“I wanted to make swinging big band music, but I didn’t want it to be a ’20s/’30s tribute,” Ray says. “This is a style that can be vibrant and communicative now.”
![](https://mountainx.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Justin-Ray-by-Frank-Zipperer-330x214.jpg)
“I wanted to make swinging big band music, but I didn’t want it to be a ’20s/’30s tribute,” Ray says. “This is a style that can be vibrant and communicative now.”
Justin Ray performs a diverse two-set offering Friday, Sept. 18 at The Altamont Theatre. The evening begins with Ray’s half-hour-long ensemble jazz composition, “Casanova and Cleopatra,” which hasn’t been performed live in nearly three years. The show also serves as a release of the album Evil Man Blues, Ray’s first foray into vocals.