Ray Bryant

American pianist (1931–2011)

Raphael Homer "Ray" Bryant (December 24, 1931 – June 2, 2011) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger.

Bryant was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 24, 1931. His mother was an ordained minister who had taught herself to play the piano; his father also played the piano and sang. He had switched from classical music to jazz by his early teens and played the double bass at junior high school. He was then a solo pianist based in Syracuse, New York for a year. Bryant recorded under drummer Art Blakey for several studio albums in 1957–58. Decades later, he commented: "The sessions I recorded with him helped put me on the map as a musician". Bryant was also part of drummer Jo Jones's trio in 1958. Bryant recorded with "Hal Singer, Arnett Cobb, Benny Golson, Lem Winchester, and Oliver Nelson" in 1959. This version, sold as "Little Susie (Part 4)", reached No. 12 on the Billboard Hot R&B chart. Hammond also paired Bryant with singer Aretha Franklin for the album Aretha: With The Ray Bryant Combo in 1960. Bryant was in Baltimore with Hammond when the Madison dance craze was developing and, at the producer's suggestion, adapted an earlier composition for the dance – it was renamed "Madison Time". Another Bryant single – "Sack o' Woe" – appeared on the R&B chart in 1961. In 1963, Bryant switched to Sue Records and recorded the first of four albums for the label. In the following year, he played in New York in a trio led by saxophonist Buddy Tate. Between 1976 and 1980, Bryant recorded five albums for Pablo Records. In the 2000s, most of his performances were in Europe and Japan, and he reduced his schedule. Bryant died on June 2, 2011, at the age of 79 in Queens, New York, after a long illness.

From 1975 to 1982, he was married to pioneering Philadelphia news broadcaster Edie Huggins. The musicians Kevin Eubanks, Duane Eubanks, and Robin Eubanks are the sons of Bryant's sister, Vera.

Bryant's style was initially influenced by pianists Art Tatum and Teddy Wilson, but blues and gospel elements soon grew stronger in his playing. Bryant said that he liked to transfer elements of the Count Basie Orchestra to the piano. A writer commented that Bryant's "solo works are often like carefully crafted sonatas with dramatic changes in mood, tempo and dynamics". "Bryant had a firm touch and an unshakable sense of time, notably in his left hand, which he often used to build a bedrock vamp. Even in a bebop setting, he favored the ringing tonalities of the gospel church." "In his solo playing, [ ] he often played blues figures in the right hand against stride or boogie woogie patterns in the left. On his recordings as an accompanist the influence of blues and boogie woogie is less strong and he plays in a variety of styles." Bryant was also a composer, with well known themes such as "Cubano Chant", "The Madison Time", "Monkey Business", and "Little Susie" to his credit. He said that he did not consciously endeavor to compose music: "An idea will just come to me while I'm doing something else and if it sticks, I develop it into a tune." Ed Berger wrote in JazzTimes that his compositions "share many of the attractive melodic and rhythmic qualities that make his playing so widely accessible", and vary in style from Latin, blues based, to more lyrical ballads, waltzes and calypsos.

Year recordedTitleLabelPersonnel/Notes1955 Meet Betty Carter and Ray Bryant ColumbiaSome tracks trio, with Wendell Marshall (bass), Philly Joe Jones (drums); some tracks quartet, with Betty Carter (vocals) added; some tracks quintet, with Jerome Richardson (flute) added1956 Ray Bryant Trio EpicMost tracks trio, with Wyatt Ruther (bass), Kenny Clarke, Osie Johnson and Jo Jones (drums; separately); some tracks quartet, with Candido (percussion) added1957 Ray Bryant TrioPrestigeTrio, with Ike Isaacs (bass), Specs Wright (drums)1958 Alone with the Blues New JazzSolo piano1959 Ray Bryant Plays SignatureTrio, with Tommy Bryant (bass), Oliver Jackson (drums)1959–60Little SusieColumbiaTrio, with Tommy Bryant (bass), Oliver Jackson and Eddie Locke (drums; separately)1960 Madison Time ColumbiaSextet, with Harry Edison (trumpet), Al Grey, Urbie Green and Benny Morton (trombone; separately), Buddy Tate (tenor sax), Tommy Bryant (bass), Billy English, Jimmy Griffin and Dave Pochonet (drums; separately)1960–61 Con Alma ColumbiaOne track solo piano; most tracks trio, with Arthur Harper and Bill Lee (bass; separately), Mickey Roker (drums)1960–61 Dancing the Big Twist ColumbiaMost tracks with Pat Jenkins and Joe Newman (trumpet), Matthew Gee (trombone), Buddy Tate (tenor sax), Jimmy Rowser (bass), Mickey Roker (drums); one track with Don Covay (vocals) added; one track with Harry Edison (trumpet), Ben Richardson (baritone sax), Bill Lee (bass), Gus Johnson (drums), Ray Barretto (congas)1962 Hollywood Jazz Beat ColumbiaWith orchestra1963 Groove House SueMost tracks trio, with Tommy Bryant (bass), Bobby Donaldson and Panama Francis (drums; separately); some tracks quartet, with Wally Richardson (guitar) added1964 Live at Basin Street East SueTrio, with Jimmy Rowser (bass), Ben Riley (drums); in concert1964 Cold Turkey SueTrio, with Jimmy Rowser (bass), Ben Riley (drums)1964 Soul SueMost tracks trio, with Tommy Bryant (bass), Sonny Brown and Walter Perkins (drums; separately); some tracks quartet, with Wally Richardson (guitar) added1966Gotta Travel On CadetQuintet, with Clark Terry (flugelhorn), Snooky Young (trumpet), Walter Booker (bass), Freddie Waits (drums)1966Lonesome Traveler CadetQuintet, with Clark Terry (flugelhorn, trumpet), Snooky Young (trumpet), Jimmy Rowser (bass), Freddie Waits (drums)1966Slow Freight CadetQuintet, with Art Farmer and Snooky Young (trumpet, flugelhorn), Richard Davis (bass), Freddie Waits (drums)1967The Ray Bryant Touch CadetTrio, with Jimmy Rowser (bass), Rudy Collins (drums)1967Take a Bryant Step CadetWith orchestra1968Up Above the Rock CadetQuintet, with Dobbie Hiques (trumpet), Snooky Young and Danny Moore (trumpet; separately), Ron Carter (bass), Grady Tate (drums)1969Sound Ray CadetTrio, with Jimmy Rowser (bass), Harold White (drums)1970MCMLXX AtlanticSome tracks trio, with Chuck Rainey (electric bass), Jimmy Johnson (drums); some tracks with others – Joe Newman (trumpet), Garnett Brown (trombone), George Dorsey (alto sax), King Curtis and Joe Gentle (tenor sax; separately), Leon Cohen (bass clarinet), Pepper Adams (baritone sax), Charles McCracken (cello), Ron Carter (acoustic bass), Emanuel Green, Gene Orloff, Joseph Malignaggi, Julien Barber, Matthew Raimondi, Noel Dacosta, Paul Gershman, Selwart Clarke and Winston Collymore (violin)1972 Alone at Montreux AtlanticSolo piano; in concert1974In the Cut CadetWith orchestra: Marvin Stamm and Joe Wilder (trumpet), George Marge (flute, tenor sax, oboe), Alfred Brown, Paul Gershman, Harry Gilckman, Emanuel Green and Max Poliakoff (violin), Julian Barber, Selwart Clarke and Theodore Israel (viola), Margaret Ross (harp), John Tropea (guitar), Richard Davis (bass), Jimmy Johnson (drums), Montego Joe (congas), Charles Stepney (synthesizer)1975Hot Turkey Black & Blue4 tracks solo piano; 3 tracks trio, with Major Holley (bass), Panama Francis (drums)1976Here's Ray Bryant PabloTrio, with George Duvivier (bass), Grady Tate (drums)1976 Solo Flight PabloSolo piano1977Montreux '77 PabloSolo piano1978 All Blues PabloTrio, with Sam Jones (bass), Grady Tate (drums)1980 Potpourri PabloTrio, with Jimmy Rowser (bass), Mickey Roker (drums)1987Ray Bryant Trio Today EmArcyTrio, with Rufus Reid (bass), Freddie Waits (drums)1987Plays Basie & Ellington EmArcyTrio, with Rufus Reid (bass), Freddie Waits (drums)1987–88Blue Moods EmArcySome tracks solo piano; most tracks trio, with Rufus Reid (bass), Freddie Waits (drums)1988Golden Earrings EmArcyTrio, with Rufus Reid (bass), Freddie Waits (drums)1989All Mine And Yours EmArcyTrio, with Rufus Reid (bass), Winard Harper (drums)1991Ray Bryant Plays Blues and Ballads Jazz ConnaisseurSolo piano1992Through the Years, Vol. 1 EmArcyOne track solo piano; most tracks trio, with Rufus Reid (bass), Grady Tate (drums)1992Through the Years, Vol. 2 EmArcyTrio, with Rufus Reid (bass), Grady Tate (drums)1993Somewhere in France Label MSolo piano; in concert1994No Problem EmArcyQuartet, with Kenny Burrell (guitar), Peter Washington (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)1994Inimitable Jazz ConnaisseurSolo piano1994Ray Bryant Meets Ray Brown + 1: Double R B EmArcyTrio, with Ray Brown (bass), Lewis Nash (drums)1995Solo Live in Tokyo – Plays Blues and Boogie EmArcySolo piano; in concert1997North of the Border Label MTrio, with Harry Anderson (bass), Winard Harper (drums)1997Ray's Tribute to His Jazz Piano Friends JMI Jazz/JVCTrio, with Ray Drummond (bass), Winard Harper (drums)1999Plays the Blues M & I (Japan)Trio, with Ray Drummond (bass), Kenny Washington (drums)2004–08 In the Back Room Evening StarSolo piano; in concert