Tim Ray Jazz Pianist

Tim Ray’s wide-ranging skills as a soloist and accompanist have afforded him the opportunity to perform with legendary performers from many diverse styles of music. He is perhaps best known as Tony Bennett’s most recent pianist and musical director, appearing in concerts with him until his retirement from singing in 2020. Featured on over 100 recordings to date, Tim has performed in concert with an extensive list of pop music icons, notably Aretha Franklin, Lyle Lovett, Jane Siberry and Soul Asylum. He regularly performs with leading figures in the jazz world, among them Kurt Elling, Gary Burton, Esperanza Spalding, Phil Woods, Terri Lyne Carrington, Scott Hamilton, Dave Douglas, John Patitucci, Brian Blade, Lewis Nash and Rufus Reid; and his classical credits include solo performances and concerts with the Boston Pops, the Boston Modern Orchestra Project and the Glens Falls (NY) Symphony. Tim’s busy schedule has included frequent tours throughout the Americas, Canada, Mexico, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and has included performances at Carnegie Hall, the White House, the Kennedy Center and the 1992 Presidential Inauguration. Tim has also performed repeatedly on “The Tonight Show” (Johnny Carson, Jay Leno), “Late Night with David Letterman,” “The Conan O’Brien Show,” “Austin City Limits” and various other national TV and radio broadcasts. His most recent CD as a leader - Fire & Rain - featuring John Lockwood on bass and Mark Walker on drums, was released on the Whaling City Sounds record label in 2023. Excursions & Adventures, featuring drummer Terri Lyne Carrington and bassist John Patitucci, and Windows (with Lockwood and Walker) are also available on the Whaling City label. He released his first CD as a leader in 1997 - Ideas & Opinions - on Gunther Schuller’s GM Recordings label, which included drummer Lewis Nash and bassist Rufus Reid. His second self-led CD was released in 2003 - Tre Corda - and includes Greg Hopkins on trumpet and Eugene Friesen on cello. This “chamber jazz” trio released their next recording in 2013 - Squeaky Toy - which features original compositions and music by Bela Bartok. Tim also has a solo piano CD: On My Own, vol. 1 – New Works, a collection of original compositions and improvisations. A sought-after arranger and composer, Tim has penned numerous original works for his trio Tre Corda, for solo piano, big band, string orchestra, and an extensive body of writing for jazz trio and quartet. He is a grant recipient from the National Endowment for the Arts, and is a longtime Professor on the faculty of the Berklee College of Music. Tim also teaches jazz piano at the Philips Exeter Academy, and he conducts workshops and clinics at colleges and high schools throughout the U.S. and Canada.