The official website of The Ray Charles Tribute Big Band
This is an all-star band that was initially formed for one performance at the 2005 Waterfront Blues Festival. However, the show was such a success that the band was awarded a Muddy Award for "best performance" and has been called upon for subsequent engagements. Pulled together by saxophonist Patrick Lamb and trumpeter Thara Memory, the band uses as its model, 'O Genio � Live in Brazil', a recently discovered film of a Ray Charles concert and rehearsal televised in Sao Paolo in 1963 when Ray, then 33 years old, was in his prime and at the top of his game.
With backing from full horn section and "Ray-lette" backup vocalists, the original tribute band featured blue-eyed soul man Curtis Salgado, Portland soul diva Linda Hornbuckle, blues belter Duffy Bishop, Norman Sylvester, former Stevie Wonder collaborator Lee Garrett, crooner Sweet Baby James Benton, pianists Janice Scroggins and D.K. Stewart, and more.
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