A few years back, New York-bred saxophonist Ray Blue celebrated the music of Ray Charles as part of a revue that toured Europe. On January 18, Blue’s trio will celebrate the legacy of Martin Luther King in a special performance at Quinn’s.
Blue’s web bio describes his music as “a fusion of straight-ahead jazz and African groove.” A composer as well as an educator, over the years he’s worked and appeared with John Gilmore, Dr. Art Davis, Benny Powell, Kirk Lightsey, Bernard “Pretty” Purdie, Patience Higgins, Reuben Wilson, Danny Mixon, Wycliffe Gordon, Steve Turre, Belden Bullock, Ted Curson, the Sun Ra Arkestra, and other luminaries.
Dig this video of Blue and trio live in Paris in 2011:
The Ray Blue Trio will perform a tribute to Martin Luther King at Quinn’s in Beacon, New York, on January 16 at 8pm. $10 suggested donation. For more information, call (845) 202-7447 or visit https://www.facebook.com/QuinnsBeacon/.
This article appears in December 2015.
