Ray Kamalay

Ray Kamalay and his band burn like red hot fire as they relive, revive, and recreate the 1930’s jazz era. Resurrecting incomparable melancholy blues ballads and red hot tunes, this succinct act is laced with exciting improvisation, reenacting moods swinging from tragedy to joy – and gracefully parlaying into popping hot rhythms to get audiences on their feet.

“This band swings…hard or soft, fast or slow. They come out swingin’ at the bell and don’t stop,” says Hazen Schumacher of NPR’s Jazz Revisited.

Musically taut with refined dexterity, this Midwest band has wowed audiences at some of the finest venues in North America, including Interlochen and the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Appearing at this year’s JazzFest is a treat for Lansing, as they will surely leave a sea of buoyed spirits in their wake.

Ray Kamalay, singer and guitarist, has worked in concert with many notable artists, including James Dapogny, Jethro Burns, and Howard and Ralphe Armstrong.  Nominated for the W. C. Handy Award, Ray also lectures on music at the college level and teaches at LCC from his book “The Secrets of Swing.”

Gary Shunk, pianist and overall musical powerhouse, bursts with fire and aplomb on stage. Shunk unleashes over thirty years’ experience, including touring and recording extensively with the Temptations, the Spinners, Gladys Knight, and Funkadelic during the “Hot Peppers” performance. But he is best known for his superb jazz playing. His CD, “Key Player,” received the “Keyboards On Fire” Award from Jazziz Magazine, and his successful collaborations with Joe Williams, Earl Klugh, Sonny Stitt, Kenny Burrell, Anita O’Day and Mark Murphy round out his laudable résumé.

Dave Rosin brings up the bottom on bass.  A long-time associate of Ray’s, Dave has performed and recorded with many great artists, including Branford Marsalis, Wycliffe Gordon, Joel Mabus  and Barry Harris.  His superb accomplishment on contrabass was due in no small part to exceptional teachers, including Rodney Whitaker and Peter Dominguez. Now Dave turns that learning into wisdom and passes it to a new generation, teaching hundreds of string players in the East Lansing schools.

Ray Kamalay website