Rebecca Hardiman

Ray has been playing professionally since the age of 15, and was awarded the Louis Armstrong Jazz award in 1977.  Growing up in RI, he learned the ropes of the music business performing in Newport and the Greater New England Region. Studying at Berklee College of music as well as private lessons he developed his own piano style.

He is included in the "Treasury of Rhode Island Jazz & Swing Musicians".

While with the Vocal Jazz Group "The Ritz" in 1987, he performed at the Montreal Jazz Festival as well as recorded one of the first "direct-to-digital" CD recordings for Denon Columbia. Ray received  an "Outstanding Service" award from the National Association of Jazz Educators in 1987, and has performed at numerous venues throughout the country. 

Since moving to Oregon with his wife, Vocalist Rebecca Hardiman in 1990 they formed the vocal jazz group "Euphoria" and opened for Mel Torme at the Hult Center in Eugene in 1993.

Ray has performed in multiple groups in the Portland area with all of the top local musicians.  as well as festivals and events around the United States.

in 2014, Ray released two recordings with his trio; "Live at Langdon's Grill" and "Nine-Three-Fourteen" (available on Apple Music , Amazon and can be heard on Spotify) which was submitted for Grammy consideration.

He has been performing every Friday evening at Langdon's Grill in his hometown of Aurora since 2013, as well as other venues throughout the Portland metropolitan area.

Ray has created a "Dave Brubeck Quartet" tribute band which delights audiences, and also  performs in and arranges the music for the Karen Carpenter and Patsy Cline tribute bands and a special Charlie Brown Holiday Concert

He and his wife Vocalist Rebecca Hardiman still perform as a duo and with other musicians locally and in other states.