Critically acclaimed trumpeter, recording artist & Downbeat Rising Star recipient (of Billy Hart, Orrin Evans, Kurt Rosenwinkel) returns to BLU with his all-star trio in celebration of their brand new album! Featuring John Raymond, Gilad Hekselman, Colin Stranahan.
With a singular voice on the trumpet and flugelhorn, John Raymond is making his mark as one of the most promising, up-and-coming jazz musicians in the world. Dubbed as a Rising Star by Downbeat Magazine, John has performed with some of most well-respected names in jazz including Billy Hart, Orrin Evans, Kurt Rosenwinkel and Linda Oh among others. He has released five albums since 2012, all of which receiving critical acclaim from the New York Times, Stereogum, Downbeat, JazzTimes and more. John has also established himself as a sought-after educator, both as the recently-hired Professor of Jazz Trumpet at Indiana University and as a guest clinician and soloist at schools around the world.
Raymond's trio Real Feels has become one of the hottest groups in jazz today. The band includes rising stars Gilad Hekselman (guitar) and Colin Stranahan (drums), and besides the group's unique instrumentation, they combine indie-rock and folk-influenced original music with fresh takes on familiar songs by artists like Bob Dylan, Thom Yorke, Bon Iver, Lennon/McCartney and more. The music undoubtedly evokes a nostalgia for the past, however "Real Feels" is far from being antiquated. The band's improvisational, free-wheeling, keep-you-on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of approach to the music makes the songs feel entirely relevant and has made them one of the hottest new groups in jazz music today.
The group released two albums in 2016, both garnering critical acclaim from Stereogum, Downbeat Magazine, JazzTimes and others. Tonight will celebrate the release of Raymond's newest Real Feels album Joy Ride on Sunnyside Records.
Join us as we welcome this exceptional young trumpeter talent in his return to BLU - get your tickets today!