SUGARAY RAYFORD & GINO MATTEO, HIGH POWER BLUES, MALARKEY’S LONG BEACH CALIFORNIA, JUNE 21st, 2015

Turbo charged blues from Sugaray Rayford and band, with offstage guitar solo by Gino Matteo, and super keyboard solo from Drake Munkihaid Shining, when Sugaray and his band played a high energy gig at Malarkey’s bar, Long Beach, California, on Sunday June 21st, 2015. Some background noise from a happy audience due to recording position and offstage dynamics.

The Sugaray Rayford Band, featuring:
Sugaray Rayford - Lead Vocals
Gino Matteo - Guitar
Ralph Carter - Bass
Drake Munkihaid Shining - Keyboards
Lavell Jones - Drums
Gary Bivona - Trumpet
Allan Walker - Sax
Jade Bennett, Zara Davis, Rachele Quiogue - Back-Up Vocals

Links:
http://sugarayblues.com/
http://www.malarkeysgrill.com/

Extract from Sugaray’s site: Sugaray has fronted his own band since 2010, called the Sugaray Rayford Band. As of May 2011, Sugaray also became one of the lead vocalists for the Mannish Boys, who are under Delta Groove management. This international act performs 6-8 times a year. Texas born Caron “Sugaray” Rayford began his musical career at the age of 7 singing & playing drums in church, and his gospel influence can be heard and felt in his music. Rayford's phrasing is intimate and conversational and the soulful gravel in his voice hints at his firsthand experience with hardship. He grew up in Texas, his childhood marked by poverty and loss. He remembered a sad game he played with his brothers, a competition that determined who was skinniest by counting the number of belt holes left unused. His mother struggled to raise three boys alone while battling cancer. When she died, it was a kind of relief. "She suffered and we suffered," Rayford said. "Then, we moved in with my grandmother and our lives were a lot better. We ate every day and we were in church every day, which I loved. I grew up in gospel and soul.”
When Sugaray belts out a song, you not only hear it, you feel it. The excitement in the room is palpable when he takes the stage; he is a superb vocalist and entertainer. His dynamic voice is large just like the man. With his old school vocal style, echoes of Muddy Waters, Otis Redding and Teddy Pendergrass can be heard. At 6’5” he is a big man, but he moves with grace and energy. May 2012 he made his stage debut starring in the Tony award winning play “Ain’t Nuthin’ But The Blues” at the Portland Center Stage in Portland Oregon. He joined members of the New York Broadway cast playing the part previously played by the late Ron Taylor. It had a 6-week run where every show ended with a standing ovation.

SUGARAY RAYFORD & GINO MATTEO
SUGARAY RAYFORD & GINO MATTEO
SUGARAY RAYFORD & GINO MATTEO