Larry Gray

Larry Gray
Birth name	Lawrence Waterman Gray
Born	Blue Island, Illinois
Genres	Jazz, classical
Occupation(s)	Double bassist
Instruments	Double bass
Associated acts	Larry Coryell and numerous other Jazz luminaries
Website	http://www.larrygraymusic.com

Larry Gray is a Chicago musician known for his compositions and skill on the double bass and cello. His primary teachers were Joseph Guastafeste, longtime principal bassist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and cellist Karl Fruh, a highly regarded soloist and teacher.

Family

Gray was born to Pauline Waterman and Lawrence Gray. He has been married to Karolyn R. Kuehner since 1990. They have one daughter, Soffia H. Kuehner Gray.

Music style

Bassist Larry Gray demonstrates an impressive versatility and an uncommon musical curiosity. Originally a jazz guitarist, Gray switched to the double bass and quickly developed a reputation as a first-call sideman. Within a short time, he began to work at Chicago's premier jazz club, the Jazz Showcase, where he appeared with increasing frequency, often with drummer Wilbur Campbell and pianist Willie Pickens. Throughout the years he has worked with such jazz greats as George Coleman, Lee Konitz, Bobby Hutcherson, McCoy Tyner, Sonny Fortune, Ira Sullivan, Junior Mance, David "Fathead" Newman, Charles McPherson, Branford Marsalis, Benny Golson, Jackie McLean, Sonny Stitt, Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Al Cohn, Eddie Harris and Les McCann. In addition, he has collaborated with guitarists Kenny Burrell, Joe Pass, and Tal Farlow, as well as the drummers Ed Thigpen and Jack DeJohnette, and trumpeters Donald Byrd and Harry "Sweets" Edison, among others.

Gray has studied classical music extensively. His principal teachers were Joseph Guastafeste, longtime principal bassist of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and cellist Karl Fruh, a highly regarded soloist and teacher. Under Mr. Fruh's guidance, he received bachelor's and master's degrees in Cello Performance from Chicago Musical College of Roosevelt University.

Touring

He tours extensively, performing at jazz festivals and clubs, including the Umbria Jazz Festival, the Montreal International Jazz Festival, The Montreaux Detroit Festival, the ECM Festival, the Poznan Jazz Festival, the Chicago Jazz Festival, Monterey Jazz Festival, the Havana Jazz Festival, Rio São Paulo Festival, North Sea Jazz Festival, Montreux Jazz Festival, Johannesburg International Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Hollywood Bowl, Village Vanguard, the Blue Notes in Tokyo, Nagoya, New York and Milan, Ronnie Scott's in London, Zawinal's Birdland in Vienna, and the Ravinia Festival, with such jazz luminaries as Marian McPartland, Clark Terry, Nancy Wilson, Frank Morgan, Roscoe Mitchell, James Moody, Larry Coryell, Louis Bellson, Barry Harris, Ramsey Lewis, Dorothy Donegan, Monty Alexander, Frank Wess, Joe Williams, Doc Severinsen and The Tonight Show Band, and Kenny Drew Jr.

In the studio

Gray is an arranger and composer whose discography includes Solo + Quartet on Premonition Records; Gravity, a solo bass recording and One Look, featuring his piano trio's performances of original compositions, both on Graywater Records; the Ramsey Lewis trio recordings Appassionata, Time Flies and With One Voice; the Ramsey Lewis and Nancy Wilson collaborations Meant to Be and Simple Pleasures; all on Narada/Virgin Records. Gray also arranged and produced the critically acclaimed CD, Django by Ferro. In addition, Gray's original composition for double bass and guitar, Five Movements, was commissioned and performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Chamber Ensemble at Symphony Center in Chicago. His newest work, Larry Gray 1,2,3 ..., featuring his guitar trio's performances of his original compositions, on Chicago Sessions Records, was released in December 2008.

Gray has recorded with Ramsey Lewis, Nancy Wilson, Curtis Fuller, Ira Sullivan, Lin Halliday, Jodie Christian, Willie Pickens, Nicholas Payton, Randy Brecker, Bunky Green, Bob Moses, Irish musicians Larry Nugent, John Williams and Bohola, pop sensations Linda Eder, Dennis DeYoung, Jim Peterik and Peter Cetera, and songwriter Michael Smith, among others. In addition, Gray can be seen on multiple episodes of the PBS series hosted by Ramsey Lewis, Legends of Jazz. He is a first-call studio musician, and his playing can also be heard on many commercial radio and television jingle and studio projects. Gray has been featured as a solo recitalist on both bass and cello at various universities and venues throughout the midwest. His recitals are unique in their eclecticism, combining jazz, modern improvised music, and European classical repertoire. He was also the featured bassist in Amistad, produced by the Lyric Opera of Chicago. In addition to his work with the Lyric Opera of Chicago, he was principal bass of Civic Orchestra of Chicago, and has served as a substitute with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Gray recently collaborated with choreographer Lauri Stallings and dancers from Hubbard Street Chicago and the Joffrey Ballet, developing an original work for solo double bass and dancers.

Teaching

Gray is a dedicated teacher. In 2007, he joined the full-time jazz faculty at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign where he is Assistant Professor of Double Bass in Jazz. He previously held positions at DePaul University, where he taught for nineteen years, and also at Northern Illinois University and the American Conservatory of Music. A dedicated educator, he remains active as a clinician at high school and college jazz festivals.

Discography

Album	Outfit	Date	Publisher
"1, 2, 3..."	Larry Gray Trio	2009	Chicago Sessions
Chet In Chicago	Chet Baker 1988	2008	Enja
Blue Quest	Zvonimir Tot Trio	2006	Grove Art
Visions of the Moment	Betty Joplin	2005	Preserved Moments Music
With One Voice	Ramsey Lewis	2005	Narada
Gravity	Solo	2004	Graywater Records
Russian Romance	Ella Leyla (Larry Gray, Cello and Bass)	2004	B-Elite Music
Time Flies	Ramsey Lewis Trio	2004	Narada Jazz/EMI Records
Up Jumped Spring	Curtis Fuller	2004	Delmark
Delicate Hour	Patty Morabito	2003	LML Music
Simple Pleasures	Ramsey Lewis with Nancy Wilson	2003	Narada Records
The Power Trio: Live in Chicago	Larry Coryell	2003	High Note Records
Meant to Be	Ramsey Lewis with Nancy Wilson (Larry Gray, arranger)	2002	Narada Records
We Are Not Machines	Bradley Parker-Sparrow (Larry Gray, Cello)	2001	Southport
Django by Ferro	Mike Ferro (Larry Gray, arranger/conductor)	2000	Denwa Records
Evening at Sea	Henry Johnson Quartet with Kenny Drew Jr.	2000	Chiaroscuro Records
A Jazz Christmas	Willie Pickens with Nicholas Payton	2000	Southport Records
The Windy Gap	Laurence Nugent	2000	Shanachie Records
Appassionata	Ramsey Lewis Trio	1999	Narada Records
Live at the Floating Jazz Festival	The Johnny Frigo Quartet	1999	Chiaroscuro
Pins and Needles	Frank Catalano with Randy Brecker	1999	Lakeside records
It's About Time	Willie Pickens	1998	Southport
Two for Two	Laurence Nugent	1998	Shanachie Records
Christmas in the Aire	Mannheim Steamroller	1995	American Gramaphone
Rain or Shine	Jodie Christian with Roscoe Mitchell	1994	Delmark Records
Where or When	Lin Halliday with Ira Sullivan	1994	Delmark Records
Solo and Quartet	Larry Gray Quintet (Larry Gray, composer/arranger)	1994	Premonition Records
Experience	Jodie Christian	1992	Delmark