Ray's Music Exchange
-By Bonni Fierstein (bonni@jambands.com)

Shut up and listen. Those are my personal rules when it comes to experiencing Cincinnati, Ohio's Ray's Music Exchange, a seven-piece ensemble that is so wonderfully complex that it's all you'll want to do. Their sound is organic, unique and indescribable, (believe me), I have tried on many occasions to do so. It's jazz. It's fusion. It's Latin. It's rock. It's funk. Put it all together, and you have one crazy musical experience; an experience that will leave your body, mind and soul exhausted, and have you clamoring for more.

Ray's Music Exchange was formed in 1996. Since its inception, there have many lineup changes, and this is attributed to the fact that they were a college band that was just evolving. They have stayed in its current formation since May of 1998. Over half of the members have been trained at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music, and this education has led to a band that has a perfect balance of composition and improvisation. RME is comprised of Brad Myers and Joe McLean on guitar, Nick Blasky on bass, Paul Hogan on keyboards, Jason Smart on drums, Matt Hawkins on percussion, and Michael "Mad Dog" Mavridoglou on trumpet, flugelhorn and percussion. Ray's Music Exchange is a young band (the average age of the members is 25), but they are talented well beyond their years.

Seeing Ray's Music Exchange is definitely as much of an experience as listening to them. Hogan, along with Myers and Blasky composes the majority of their original repertoire, conducts the band during the show. It's amazing to watch. Transcending time and space barriers, Hogan gives the band of a slew of hand signals that alerts the band to changes, which for a band that emphasizes improvisation, will always be on cue and seem very well practiced. These jams are not practiced, and the band will often play "games" with themselves or the audience members to ensure that the show is a different experience night after night. In 'Miniature #5', the members of the band will divide into three teams. Each team will chooses three genres to play the piece in, keeping their choices secret from the other teams. The band will be signaled by Hogan to change genres, and what comes out of these jams is always a mystery to the audience and band as well. Ray's Music Exchange also likes to have audience members participate in the fun that they are having onstage. They have divided the audience into sections and assigned them noises, such as barnyard and jungle sounds to add vocally to their jams. On occasion, the band has also been known to do theme jams, where they will request an audience member to decide on a theme for the band to play. The 2/11/00-theme jam from Mama Einstein's in Athens, OH was about a bologna sandwich, and from listening to it, one would never look at a bologna sandwich the same way again.

The band's first album, entitled 'Alivexchange' is an impressive release that encompasses the band's flair for improvisation. Alivexchange, which was recorded during a two-night stint in Cincinnati in June of 1999, won best album of the year at the 1999 Cincinnati Music Awards. Ray's Music Exchange is currently in the studio recording their second album, which they are hoping will be released in the fall. I recently spoke with Ray's while they were in the midst of recording this album, which is currently untitled.

BF: Tell me about your experiences in the studio. How does this experience differ from anything you guys have done?

RME: Being in the studio has given us the chance to look at more options creatively. We can look at all ideas and time permitting explore them. It has also caused us to miss some sleep. Time seems to disappear inside the studio. You might go in at 6pm and before you know it the morning sun is up. This experience has brought out each individual's voice and ideas to a level we have not had before. We love it.

BF: Besides being a studio album, how will the new album differ from 'Alivexchange'?

RME: The new album will be very different from the first on many different levels. We have definitely matured as far as compositions and playing goes. This will be very evident on the recording. There is more attention spent on the actual compositions than on extended jams. Don't worry though, there are hours of free jams on tape. We aren't sure what we will do with them, but they will be used. There are also textures on the album that we could not have done on a live recording, not without several more musicians, and that doesn't mean overdubs. Alivexchange is a documentation of where we were two years ago, this is where we are now.

BF: Having played with such artists like Oteil Burbridge and Deep Banana Blackout, who are your favorite people to play with?

RME: I guess the best way to answer that is anyone who plays well and enjoys playing with us.

BF: What kind of dynamic does playing with other artists add to your shows?

RME: Having players sit in opens a whole new dimension. Guest musicians bring a whole new vibe and musical variety to the show. Fortunately there are so many talented musicians in this "scene" that you never know what might happen.

BF: How have the changes in your lineup affected your music?

RME: Anytime there were lineup changes the music and band has totally shifted gears. With a new member come a lot of new ideas. We don't anticipate any changes any time soon. We are very happy with the lineup we have. Everybody's style and influences compliment the others really well.

BF: Who are your influences, major and obscure?

RME: Our influences are as diverse as the personalities in the band. The best way to answer that would be in generic terms. We are influenced by everything from experimental music, jazz, world, African, Indian, funk, rock, bluegrass to classical. Naming individual influences with a group this size would be too long and boring for anyone reading this. We are influenced by sounds.

BF: What are your tour plans to hit the rest of the country?

RME: Our plans for touring are to really concentrate on the East Coast for now as well as continuing touring in the Midwest. We really want to play anywhere that people want to listen. We recently started working with Partners in Music, who also work with DBB, and we feel confident they will help us achieve our goals.

BF: Do you consider yourselves a jamband?

RME: As far as considering ourselves to be a jamband, we are not big fans of labels. Sure it's cliched, but it is true. We really like being a part of a community of musicians and people like jambands.com, jambase.com etc. So if people want to call us a jamband that's cool with us.

BF: How would YOU describe your music?

RME: Describing our sound, huh. It is a mixture of compositional and improvisational music that has a variety of styles and sounds. It is hard to be truly objective when describing what you do from the bottom of your heart and soul. It is music you should listen to and try and describe it to a friend.

Ray's Music Exchange will be touring the Northeast in mid-May. The band will also be doing a mini-tour with Umphrey's McGee in June and playing festivals this summer as well. For dates, please visit their Website at www.raysmusicexchange.com. The band is also offering a CD-only B&P offer to the first 50 people that respond. Please send an email to: theband@raysmusicexchange.com and put 'B & P Offer' in the subject line.