Album Notes

This is Ray Khalil's debut album. This recording features eight tunes, five of which were composed by Ray. The original tunes were inspired by many facets of Ray's life experiences and demonstrates his compositions skills. The three jazz standards were chosen because they showcase the trio's collective improvisation technique. The musicians featured in this recording are as follows:

Ray Khalil - Seven-String Guitar
Joris Teepe - Acoustic Bass
Shingo Okudaira - Drums
Tim Armacost - Tenor & Soprano Saxophone (on tracks 2,3,5,7)

BIOGRAPHY
JAZZ GUITARIST
Ray Khalil is a jazz guitarist with extensive experience in the music industry. He has a classical music background with his beginning roots in the violin at a young age. Ray has been playing guitar and composing music for the past twenty years. This comes after years of playing the violin. His musical influences are John Coltrane, Charlie Parker, Joe Henderson, Wes Montgomery, Grant Green, and George Benson. During his studies, Ray has attended Capilano College in Vancouver and Berklee College of Music in Boston under full performance scholarships. Ray has been featured in many jazz magazines including a full article in Ireland's "Jazz News." His quartet was chosen to represent Canada at the Yokohama Exotic Showcase 1989 in Japan. Ray currently performs in various venues in New York city and abroad.

PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE
Many clubs in New York and abroad including the following cities:Paris, Tokyo, Osaka, Toronto, Vancouver, Chicago and etc.

PERSONAL PERFORMANCE EXPERIENCE
Many different Jazz artists including: Branford Marsalis, Charles Fambrough, Andy Bey, Warren Hill, Wallace Roney, Gerry Gibbs, Boris Kozlow, Joris Teepe, Shingo Okudaira, and Tim Armacost.