Jazz, funk and Latin from some of the West Midlands’ finest

Ray Butcher started playing cornet at the age of eight and progressed through brass bands to study classical trumpet at Peter Symonds College in Winchester. Disillusioned with classical music, he took up piano for a while, playing in various cocktail bars and clubs including Stringfellows. He returned to trumpet, this time playing jazz, and moved to Birmingham, where he had a short stint with King Pleasure & The Biscuit Boys in 1996. His career has also seen him perform with Dr John and Mica Paris.

Butcher’s Brew features some exciting players from the Birmingham scene, including pianist Tim Amann and saxophonist Sam Rogers, who have both been playing together with Ray in the Tim Amann xTet for many years. Sam has appeared on the Music Spoken Here stage at The Marr’s Bar before, with Reed Bass and as a special guest with Law of Three. The line-up is completed by Miles Levin on drums and Mike Green on bass.