Meet Jon Gray
John Gray took up the acoustic bass in high school . By grade 12 he was playing in 2 symphony Orchestras & blues great Clarence “Big” Miller (Duke Ellington, Count Basie) who he was to spend the next 22 years working with.
During his career he has also performed with Ray Charles, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Dexter Gordon, Chet Baker, K.D. Lang, Lenny Breau, Nat Adderly, Petula Clark, Eddy Daniels, Eddie “Lockjaw” Davis (Count Basie), Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson, Jack DeJohnette (Miles Davis), Mark Murphy, Herb Ellis (Oscar Peterson Trio), Neil Sedaka, Woody Shaw, George Shearing, Jack Sheldon (Merv Griffin), Pepper Adams, Mike Nock (The Fourth Way), Eddie Marshall (Stan Getz, Etta James, Bobby McFerrin, Bobby Hutchinson, Dionne Warwick, Freddie Hubbard), Jack Walrath (Charles Mingus, Ray Charles), Frank Mantooth, Maureen McGovern, Butch Miles (Count Basie), Warren Marsh, Bobby Shew, Bob Stroup (Woody Herman, Glen Miller, Harry James and Tommy Dorsey Orchestras), Chris Potter (Red Rodney, Dave Holland, Steely Dan), Hugh Fraser, Frank Rosolino, Jim Pugh, Gene Bertoncini, John Abercrombie, The Platters, The Inkspots, The Marvelettes, (Motown Artists), Ivy Jo Hunter (Original Motown Funk Brother), Billy Davis & Marilyn McCoo (5th Dimension), The Canadian Tenors, Carter Jefferson, Mark Jordon, Anthony Braxton, Steve Lacy, Barbara Donald, Mark O’Conner, Charles McPherson (Charles Mingus), Hadley Caliman, Steve Slagle, Jon Faddis, Doug Riley, Brian Dickinson, Bernie Senensky, Jon Ballantyne, Dave Restivo, Mike Murley, Richie Vitale (Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Buddy Rich, James Taylor and Sting), Sam Noto, Ted Curson (Charles Mingus), John Stowell, P.J. Perry, Tommy Banks, Helen O’Connell (Jimmy Dorsey), Frank De Vol (Fernwood Tonight), Bobby Curtola, Donald Ray Johnson (A Taste Of Honey), Little Milton, The harmonicats, Johnny Adams, Shirley Jones (Partridge Family), Buddy Tate, Kenny “Blues Boss” Wayne, John Surman, Studebaker John, Holly Hofmann (Ray Brown), Oliver Gannon, John Miller (Stanley Turrentine), Fraser McPherson, Gaye Delorme, Duris Maxwell (Skylark, Powder Blues, Jimmy Hendrix), Lee Musiker (Buddy Rich), George McFetridge (Buddy Rich), Ted Piltzicker (George Shearing), Herbie Spanier, Lucie Arnaz, Chris Layton (Stevie Ray Vaughn), Ralph Peterson Jr., Mike Clark (Herbie Hancock/Headhunters, Wayne Shorter, Tony Bennett, Ike & Tina Turner), Kathi McDonald (The Rolling Stones, Joe Cocker, Big Brother & The Holding Company, Leon Russell, Ike & Tina Turner), Matt Catingub, Sonny Rhodes, Amos Garrett, Jens Lindemann, and Kazuko Shiraishi (John Coltrane).
John Gray is currently the Bassist/Bandleader/Manager of the Ray Charles Tribute Orchestra, the Motown Tribute Orchestra, the Amy Winehouse Tribute Orchestra, The Diva Dynamics, Frank Sinatra Tribute Band, and the Blossom Dearie Tribute Band all based in Calgary Alberta, Canada.
John Gray has over 40 years teaching experience and has taught in Calgary for the Clinic Line and Mount Royal University and Ambrose University.