BIOG
RAY GELATO
Considered by many to be one of the last in a long line of classic jazz entertainers, Ray’s first musical influences stemmed from his father, a US airman, living in London whose extensive record collection included Sammy Davis, Dean Martin and Bill Haley. Later Ray discovered the sounds of Louis Jordan and Louis Prima, who would have a huge affect on him musically. On taking up tenor sax as a teenager, Ray was introduced to such greats as Coleman Hawkins, Lester Young, Illinois Jacquet, Ben Webster etc.
Ray Gelato has performed throughout the UK, Europe, USA, Canada and Brazil at prestigious venues, festivals and events such as The Blue Note (NYC), Edinburgh Festival, The VE Day celebrations in Trafalgar Square, Proms In The Park, Montreal Jazz Festival, Sir Paul McCartney’s wedding, The Ritz London for HM The Queen and he opened for Robbie Williams at The Royal Albert Hall. Recently Ray headlined the 1940’s Torch Club at the inaugural Vintage At Goodwood Festival held in August 2010 and completed a sold out two week run of shows at Ronnie Scott’s in London.
His multiple award nominations include BBC Radio 2 Jazz Awards, Jazz Artist Of The Year, Best Of Jazz, BBC Radio 2 ‘Heart Of Jazz’ Award. In 2007 Ray won Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Award for ‘Best UK Small Band’.
Gelato has performed live with his band on many TV shows and his songs have made many TV and movie appearances including Enigma, Scandal, Inventing The Abbotts, The Perfect Man, Levi’s Dockers commercial, No Reservations and most recently his version of ' If You Were The Only Girl In The World' was featured in the US TV series ‘Hung’. A keen cook, Ray has published a collection of his recipes collected during his extensive travels as a musician. Out now, ‘Cookin’ With Ray’ comes complete with CD of his songs to cook along to and he has set up an accompanying Youtube channel.
www.raygelato.com www.youtube.com/cookinwithray
KAI HOFFMAN
Hailing from Massachusetts, Kai Hoffman has been a resident at Ronnie Scott’s since 2008 with her band Kai’s cats. Kai and her cats are prolific performers at London’s premier lindy hop swing dance clubs and festivals and feted venues such as Proud Cabaret. Kai also presents her own show ‘Live And Let Jive’ on Ronnie Scott’s radio and hosts her own night by the same name at the legendary jazz venue.
Originally trained as a classical musician at The Manhattan School Of Music, Cologne’s Hochschule Fur Musik and The Royal College Of Music, Kai has played with musicians such as Nigel Kennedy, Jamie Cullen and Cleo Lane and comedian Bruce Forsyth, as well as with orchestras including the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Symphony Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
Hey Boy! Hey Girl!
PR enquiries to:
Julia Hannan julia@peculiar.me.uk 07939 580560
Hannah Jones hannah@peculiarmanagement.com www.peculiar.me.uk
