Ray Skjlbred was born in Chicago, but never played a note of jazz there until he recorded a quartet CD there in 1987. He had moved to Seattle and then to Berkeley in '69. Ray is leader of "Berkeley Rhythm,", "Great Excelsior Jazz Band" and the "YETI Chasers." Over the years he has been influenced by Earl Hines, Jess Stacy, Joe Sullivan, George Zack and Art Hodes, yet he is clearly his own man. He has played and recorded with many West Coast jazz players including Turk Murphy, Dick Oxtot, Bob Helm, Leon Oakley, Claire Austin, Barbara Lashley, and Victoria Spivey.
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