In the early 1930’s America enjoyed a heyday of small band jazz, the likes of which it has not seen since. In ballrooms across North America hot jazz, laced with exciting improvisation, and ballads, blue and melancholy, told stories of joy and tragedy, and provided rhythm for the feet of dancers of the two-step, the Lindy and the Swing… Ray Kamalay and his Red Hot Peppers are reminiscent of this peculiar era. With some of the finest players in the United States, they play this music with all the excitement and sentiment typical of the period. And they have wowed audiences at some of the very finest venues, including Interlochen, Edinburgh and the Philadelphia Folk Festival.
Ray Kamalay is the singer, guitarist and leader of the band. A Detroit native, Ray started playing professionally immediately after graduating from the University of Detroit in 1974. Even then he showed an unusual interest in both folk music and jazz. In that same year, while searching for the ancient Celtic muse on the Shetland Islands, he got his first big dose of the music of Django Reinhardt. Since then his interest in both genres has only gotten bigger.
His playing caps everything this band does with beauty and excitement.
“As trumpet players go, White has it all…Jazz trumpeting doesn’t come much better.” -Toronto Globe & Mail
“…a major league talent..” -Los Angeles Times
That snappy and ebullient bass player is the one and only Paul Keller. Paul studied bass at the University of Michigan. He still teaches at the University and leads the Paul Keller Orchestra and the Paul Keller Ensemble. Paul worked with Diana Krall when she was first nominated for a Grammy in 1997. That association continues to this day.He jokingly says that he is one of the best bass players in the country, but when he comes to the city he has his problems. All kidding aside, he is one of the best in the city, as well.
Merely True- http://youtu.be/SKRyVgQWn9U
Body and Soul- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-gYNXJOux7Y
Cherokee- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqaPxtHELl0
Meet Me Where They Play The Blues-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBOhUtHg6bM