Born and bred in Maine, a New Yorker since 2006 and currently living between Berlin and Brooklyn. Devin Gray has performed and recorded with saxophonists David Liebman and Gary Thomas, and recently (2021) released a trio with the politically charged title Melt all the Guns, featuring Ralph Alessi and Angelica Sanchez.
Other collaborations include the 2020 release of 27 Licks, a long standing duet with close friend and master drummer Gerald Cleaver. Recent global appearances have been with Sylvie Courvoisier’s trio with Drew Gress at the Berlin Jazz Festival, a new project with Tim Berne and Michael Formanek, and a trio with Zoh Amba and Micah Thomas. As a sideman Gray has worked with Nate Wooley, Tony Malaby, Andrea Parkins, Satoko Fujii, Marc Ducret, and Eve Risser among many more.
FACTS
1. melt all the guns
2. i love composing music
3. nickname: Vone
QUESTIONS
1. What is the biggest inspiration for your music?
the feeling of happiness
2. How and when did you get into making music?
very early, i got my first drums and lessons when i was 7 after requesting to my parents many times- my next door neighbor was in a band and i could hear him practicing from my house!
3. What are 5 of your favourite albums of all time?
Sun Ra – Singles
Herbie Hancock – sextant
Coltrane- Live at the village vanguard, again
György Ligeti Edition, Vol. 3 – Etudes (Sony)
Enemies of Energy, Kurt
4. What do you associate with Berlin?
openness
5. What’s your favourite place in your town?
länderdreieck berlin, prospect park brooklyn
6. If there was no music in the world, what would you do instead?
be a farmer
7. What was the last record/music you bought?
Gerald Cleaver’s 22/23
8. Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Peter Brötzmann
Kurt Rosenwinkel
9. What was your best gig (as performer or spectator)?
Björk in brooklyn years ago, (spectator)
10. How important is technology to your creative process?
it is helpful, but i find it most useful in other ways outside of truly being creative
11. Do you have siblings and how do they feel about your career/art?
I have an older brother, (3 years older) for sure he respects what I am doing, because he was the one who showed me how to set up and play the drums first… I just kept going :)
