans). He also performed with Grammy winning singer Kurt Elling, the band Royal Crown Revue, and many others. After recording his debut album The Thing in 2003, Ray accepted an offer from Warner Bros. recording artist Michael Buble to become a featured soloist in Buble’s ensemble. Ray has been in Buble’s band ever since, traveling the world to perform in well-known concert venues such as the Sydney Opera House, the Hollywood Bowl, Royal Albert Hall in London, and Town Hall in New York City. He has also appeared on the “Late Show” with David Letterman, the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, the “Today” show, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” “The Wayne Brady Show”, “On Air” with Ryan Seacrest, “The Late Late Show” with Craig Kilborn, and the new NBC drama “Las Vegas”. In early 2004, Buble released the live CD/DVD entitled “Come Fly With Me” featuring concert footage and interviews with the band. Ray is featured prominently, and is the trumpet soloist on “My Funny Valentine”. He is also featured on "Caught in the Act" the second Buble concert DVD. He currently resides in Brooklyn while promoting his self-titled CD, available at CD Baby.