September 29th at Little Jumbo, Justin Ray transforms Monday night into something that feels like discovering jazz's best-kept secret. This isn't just another trumpet player—this is a musical catalyst who makes every note count and every musician around him sound like they've just remembered why they fell in love with playing in the first place.
Ray's trumpet doesn't announce itself with flash or fury; instead, it opens conversations that pull you in close, asking musical questions that make other instruments want to answer with their most honest voices. Leading the Justin Ray Quartet with the kind of quiet confidence that only comes from truly listening, he's turned Asheville's jazz scene into his personal laboratory for collaborative alchemy.
When Ray lifts that trumpet, he's not just playing melodies—he's creating gravitational fields where musical magic becomes inevitable and Monday nights suddenly feel like the best-kept secret in the mountains.
Featuring
In a scene filled with talented musicians, Justin Ray has emerged as both a formidable trumpet voice and the kind of musical leader who makes everyone around him want to dig deeper into their craft. Leading the Justin Ray Quartet with the kind of understated authority that comes from deep listening and deeper respect for the tradition, Ray embodies the collaborative spirit that keeps Asheville's jazz scene thriving. His trumpet doesn't just play melodies—it starts conversations, poses questions, and creates spaces where other musicians can discover new aspects of their own voices. This is leadership through inspiration rather than domination, proving that the best bandleaders don't just direct the music, they elevate it by recognizing and nurturing the unique gifts that each musician brings to the collective sound.