In The Streets Neil Gray

• 1 Frankie’s Ghost 04:09
• 2 For Those In The Back 05:07
• 3 It Wasn't Was It 05:49
• 4 Latin Fiasco 04:34
• 5 Somewhere 05:30
• 6 Shotgun Blues 05:37
• 7 Seymour Street Shuffle 02:57
• 8 Day and Night 04:41
• Total Runtime 38:24

Info for In The Streets

This record is a love letter to Vancouver. The song titles refer to my favourite venues to play, subtle nods to friends and heartbreak in the city. I’ve always loved the idea of writing for specific musicians, odes to places I’ve played or people that inspire me. This record is a chance for me to give back to the city that shaped me as a musician and taught me how to live in the rush of a metropolis.

Neil Gray, drums
Conrad Good, bass
Bruno Hubert, piano
Julian Borkowski, trumpet
Cory Weeds, tenor saxophone
Leila Naderi, vocals (track 8)

Recorded at Monarch Studios, Vancouver, BC on February 5, 2025
Engineered, mixed and mastered by Sheldon Zaharko
Executive Producer: Cory Weeds and Neil Gray
Produced by Cory Weeds

Neil Gray
As a 15 year veteran of the Western Canadian music scene Neil Gray has played in many styles including Funk, Country, Blues, R&B, Dub/Reggae, Drum+Bass, Bebop/Hardbop, Big Band Swing, Brazilian/Argentinian folk music and Afro-Cuban. These many styles, rhythms and textures have influenced him both as a player and as composer drawing him towards hard swinging, punchy rhythms that burst with life and slow, burning ballads that play out the human condition - both suffering and joy.

His current focus is to bring out and solidify his chops in the music closest to his heart; Jazz, specifically the genres of Hardbop and Bebop. Strongly influenced by musicians such such as Art Blakey, Jimmy Cobbs, Art Taylor and Max Roach, when it comes to drum kit playing Neil focuses on a propulsive, no nonsense, swinging sound with the intent to light a fire under the band - pushing the music to new heights.

As a pianist Neil is self taught and started his journey to learn the piano as a teenager after realizing that the study of harmony and melody would give him a better understanding of the music as a whole. His earliest influences on the piano came from the Blues and Gospel and he began to learn old church hymns, rag time pieces and blues/early jazz material. Eventually he started attending local blues jams where he played piano, drums and occasionally sang. As his skills improved he became more and more attracted to the sounds of players like Red Garland, Wynton Kelly, Tommy Flanagan, Cedar Walton and Bobby Timmons, each of which display a sensitivity to the blues while also creating sophisticated Bebop/Hardbop lines. Neil continues his self taught journey on the piano through transcriptions and studying harmony and arrangement.

In the realm of composition Neil draws significant influence from the established giants of the swing and bebop eras, specifically the sounds of Duke Ellington, Thelonious Monk and Billy Stayhorn, each of which established their own approach to harmony and melody, carving out a sound which is immediately identifiable. Along with these titans comes the influence of later composers in the Hard Bop arena such as Bobby Timmons, Cedar Walton, Wayne Shorter and Lee Morgan whose gospel and blues infused compositions injected the genre of jazz with new life.

Neil began his work as composer by arranging riffs, licks and vocal melodies written by other members of the various bands he has played in. Eventually after working in man different projects that were abandoned by other members he realized he needed to create and propel his own band in order to create some solidity in his musical life - relying on other people to front and manage projects meant that he would have to take a backseat to their vision so instead he went to work building his own vision which can be seen in his debut EP - “Steppin’ Out”.

This album contains no booklet.