Member of The Roots plays with The Toledo Jazz Orchestra
On June 13 at the Valentine Theater, The Toledo Jazz Orchestra (TJO) joins Ray Angry, an internationally known pianist, composer and record producer, best known for his role in The Roots, house band for NBC’s The Tonight Show.Angry’s resume is impressive, spanning multiple genres, Jazz, R&B, Hip Hop and classical music. He’s played with Stevie Wonder, Elvis Costello, Prince, Joss Stone, Diane Reeves and Christina Aguilera, to name a few.
Born in Georgia in 1972 and raised in Miami, Angry started playing piano at age five. He attended the New World School of the Arts, focusing on classical piano. Angry rounded out his education at the prestigious Howard University where he double majored in Classical and Jazz Piano — taking a leave of absence to tour the world with Shai from 1992-94. It all paid off in 1996 when he started to make a name for himself as a studio musician in New York City.
Asked where his love of jazz came from, Angry explained, “I went to performing arts schools where I was exposed to classical music, Jazz and Latin music and I have a lot of mentors. In high school I met a lot of Jazz legends. At 16 or 17 I met McCoy Tyner (pianist and key member of John Coltrane’s band) and when I was at Howard University we used to walk to Georgetown to stand outside the shows to see if we could get in for free. I met Wynton Marsalis and Marcus Roberts, and Tyner was playing there. Right before I graduated, I asked him for advice because I was about to move to New York City. He
told me to stay focused because New York City can really distract you. It’s interesting how the guys I listened to religiously I ended up having as mentors.”
Jazz and Hip Hop Related
While in most people’s minds, Jazz and Hip Hop are two genres that don’t seem related, they absolutely are. Both rely on improvisation, riding the flow of the music and a state of mind that is present and in the moment. “Everyone associates the word ‘improvisation’ with Jazz, “ says Angry, but they don’t realize that it’s at the heart of every style of music around the world. Every culture improvises. Even in classical music, like the Czerny school, students would learn the figured bass, which taught them to improvise.” “Everything is
connected, that’s why I love playing in so many different genres. I figured if I could play everything, then I could always work playing music.”
Excited to play in Art Tatum’s Town
During the pandemic Angry was commissioned to do his first symphonic work by the Lexington Symphony. He was elated when the show sold out. His friend, singer Lauren Hill, drove from New Jersey to Massachusetts to support him and to see the show. From that show he met his current manager, Elizabeth Healy.
She was instrumental in furthering his career. Angry was on a panel on Native American Orchestras where he met representatives from orchestras from around the country, among
them, the Toledo Jazz Orchestra. That meeting led to the invitation to play the Valentine Theater with TJO. They’ll be performing music from his albums Ray Angry One (2018) and Ray Angry Three (2023). He’s planning on playing both solo piano and some pieces with a combo (stand up bass, tenor sax and horns). Angry says it’ll be a nice mix of the music he’s recorded as a lead solo artist.
“I’m also looking forward to working with some of those local heroes in the Toledo Jazz Orchestra and thrilled to be playing in the hometown of Art Tatum. I can’t wait; it’s going to be a lot of fun.”
When asked about another project he created, Producer Mondays, Angry says he’s still involved in the event series that takes place Monday nights at Nublu Club in New York City’s East Village. It includes a mixture of professional musicians and up-and-coming artist drop-ins, with a focus on cross-genre, original music. He’s incredibly proud of its success fostering new music and up and coming talent.
Don’t miss Ray Angry with Toledo Jazz Orchestra on June 13, 2026, at the Valentine Theater. This will be one of the highlights of Live Arts Toledo 2026 season! https://liveartstoledo.com/events/
https://rayangry.com
Q&A with Ray Angry
Your best professional memory? Playing onstage with Prince (below), at one of his final concerts in LA at the Los Angles Forum. I have so many memories but that one stands out to me.
Your worst professional memory? Auditioning for Lady Gaga and not making it. The funny thing is I ended up playing with her at SNL 50. She was the closing act. That was bittersweet. When I auditioned for her, I heard her say to the guy sitting next to her – “see he listens” I heard her say that. Sometimes when you’re auditioning though, it has nothing to do with your skills – it can
be a lot of other reasons like say, aesthetics, that you didn’t get the job.
The artist that inspires you? Stravinsky. I’m very inspired by Stravinsky.
What age would you be again and why? I’d be seven, because it’s a number of completion. I would start over with everything done at top level. Practicing eight to nine hours a day and believing in myself even more than I have.
Your greatest adventure? I would say, riding camels in Dubai with The Roots.
Favorite motto or words to live by? This might be generic, but I do believe it’s true. If you can believe it, you can achieve it.
