After decades spent lending his drumming magic to a diverse resume of artists that ranges from Jean-Luc Ponty, Stanley Clarke, Rick Braun, BWB and George Duke to Michael Jackson, Bette Midler and Patrice Rushen, Mr. Griffin emerges from the drum riser to equally showcase his writing, arranging, drumming AND singing gifts on his phenomenal Rebirth of the Cool.
Much of the album was conceived and recorded in Rayford's Razoredge home studio, allowing him plenty of relaxed time to develop the material along the way. "I didn't want to beat people over the head with an album of drum solos, odd meters and fast playing," Rayford shares. "I wanted to be as musical as possible with something for everybody, and also show how drums could be a part of that without being offensive."
That's quite a statement coming from a drummer whose concert solos have brought fellow players and lay people alike to their feet with awe, appreciation and an adrenaline rush. Griffin is a technical master who brings to his towering arsenal of drums and percussion toys an engrained knack for groove and a graceful style that is always complementary to anyone with whom he plays. Rebirth of the Cool completes this portrait of the artist as so much more.
Rayford's reputation afforded him the opportunity to work with the finest, most versatile names in music on this crucial debut, including percussionist Munyungo Jackson, guitarists Dwight Sills, Jamie Glaser and his brother Reggie Griffin, bassists Sekou Bunch, Larry Kimpell and Keith Jones, keyboardists Nick Smith, Deron Johnson and Rob Mullins, violinist Karen Briggs, and horn players Branford Marsalis, Everette Harp, "Patches" Stewart, Walt Fowler and Brandon Fields, among others. "I know my limits and strengths," says Rayford, reflecting on the skills he is exposing for the first time on this record. "I'm hard-pressed to call myself a singer when I have worked with some of the best. The same goes for musicians. I can play some percussion, but Munyungo is a true percussionist. I respect people who put in the time." Rayford has punched that clock, too.
Rayford Griffin was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and got his first drum (a field snare) at the age of 10 and played in his grade school marching band and orchestra. He got his first full set of drums (all the way from Japan) at 13. From the 8th grade through high school, he studied with Tom Akins, principle timpanist for the Indianapolis Symphony, who provided Rayford with a polished precision on drum set, snare and tympani that would give him a lifelong edge over most other drummers.
During his one year as a music major at Indiana State Rayford studied music theory and nabbed Best Drummer honors at three competitions, including the Elmhurst Jazz Festival. This led to him joining local fusion monsters, Merging Traffic, in 1977. One of their first gigs was opening for violinist Jean-Luc Ponty. In an interview for Modern Drummer magazine, Ponty recalled. "As we were coming into the hall, (Merging Traffic) was playing. In fact, it was during Rayford's drum solo. Usually everybody just goes back to the dressing room while there's an opening band on. But this time, everyone stayed to watch the drum solo. Rayford had the crowd in his hand." A few years later, Rayford's mother and older brother, Thomas, scraped together the money to send him to Los Angeles for an audition (which he nailed), upon which time he embarked on the most high profile gig of his career playing with Ponty for six years and five albums (1981-1987).
"One year we played the Santa Monica Civic and everybody I listened to growing up was backstage: Stanley Clarke, George Duke, Lee Ritenour." Ray wound up playing with most of them.
Subsequent gigs included accompanying Anita Baker, Cameo, George Howard, Dave Koz, Jeff Lorber, Boyz II Men and Anastasia and being a member of the Stanley Clarke Band, to name just a few. All of these gigs kept him busy but also kept him from fulfilling the dream of releasing his own project as a leader. "I'd been thinking about doing an album since the early '80s," he shares, "but I kept getting pulled into other people's projects. I'd dabble, get distracted, then two or three years would go by."
However, after his brother Reggie Griffin moved to LA from NY, they built a home studio they named Razoredge (as in Ray's or Reg's Studio). This gave him the incentive and the flexibility to polish up the songs he'd started over the years, record some new ones and, finally, complete Rebirth of the Cool>. Ray composes on piano using sequencers and synths to lay out the orchestration. "I was surprised at how my songs have stood the test of time. They still sound fresh because for the recordings, I used all live instruments."
Indeed, Rebirth of the Cool is an auspicious and deliciously varied debut filled with elements that will appeal to music lovers in the jazz universe and beyond. Given the level of sensitivity Rayford has provided for others, it's no surprise how richly satisfying his first outing as a leader has turned out.
Happy birthday Rayford! I celebrate your birthday, and look forward to seeing you this spring, and celebrating you again! I'll be in LA, working with Julie on my demo. Many, many blessings to you, always! Pat
