Ray Montford
Biography
Ray Montford's narrative guitar style and compositions are melodic, powerful and haunting. He has released six albums incorporating musical styles that fuse rock, jazz, tex-blues and world music into dynamic concert repertoire.
Born in Ottawa and raised bilingually, Ray moved to Toronto in 1986 to begin his professional music career. After completing studies in the Music Industry Arts program at Fanshawe College, followed by a semester at Humber College's Music Program, he began writing and recording his own music, and by 1995 was dedicating most of his priorities in that discipline.
His music is featured regularly on CBC National Radio and he was voted 2007's Instrumentalist to Watch on Galaxie Satellite Radio. For more than 15 years Ray's group of some of Canada's best known players have shared their visceral energy with thousands of fans at music festivals, clubs and theatres. They have toured Europe, shared the stage with the Tony Levin Band (alumnae of Peter Gabriel) and recently sold out the Young Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto for the release of Ray's latest CD, a fragile balance, also available on 180 gram vinyl.
Discography
- A Fragile Balance (2007)
- Shed Your Skin - 10th Anniversary Edition (1997 - 2007)
- Live Imagery (2006)
- Many Roads (2003)
- One Step Closer (2000)
- The Early Sessions (1991-2004)
Performance Highlights
Over the years, he has gratefully received support from the Ontario Arts Council, Toronto Arts Council, Factor and External Affairs as well as sponsorship from Totem Acoustic and Paradigm for his compostions, recording and performances. He has been a juror for the Toronto Arts Council's Composer Program and for the Gemini awards. His music has been licensed for film and TV and he periodically scores to picture. From 1994-1997, he was the guitar player for Canadian sensations The Rankin Family, and in 1998 with Gaelic singer Mary Jane Lamond.
"Ray Montford is a sensitive and exploratory musician who combines traditional techniques with exciting world music influences.", says the discerning Atom Egoyan.
"As hypnotic as a highway at night, always-moving, always-changing scenery, the kind of music you hear on an old car radio in the middle of nowhere.", observed the obviously moved Denis Armstrong of the Ottawa Sun.
Ray Montford web site
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