The Ray Mann Three: Soul Men
Sydney soul trio The Ray Mann Three are burning up the Oz music scene and making ladies' knees all-a-quiver, rhythm and blues style. The Dwarf spoke to frontman (astonishly named) Ray Mann to get the skinny on this burgeoning hot soul act.
For those who don't know, who are ya and what do ya do?
We are The Ray Mann Three - three well-dressed cats from Sydney, sitting in the corner, jamming, laughing, hanging out, playing Soul music in our own way. We got Bart Denaro on drums (he's also in Kid Confucius), Byron Luiters on bass (he plays with pretty much everyone in the world) and Ray Mann (ex-Kid Confucius lead guitarist) on vocals and guitar.
What kind of non-musical and musical influences do you have?
The Ray Mann Three is all about minimalism. Musically, we reference artists such as Al Green and The Roots. Both musically and visually, we
draw a lot of its inspiration from the '50s and '60s, like the Blue Note jazz and Rhythm & Blues aesthetic. I design all our gig posters, website, CD and promotional materials, and I work within that simple-but-bold, two-colour screen-printed style. At our shows, we're most influenced by the vibe of the folks in the room with us that night.
What are you hoping to get out of all the shows you're doing?
We're doing what most bands do: release an album, and then start doing laps of the country to let everybody know about it, and you. For The Ray Mann Three, our live show is such an important part of what we do - we'd been playing around Sydney for three years before putting out our first album, The Ray Mann Three. So it makes sense for us that our live show is our means of promoting our album.
What was the process of making the record like?
After playing shows around Sydney for three years, we recorded our debut album in three days. It was the three of us in one room, everything performed live (including vocals), through vintage microphones, straight to 24-track tape. The process was organic and focused all at once - in such a short period, you don't have time for more than 2 or 3 takes of any one track. So we captured a moment, quite literally, with each song. We even dressed for the recording the way we dress for shows - in vintage suits, our homage to the old-school Soul bands that our style references.
D'ya like Dinah Washington?
Sure; we like Patrice Rushen more though. And Minnie Ripperton, and Erykah Badu, and Jill Scott, and Joan As Police Woman, and Dusty
Springfield. Get em into ya.
Your music is pretty sexy. Do you have a gettin-it-on album?
Why thankya. Man, after this tour, and the different kinds of stuff we've been listening to driving around the country in the Tarago, I
reckon we'd be able to put together the ultimate gettin-it-on compilation. It'd feature such folks as Earth Wind & Fire, Zap, Hercules & Love Affair, Minnie Ripperton, Elton John, and Darth Vader's theme song (there's a story to that last one which I'm not allowed to repeat
here).
Why should punters come to your shows?
Why do people hang out with their mates? You have a good time, you feel welcomed, you feel you belong. With The Ray Mann Three, we just happen to have instruments handy when you hang out with us.
The Ray Mann Three is out now through MGM.
The Ray Mann Three play:
10 Oct- Triselies- Katoomba, NSW
11 Oct- Transit Bar- Canberra
17 Oct- The Spot- Melbourne
18 Oct- Longboard Surf Cafe- Dromana, Victoria
19 Oct- Veludos- Melbourne
24 Oct- supporting Ray Ayes at the Forum, NSW
7 Nov- Russ Dewbury’s JAZZ ROOMS @ Melt- Sydney
