Ray’s Music Exchange – “Furley’s Comet”

Hearing “A Live Family Rayunion 2025 LP” is like stepping into a crowded, sweaty room where every single person is moving to the exact same beat. Ray’s Music Exchange has given us their first live album in fifteen years, recorded during a sold out show at the historic Woodward Theater located right in Cincinnati. Thirty years of playing together has shaped a veteran band that knows how to ignite a stage and keep a massive crowd hooked all night long.

The six track release mixes late 90s jam band grooves with a massive wall of sound energy. A huge part of that power comes from a powerhouse horn section featuring members of Ernie Johnson from Detroit alongside local jazz masters saxophonist Josh Kline and trombonist Spencer Merk. Founding keyboardist Paul Hogan wrote many of these brilliant originals, giving the entire lineup plenty of room to stretch out and play without limits.

The core group features Brad Myers on guitar, Michael Mavridoglou on trumpet and keyboards, Nick Blasky on bass, and Jason Smart on drums, and they play together with a tight chemistry built over decades of performing across the United States. Every single moment on this record captures pure electricity from start to finish, showing true mastery of their craft and sharing their passion with everyone in attendance.

Among the six songs, two stand out as absolute favorites. “Furley’s Comet” hits hard with blazing horn lines and driving guitar rhythms that refuse to let up for a second. Later in the set, “Peruvius” slows things down just enough to show off their incredible improvisational skills, building up layer by layer until the room shakes. The sound quality captured by Nicholas Radina and mixed by Ashley Shepherd puts you right in the middle of the happy audience. It’s one of the best releases I’ve discovered this week so far.

If you want to experience some of the best live funk and jazz being played today, check out the artist’s previous releases. You will not regret diving into their incredible catalog. Make sure to follow Ray’s Music Exchange to stay updated about new releases for the rest of this year.