Racer Session #581 | Figurine | Sunday May 19, 2024

This Sunday we’re featuring friend of the session Ray Larsen! Ray (trumpet) will be performing with his trio Figurine, where he will be joined by Evan Woodle (drums) and Jeff Johnson (bass). Figurine explores the unlimited potential of the present moment, sometimes using precomposed material as a launching pad for group discovery.

Ray Larsen is a trumpeter, composer, improviser, producer, bandleader and educator working in jazz, improvised, folk, rock and contemporary chamber settings. He is noted for his spirited sound, which critics have called “life-enhancing” (Seattle Times) and “truly original” (All About Jazz). Ray has released seven albums of his work, featuring an affinity for musical storytelling across a wide range of styles. His compositions include several long-form pieces for large chamber ensembles (New Studies Of The Starry Skies, How Glass Is Made, 3 Poems By Emily Dickinson, When Mountains Blow) and a treasury of tuneful sketches for trumpet trio Tyrant Lizard, free jazz collective The Sky Is A Suitcase, duo project Josh & Ray (with accordionist Josh Hou), and various other small group settings.

Ray Larsen