Artist description Born in 1977 in New Zealand, Samuel Gray is a genre-crossing multi-instrumentalist, singer and composer. This mp3.com page documents his improvisational jazz performances in Norway, where he has lived for the past 5 years.

Music Style Melodic, percussive, emotive free jazz

Musical Influences (in order of appearance): Beethoven, ABBA, opera (Verdi, mostly) & A.L. Webber musicals, C.P.L. Delibes, Metallica, Seattle

Similar Artists That depends on the listener. People will hear different similiarities according to what they themselves have listened to in their lifetime..

Artist History Musical parents, Jan & Lewis, brought Sam into the world in Dunedin, New Zealand, September 1977. First classical piano lesson: age 7 Wrote first song: age 9 First instrumental improvisation: age 9 Age 14: First song recorded on 4-track and released on local sampler album, "On 2 It". Age 15: first solo pianoforte concert Age 16: Recorded entire album of own songs on 4-track studio, released through local store. Age 16: Royal School of Music Grade 8 in Music Theory and Pianoforte. Age 16: Represented New Zealand in international Concert Band championships in Hawaii, playing percussion. Age 17: Member of percussion ensemble. Age 18: Move to Norway for a year-long exchange Age 19: Move pack to Norway to study at Oslo University. Age 24: Is still based in Oslo. Three well-received performances of freely improvised solo piano at Blå, Jazid and Oslo University main library in October/November 2001. First overseas free jazz tour heads for New Zealand Jan/Feb 2002.

Group Members Sam Gray. I collaborate with Karin Hellebostad Toft, Håvard Offer Olsen, Theo Pastore, Eivind Henjum, Håkon Berre and Pete the violinist and am widening my circles of acquaintance. Have played support for David Haney/Jørgen Munkebye and Jon Christensen/Petter Wettre.

Instruments Piano, guitars, percussion, voice, analogue synthesisers, glockenspiel, string and brass arrangements

Press Reviews Excert: Jazz South Newsletter - February 2002 Local News I¹m writing this fresh from hearing Sam Gray¹s concert of free jazz at the Lindisfarne Methodist Community Centre (15 January). It was an education to us all, the 100 or so people who attended. After the concert, for comparison, I went straight home and put on Keith Jarrett¹s solo concert at La Scala (1995). Sam and Keith play in a similar genre. Let me tell you - Sam showed more excitement, more variation and more humour. Of course, it may not have been Jarrett¹s aim to excite his audience but variation and humour are important for this type of performance and where Jarrett failed, Sam succeeded. One question you might ask is, Å’Is what Sam, Keith Jarrett and others play jazz?¹ Well, one can always widen the definition of jazz to include this type of music since it is undoubtably improvised. Mind you, these days there are musicians performing music they call classical which is also totally improvised. I¹m not sure where that leaves us. Let¹s just say, we can call it jazz if we want to! My old Mum used to call it Å’making it up as we go along¹ and I might add Å’with gimmicks¹. To pull it off though, the musician has to have prodigious talent and a fertile creative imagination. Sam has both of these qualities. Technique-wise there¹s nothing between Sam Gray and Keith Jarrett but in the creative imagination stakes Sam is undoubtably the winner. If you missed the concert you missed a real treat. - Russ Dear Den vesle, gebrokkenttalende mannen som vagget rundt på Blå (Oslos fabelaktige, alternative altmulig-klubb) i timene før kveldens happening tråkket igang, viste seg faktisk å være newzealenderen Sam Grey i egen person. Han startet med å mumle noen selvironiske fraser, og var verken Bruce Russell eller Crowded House - derimot hamret han igang med emosjonell, minimalistisk pianorock, akkompagnert kun av cello og trommer. Det minimale, pessimistiske og dynamiske uttrykket traff umiddelbart midt i fjeset, og klarte å rive det med seg ganske lenge. Sam Grey har pianoemosjonene til Todd Rundgren (+ flere andre jeg ikke tør nevne....) og jordskjelvet til salige Bobby Conn, og samtidig lidelsesaspektet fra både klassisk soul og "angstpop". De skarpe taktskiftene og "oppbyggelsene" gav også hint til artrock á la Godspeed You Black Emperor!, ikke minst også på grunn av celloen - men nettopp ved bruken av cello som bassinstrument sammen med piano og epileptisk trommelager, ble det skapt et unikt, nærmest jazz-aktig sound, som ofte var totalt oppslukende i de instrumentale sekvensene. fra konsertanmeldelsen på : http://www.musikkavisen.no/010310krank.shtml Sam Gray: New Zealandsk stjerne lander i Oslo Blå har æren av å presentere en ny stjerne på Oslos musikk-himmel - Sam Gray fra New Zealand. Unggutten har tatt hovedstaden med storm i løpet av noen få vårmåneder. Men i hjemlandet har han opptrådt siden tidlige tenår - som klassisk pianist, som perkusjonist i korps og med egenproduserte art rock-album! Tror du oss ikke? Kom og opplev det selv, når unge Gray skal fylle søndagskvelden med piano-pop som er inspirert av alt fra Todd Rundgren, Tori Amos og Bobby Conn til Godspeed You Black Emperor og Sonic Youth. Samt en liten teskje Keith Jarrett. søndag 13. mai/kl. 2000/sam grey/haavard offer olsen m.fl./ Jazid Jazzklubb presenterer Tedans...men er det Jazz? November / Desember 2001 Lørdag 24. November: -NYZZ: SAM GREY -ATLE NYMO Sam Gray er bla. kjent for sine energiske opptredener på Blå. Skal spille frijazz på Jazid, og vil ta i bruk mer enn bare tangentene for å utforske klangene instrumentet kan produsere. Besetning: Sam Gray - Piano

Location Oslo, Oslo - Norway

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