PLUMB - David Murray/Questlove/Ray Angry

Few musicians in jazz history have proven more vigorously productive and resourceful than David Murray. During the past 45 years, he constantly evolved as a soloist, a composer and bandleader. He has careened forward in a cool, collected, rocket-fueled streak. He has released over 20 albums under his own name. He is a founding member of The World Saxophone Quartet and The Clarinet Summit. He has worked with the likes of Max Roach, Randy Weston, Pharoah Sanders, McCoy Tyner, Mal Waldron, and Amiri Baraka. According to Gary Giddins, ’Several of his recordings are among the benchmark achievements in the postmodern era and others attest to a consistency that is rare in any era.’

Yet more impressive than the numbers is the constancy of two abiding achievements: as a tenor saxophonist, he has perfected an instantly recognizable approach to improvisation that even in its freest flights acknowledges the gravity of a tradition he honors more than most; and he has altered the context for his improvisations as an infinite mosaic of musical challenges and explorations. David Murray goes down as a worthy successor for some of the biggest names in jazz, and he is now contributing to the rise of many young talents acclaimed by the critics.

His most recent quartet released an album May 2024: Francesca. The critics unanimously agree that he is at the top of his game!

Drummer and co-frontman for the original all-live-all-the-time hip-hop band the Roots, Questlove (Ahmir Thompson) was also arranging and producing Roots tracks from their 1993 recording debut. Aside from the band, he appeared on or produced tracks for D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Common, Fiona Apple, Dilated Peoples, and Nikka Costa, though his first record under his own name, Babies Makin' Babies, was a mixtape of smooth soul instead of his own productions; he put together a sequel in 2006. Three years later, among continued recording activity with the Roots, he became a near-household name when he and the Roots were tapped to be the house band on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. In 2024, he released Plumb, a collaboration with jazz saxophonist David Murray and keyboardist Ray Angry. 

RAY ANGRY is a pianist, producer, composer and arranger who is one of the most in-demand artists today. Classically trained with roots in gospel, Ray’s resume includes names such as Jeff Beck, Wynton Marsalis, Mark Ronson, Q-Tip, Yolanda Adams, Daniel Winans, Joss Stone, Sting, Me’Shell Ndegéocello, Esperanza Spalding, Terri Lyne Carrington, Cindy Blackman, a duo of Mick Jagger & Dave Stewart, Estelle, Richard Smallwood, Dionne Warwick, Dianne Reeves, Queen Latifah, D’Angelo, Lauryn Hill, Kelis, Christina Aguilera and ongoing associates, The Roots. New projects include Ray’s solo piano album, Ray Angry Three; a trio album with David Murray and Questlove entitled, Plumb, and an album of Ray’s weekly NYC live show, Producer Mondays.
Ray’s film and television work includes composing music for Amy Schumer’s Life & Beth Seasons 1 & 2 on Hulu; Seasons 1 - 5 of Inside Amy Schumer on Paramount+; the award-winning short film Aisle 2; Expecting Amy on HBO; the documentary film, Why Is We Americans?; the critically acclaimed award nominated documentary film, Descendant on Netflix; the feature film, The Lockdown; the feature documentary, Out of Breath, Amy Schumer’s comedy special, Emergency Contact on Netflix, and the sports documentary series, Up for Debate on ESPN. Ray can be seen weekly on NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as a member of the house band, The Roots.
Ray’s symphonic debut, Black Athena ~ Power recently premiered with the Lexington Symphony. He is being commissioned to compose several new orchestral works that will premiere in 2025.