Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

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BRYANT, Ray

(b Raphael Homer Bryant, 24 December 1931, Philadelphia PA; d June 2011 on cancer) Piano. He became the house pianist at the Blue Note Club in Philadelphia, accompanying visiting jazzmen, and from the late '50s played solo and in trio format at jazz festivals (Newport '57 with Carmen McRae; '59 with Jo Jones trio). His own tunes included 'Slow Freight', 'Little Susie', 'Cubano Chant', many more; he played on LPs with Jones, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, Benny Golson, many others.

His own albums included about 16 trio sets on Epic, Prestige, Signature, Columbia, Sue, Cadet, Atlantic, Black and Blue '55-75, and a big-band LP on Columbia '62. Also singles: 'Little Susie (Part 4)' on Signature made no. 12 R&B chart '60; sessions with five to eight pieces on Columbia '60-2 featuring Harry Edison, Buddy Tate etc yielded R&B hits: 'The Madison Time' '60 also made pop top 40, 'Sack Of Woe' '61. His last Columbia single was 'After Hours'/'Tonk' '62 with Al Sears, Kenny Burrell, Mickey Roker, Jimmy Rowser, bass (b 18 April 1926, Philadelphia). A Cadet LP '67 had his piano with orchestra arranged and conducted by Richard Evans; there was also a big-band set '72.

There were solo sets Alone With The Blues '55 on New Jazz (Prestige); Alone At Montreux '72 on Atlantic; Solo Flight '76 and Live At Montreux '77 on Pablo. Pablo trio sets included Here's Ray Bryant '76, All Blues '78, Potpourri '80. Tribute To Jazz Piano Friends (JVC '98) paired him with bassist Christian McBride and drummer Winard Harper.