This is The Home of the Environmental Rhythms of Daniel Ray (a/k/a Big Black)

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THIS CLIP FROM THE UPCOMING DOCUMENTARY

"BEING BIG BLACK" NOW IN PRE-PRODUCTION SHOWS

THE VIRTUOSITY OF ONE OF THE GREAT CREATIVE

ARTISTS OF OUR TIME. BIG BLACK, WHO ADAM

RUDOLPH CALLS "THE PAPA JOE JONES OF HAND

DRUMMING", SINGLE-HANDEDLY TOOK THE MOST

ANCIENT OF ALL INSTRUMENTS - THE AFRICAN HAND

DRUM AND CREATED A WHOLE NEW LANGUAGE FOR IT

IN THE AFRICAN -AMERICAN IMPROVISATIONAL

TRADITION THUS BECOMING THE FIRST HAND

DRUMMER TO BE ABLE TO INTEGRATE IT FIRST INTO

SWING AND BE-BOP AND LATER INTO FUNK, HIP -HOP

AND THE FULL CORNUCOPIA OF WHAT BIG BLACK

CALLS "THE ENVIRONMENTAL RHYTHMS" THAT

PERMEATE OUR WORLD.

BIG BLACK'S GROUND- BREAKING MUSCIAL THEORIES,

COMPLEX INNOVATIVE COMPOSITIONS, AND

UNMATCHABLE MUSICIANSHIP WILL BE SHOWCASED

IN A DOCUMENTARY TRACING HIS FANTASTIC SIXTY

YEAR CAREER IN THE UPCOMING DOCUMENTARY

"BEING BIG BLACK".

IN MEMORIUM

Danny was saddened to hear the news of Richie Havens' recent passing in April of this year. Over the decades from the sixties on he and Richie not only played together but also were close friends. Dan sends his deepest condolences and sympathies to all of Richie's family and his fans who will never forget one of our country's great icons of music and freedom.

50,000 YOUTUBE HITS AND COUNTING

FOR BIG BLACK'S SOLO OF HIS ORIGINAL SONG "BONJOUR AFRIQUE"

IN SONY'S 2010 'SOULPOWER' MOVIE

CHECK IT OUT & COMMENTS LEFT AT:

http://youtu.be/N8FPADf3yaQ

See Trailer For Movie From SONY CLASSIC'S

http://youtu.be/BxqzedH6O4M

The Watts Tower Drum Festival

Presents "The Day of The Drum"

BIG BLACK & RANDY WESTON ON THE MAIN STAGE

--------------------------------------Â

BIG BLACK 'S WORKSHOP

AT THE HARRISON HOUSE IN JOSHUA TREE

WAS ENJOYED BY ALL - SPECIAL THANKS TO

EVA SOLTES & SAM SLONEKER !

_________________________________________________________________

WATCH FOR UPCOMING DOCUMENTARY

BEING BIG BLACK

IS IN PRE-PRODUCTION. HERE IS A PREVIEW OF SOME OF THE FOOTAGE - WATCH BIG BLACK PERFORM IN CONCERT AT SYMPHONY PLACE IN NYC BY CLICKING

HERE

BIG BLACK & DIZZY AT MONTEREY JAZZ '65 VIDEO#1

Or hear the full extended version by clicking on

Classic Gigs

_____________

ADAM RUDOLPH'S INTERVIEW ON THE INFLUENCE OF BIG BLACK IN DRUMMAGAZINE

____________________

LEGENDARY

HAND DRUMMER

AND ACTOR

DANIEL RAY f/k/a

BIG BLACK

NOW IN THE

COASTAL JAZZ

HALL OF FAME

BIG "DANNY RAY" BLACK CONGRATULATED BY THE MAYOR OF SAVANNAH

Master musician, percussionist and hand drummer (and actor), Big Black, was born Daniel Ray in Savannah, Georgia and grew up as a child in the Carolinas.

Ray got his nickname from an older brother when he showed interest in drumming as a child. Unfortunately, “Big Black” has gotten far more noteriety for his colorful name than for his importance as an exceptional percussionist and one of the better practitioners of Afro-Cuban jazz rhythms in the 1960s.

After high school, Mr. Ray spent five years alternating between Florida and the Bahamas.

During these formative (but inventive) years he played with Lord Flea's Calypso band in the Bahamas

Ray later formed a band with Jamaican trumpeter Billy Cook in Nassau and began mixing Carribean and jazz rhythms.

During the 1960s he often worked with "jazz giants" Randy Weston, Freddie Hubbard, Ray Bryant, Johnny Barracuda, Junior Cook, Eric Dolphy and Dizzy Gillespie. He subsequently was dubbed “The king of Congas”.

A recording contract with UNI/MCA, led to the release of “Message to our Ancestors,” (’67) “Elements of Now,” (’68) “Lion Walk,” (’68) and “Big Black and the Blues in 1972. These musical statements introduced collaborations with Dizzy Gillespie, Randy Weston, Hugh Masekela and Freddie Hubbard with Art Blakey on the collectors, essential recording, “Night of the Cookers.”

Big Blacks’ recording and acting careers soared afterwards, to even greater heights. The next two decades would prove to be truly eventful, on the theatrical level as well, as a musician in international films such as, Dizzy Gillespies’ Havana Bop, and When We Were Kings.

He has been in demand at international festivals such as: The Montreal, Monterey, Newport, The Playboy Jazz and Music Festivals, and at the Zaire Music Festival, prior to the Muhammad Ali Fight in 1974 (it was Big Black on congas in Ali’s corner that night to open the fight’s festivities).

Big Black continues to advance musically. His technique, is considered unorthodox for a drummer, because he prefers to set out and approach the drums as a pianist would approach their instrument, left hand being bass or lower keys and the right hand, treble or the high keys. When Big Black is accompanying a pianist the tonal exchanges, reminds one of listening to mallets being played on the piano strings. His distinctive feel of melody and harmony, is what distinguishes Big Black from all other hand drummers and percussionist.

In consideration of global influence of Big Black and his participation in the many variations and mutations of jazz and African drum influenced music over the past fifty years, he is being recognized for his musical contribution and achievements by being inducted into the Coastal Jazz Association of Savannah Hall of Fame for 2008.

Two New Albums Released;

Black's newly released RAP /HIP HOP album features the album's title song : "Anybody Got A Hot Meal ? ,which conjures up memories of another great song during another period of hard times for America i.e., during the depression of the 1930's when the question "Buddy, Can You Spare A Dime" became the title of a great hit of that era. Also on this album are five other tunes that mirror the electic nature of Black's writing- check them out -

Black's other new album with the title song being the one that he wrote and played in the newly released Sony Classic Film "SOULPOWER" was released simultaneously with the screening of "SOULPOWER" in LA October 26th.

In addition to the title song there are nine other new age tracks written by Black with an African theme. He is joined on those songs by noted flute and reed player Sayyd.

After the screening. Black and his old friend , famous concert producer Stewart Levine did a Q & A session about the making of the film in 1974 . That Q & A session can be seen on the web at http://vimeo.com/7407760 . At the afterscreen party Black jammed with some of the young up and coming LA area players, rappers and DJ's-check it out on video #2 at the top of next column

COMING IN

2013 - 2014

BLACK & FRIENDS:

"MAKING MUSIC IN A HEARTBEAT TOUR"

COME CELEBRATE WITH BLACK AND HIS FRIENDS FIFTY PLUS YEARS OF HIS BEATING OUT THE RHYTHMS OF PEACE & LOVE AROUND THE WORLD

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ph: 561-213-3416
waltwayne2004@yahoo.com