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Reviews

July 01, 2009 ( No Comments )

Soul Of Sydney, Australia
The Bamboos and The Ray Mann Three @ Manning Bar, Sydney 07.05.10
Posted 12 May, 2010 [excerpt]

The evening started off with Sydney’s sophisticated soul funk trio Ray Mann Three, delivering once again quality original and minimal soul funk grooves, establishing the perfect mood for what was yet to come. Sporting a shaved head, Ray Mann with his D’angelo-esque vocals warmed the dancefloor playing tracks off their debut LP of the same name. Watch out for these guys as they soon could possibly be joining the list of Australian royal soul funk aficionados, and that’s definitely not a bad thing for Australia!

Faster Louder, Australia
The Reverend Al Green and The Ray Mann Three @ Perth Zoo, 17/01/2010
Gig Reviews by raciroo, 20th January, 2010

The Ray Mann Three are a trio of cheeky lads playing minimalistic soul with a touch of funk and blues. Describing them as laid-back is an understatement as these boys sit, relaxed as anything. They were a very appropriate warm up act for The Reverend Al Green as they put the crowd into the groove of soul but were at the same time respectfully subdued leaving Green to bring the “wow” factor. Ray Mann was the master of the cheek with his funky smooth falsetto vocals, teasing lyrics and impromptu giggles.

Faster Louder, Australia
Tori Amos, Ray Mann @ Canberra Theatre, Canberra (15/11/09)
Gig Review by mattymac, 20th November, 2009

Tori Amos sat with us recently in an evening of intense personal confession, accompanied by Ray Mann of the Ray Mann Three.

Ray Mann was the Yin to Tori’s Yang. Bereft of the Three, his stripped back set felt like he had personally invited us there himself to enjoy his barefooted ramblings. The stage got smaller and you could almost taste the green tea you should be drinking. His disarming material pooled and eddied in the spaces between everyone and small colourful flourishes kept it all buoyant. Without the aggressive masculinity of a rhythm section (the blood and guts of soul) his voice was allowed to establish its own place rather than force its way to the foreground. It was fine and dexterous and was interlaced with his flirtatious guitar work beautifully. It was a blithe conversation between performer and audience that was perhaps in hindsight more of a necessary counterpoint to Tori’s sombre performance than it may have originally looked on paper.

Oz Music Scene, Sydney
Tori Amos @ Opera House, Sydney – 16 November 2009
November 17, 2009 by lkatulka

The night opened up with the soulful sounds of Ray Mann. This young man with the old-school soul sensibility and his electric guitar was a strange choice for supporting Tori. She’s so unique that it’s always hard to find the right fit. The restless crowd told me though that he probably wasn’t it. It’s a shame because his songs were gorgeous, and his personality just as sweet. He told us that tonight, playing for his home audience at the iconic Opera House, was the best night of his life. Clearly he didn’t mind the chatty crowd and was just happy to play for those, like myself, who were happy to listen. I think he’s going to be embraced by the crowd on the Al Green tour he’s supporting next year. I have a feeling we’ll be hearing a lot more from Ray, which is a very good thing.

Out In Canberra, Canberra
Live: Tori Amos w/ Ray Mann @ Canberra Theatre Centre
Sunday, 16 November 2009

Supporting Amos, was Sydney musician Ray Mann. Having recently seen Ray Mann Three at Transit, it was interesting to see Ray Mann removed from his usual musical backdrop. Ray Mann performed songs such as the heartfelt ‘Morena’, and ‘Another Night with You’. He proved once again that he is truly one of the most talented musicians coming up through the ranks, with solid guitar work and a soulful singing voice.

FasterLouder.com.au
The Ray Mann Three @ Transit Bar, Canberra, (25/07/09)
Gig Reviews by mattymac, 28th July, 2009

There isn’t a more aptly named genre of music than Soul. It’s direct; it speaks to your guts, your feet and your hips. Even the word itself sounds like it’s coming from a deeper place. It dresses itself up with a sexy bass riff and a voluptuous rhythm section. Musicians have used it to deliver powerful political messages and in its pure form it’s extremely hard to criticise. Its simplicity is its strength, and despite the best efforts of overhyped divas to usurp the moniker for commercial use, it remains such a powerful form of music that speaks to the intellectual and the aesthete alike.

Soul moves us in the best possible ways and Saturday night the Ray Mann Three wielded their music like a silk bull whip, and the cold, cold winter was forgotten for a while.

They dress well, they smile a lot and they play damn good Soul. If you completely disregard the rest of this review you should at least know these three undisputable facts. The crowd at the Transit Bar was the usual mix of hip young things, not too cool for school but certainly not a collection of wall flowers. While there was certainly a few that had braved the chill specifically to see these guys, most of the punters were just up for fun in whatever form. They slid up on stage and as soon as the lazy kick drum opened up and the bass sputtered into life the floor filled up. Boys and girls were dancing, drinks flowed, all was good, and it was like that the entire evening.

They had a beautiful sound. Grant Gerathy’s drums were fantastic, his rhythms tight and sharp. Byron Luiters’ bass was velvety and rich, with wonderful little flourishes. Ray Mann’s lead was confident; his voice easily floated over the high notes and never relied on cheap tricks or vocal gymnastics. His guitar was great too. As a band they work wonderfully, their timing was perfect. The constant tempo changes (mid song) and varying time signatures (also mid song) seem too natural to simply be stunts. I guess that’s the whole point of Soul. It has to FEEL right, and that it did. If you weren’t moving your feet, you were nodding your head.

The only problem that didn’t sit well was a minor one. The sets were broken up too often and the breaks were as long as the sets, breaking the momentum a little. For some reason they felt the need to introduce themselves a lot too. Like I said, a pretty minor gripe considering the sweet tunes, but it didn’t go unnoticed.

These cats were genuinely exciting; their music had a confident, driving machismo and effortless style. The Ray Mann Three was a very welcome respite from the relentless winter cold of late, and there was a neat reciprocity going on down at the Transit. The crowd warmed the band, the band warmed the crowd. And I’ll be damned if that’s not what Soul’s all about! Amen!

MTV Australia
Ray Mann Three live at The Basement Sydney (24.07.09)

With a mounting reputation for being Sydney’s foremost funk/soul sound, uber cool trio, ’The Ray Mann Three’ are beginning to lay the foundations to what looks to be a very promising future.

Described by the Brag as “Classic soul music with a modern funk twist” their appeal is derived not only from their sound, but their onstage chemistry and subtle energy underpinning all their tunes. Donning beautifully designed brown and white suits whilst performing further adds to the atmosphere that their music generates.

And despite a sold out show with people cramming into every space possibly, front man Ray Wassef was able to put a calming/intimate tone on the whole event with the audience made to feel like they were the only one in the room. This distinct characteristic created an emotional connection to the guys which in turn elevated their music beyond the already scaling heights.

Finishing to an overwhelming ovation, epitomized the rawness of the show, with the trio looking genuinely shocked at their reception. With their unbelievably good debut album on the shelves right now, and a string of lives performances regularly poking up around Sydney, you would be silly to ignore the signs…these guys are the next big thing.

Beat Magazine, Melbourne
Single Review: “Opa Opa”
Monday 22 July, 2009

Criminally clever funk from The Ray Man Three, a band that knows how to control the rhythms. This song is more space than sound, with a steady cymbal and barely-there bass guitar, leaving everything else to Ray’s Prince-ly vocal and an abrupt, repetitive bark from his two band mates. An amazingly distinctive tune.

FasterLouder.com.au
The Ray Mann Three @ The Hopetoun, Sydney (17/04/09)
Posted by Luke_Rod, 21st April, 2009

The room suddenly groaned as the frozen-handed nicotine fiends made their reappearance before a stage that was occupied by three very dapper looking gents, each with matching tie and waistcoat. *

The Ray Mann Three* opened with a fifteen-minute jam of Feels So Good. Ray Wassef’s vocals were smooth and flirtatious, his rhythmic guitar augmented by bass player Byron Luiters’ quivering groove, as drummer Grant Gerathy tapped lightly at the frame of his snare.

The crowd around the room was yahooing to the funky sounds, feeding off the obvious energy and delight the three groovemakers took from playing to a jam-packed room. Drummer Grant was swaying his head side-to-side, constantly changing up time signatures with bass player Byron.

The gig was the launch of the latest single Hook Me Up from their debut self titled LP. I’ve been listening to this song for a while now and it really was killer live. They’ve got a groove that takes in jazz, funk, soul and hip hop all at once.

The band certainly possesses a charismatic live presence, ranging from the slow soulful lament of Morena to the shout-along-inducing Opa Opa. Go on, get yourself out to a Ray Mann Three gig: you’re sure to benefit from a dose of funky soul.

triple j Unearthed
The Ray Mann Three, Smile
Posted 13 Feb, 2009

rating: 4/5

This is audio sex. The funk is almost oozing out of my speakers. Love the D’angelo vibe. Smooth smooth smooth.

Dom Alessio, triple j

inthemix
Jamie Lidell @ The Forum, Sydney (09/01/09)
Created On January 14th, 2009 by legal-affairs

It’s a very helpful band name, ‘the Ray Mann Three’ – it reminds you that there are three of them, that one of them is called Ray, and that Mann, they sure are good. Having honed their show in the credible intimacy of Sydney venues like Tonic and Melt, the recent release of an album titled The Ray Mann Three has seen them graduating to bigger rooms and bigger bills. Their set tonight showed just how deserved that graduation is. The Three are Ray Wassef (but who we will call “Ray Mann” for the purposes of this review, otherwise the band’s name is less helpful) on guitar and vocals, Byron Luiters on bass, and Grant Gerathy on drums. The flavour is stripped back soul with strong jazz leanings; Mann has a fine, clear voice that on more than one occasion calls to mind the voice of the evening’s headliner; although his dress sense differs, the Three favour the waistcoats, white shirts and loosely knotted ties look that seems to be de rigeur at the moment amongst those playing music which harks back to a better age. Starting with the album’s last track, Night With You, the Three groove through the album’s tracks, with plenty of space allowed for all players to show their assured, and deftly deployed, improvisational skills – Mann’s guitar work on Shine was a particular highlight as the tempo lifted towards the end of the set. The Ray Mann Three are an act well worth checking out – go see them at Playground Weekender if you don’t get chance to catch them before that.

inthemix
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings @ Hyde Park Barracks, Sydney (11/01/09)
Created On January 15th, 2009 by legal-affairs

What I came to as I dripped my way into the Festival Bar was the Ray Mann Three starting their set with Night with you. I had seen the Ray Mann Three a mere two days earlier (you can read my thoughts in my review of the Jamie Lidell gig at the Forum) and given that they played pretty much the same set as they played at Jamie Lidell, I’ll save some electrons and not repeat myself. I’m not critical of the fact that they played the same set – it’s a very good set, and they’ve a new drummer and, as I later found out, a stand-in bass player (which, in a three-piece involves a bit of reorganisation, so the fact that the set is as good as it was is testament to Mann’s talent as singer and guitarist).

Eleven Magazine Sydney, 27.01.09
The Ray Mann Three Self-titled Independent
Posted on 27 January 2009

The Ray Mann Three is the perfect summer album. The album is a stellar debut from former Kid Confucius guitarist Ray Mann. Ditching Kid Confucius’ hip hop stylings, Mann oozes sex appeal with his mix of soul and funk. This album easily deserves a four star salute. Four stars

The Independent Weekly Adelaide, 27.01.09
The Ray Mann Three Self-titled Independent 28/01/09

Hailing from Sydney, The Ray Mann Three’s debut album makes for smooth summer listening. Sharing similarities in name and indie/hippie look with the John Butler Trio, a number of songs, including ‘Opa Opa’, ‘Hook Me Up’, and ‘Morena’, reflect a more mellow take on the trademark Butleresque syncopations. Ray Mann (real name Raymond Wassef) has a great, soulful voice which sits nicely with the often sparse instrumentation of the band. ‘No Way No’ ups the funk-o-meter, with great backing vocals amid a message of defiance – “they ain’t the boss of me”! Closing the album is the wonderfully laid-back ‘Night With You’. Those who like The Cat Empire, or 1990s Sydney act Skunkhour will find a similar groove here. The album is way too short at 37 minutes, but stands up nicely to high rotation – a good thing now that the lazy heat of summer is upon us. A deck chair, cold beer/icy cocktail, cool breeze, and the Ray Mann Three cranked up on your stereo. No finer way to spend a few lazy hours. MGM.

dB Magazine Adelaide, 14.01.09
The Ray Mann Three
The Ray Mann Three (MGM)
Reviewed by: Keilly Reilly

The Ray Mann Three should be a laughing stock. They make beautiful soul music and Ray Mann’s delicious falsettos are seriously sexy, but it’s hard to take music like this seriously – just look at Prince. Somehow they pull it off without being caricatures, though, and while nothing quite equals the languid grooves of the exquisite opening track Smile, this is a damn good debut. Ray Mann used to be the lead guitarist in neo-soul band Kid Confucius and drummer Bart Denaro still plays with them, and their influence is easy to hear in the ever so slightly dirty groove of Hook Me Up. On that song Mann does the G. Love half-sing half-rap thing, but it’s when he gets to crooning that things are at their best, his Prince meets Curtis Mayfield voice joining the liquid guitar licks in a blissful combination rather than the sleazy bass/ low talking sound that the band sometimes slips into. Yr Werds borrows a little from the Beatles’ Oh! Darling, but turns those elements into a classic soul track that has the rhythm section taking the lead a bit more for a nice understated moment, and Getting Thru slows things right down for some slow burning soul. ‘The Ray Mann Three’ winds up with another slow number, Night With You and, like the rest of the album, it’s irresistibly sexy – God only knows what these guys do live, but if it’s anything like this album, you’d better watch out.

Drum Media Sydney, 20.01.09
Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings plus The Ray Mann Three
Beck’s Festival Bar, Hyde Park Barracks
11/01/09 (MGM)
Reviewed by: Katie Benson

The rain that had threatened Sydney all weekend finally came down in buckets minutes before The Ray Man (sic) Three took the stage. They opened with a slow number and kept things at that pace throughout; the tempo only stepped up mid-track when the band broke down their singles to funk and blues jams. Mann’s vocals were smooth and light, perfectly complimenting the relaxed soul and breezy lyrics. Adding further to their happy ambience, all three members played with such infectious joy that the soggy audience quickly forgot the conditions.

The Brag Sydney, 13.10.08
“Indie Album of the Week”
The Ray Mann Three
Self-Titled (MGM)
Reviewed by: Jonno Seidler

You know what I love about the Sydney music scene? Like, the REAL scene, not the ‘I go to Oxford St and dance to remixes of Wolfmother until 4am’ scene? The fact that everybody knows everybody else. I don’t actually know Ray Mann, but I know him by association to my other muso friends, who’ve been touting his wares for years. Finally, Ray got his shit together after playing in a little hole in the wall (Tonic Lounge) for 3 years and recorded this sublime album full of lazy, summery sex tunes that make Prince look like a virgin.

There’s certain music you put in your CD player and you just smile, and forget exactly what it is you hate about the world (don’t get me started). Ray Mann’s tunes do that for me. It’s like a huge serotonin shot to the ass with a mango daiquiri on the side. The instrumentation is sparse but well thought out, the songs are absolutely top notch, and Ray’s voice is beyond orgasmic – even if you’re a heterosexual guy.

Like all undervalued artists, Ray’s CD is self-produced and completely not getting the airplay it should. I know this because I heard a new Pussycat Dolls song the other day. It took all my self-control not to drive my car into a crowd of kids in leather jackets. Ok, so I might have killed one. But once you hear the beautiful sounds of this trio, you can almost forget that the Dolls, nay, even Kyle Sandilands ever existed.

If you ever needed proof that soul wasn’t dead, you just found it. Guaranteed baby-making music.

Music Feeds Sydney, 12.07.08
“Album Reviews: The Ray Mann Three The Ray Mann Three
Reviewed by: Jules Bibley-Hall

This is the musical equivalent of sex on a summer’s afternoon. It’s laid back, it’s funky, it’s sexy, it climaxes at all the right moments and as the title of track 3 says it “Feels So Good”. Within thirty seconds of the CD starting I was grooving along in my chair and checking their website to find out when they’re next performing live. If this is how good theses boys are on a recording I’m salivating over the prospect of a live show. There is a special balance achieved by this trio, each of them contributing just enough to the musical landscape but leaving enough space for each other’s playing to shine. Byron Luiters deep basslines creep along below Ray Mann’s soulful, laid-back guitar licks and Bart Denaro’s jazzy drumming. Ray Mann’s voice is like honey – sweet, smooth and natural however all three contribute vocals and this makes for a nice full sound with some really effective call and response sequences. I’m not always the biggest soul music fan but this album got under my skin in a very pleasant way. If you need a little bit of loving put this album on and be seduced.

The Brag Sydney, 30.06.08
“Live Reviews: The Ray Mann 3 [sic]
Sat 21 June The Vanguard”
By Tony Two-Tone

Can I begin by saying this was just a really, really great night. The Vanguard was sold out and there was a distinct buzz surrounding soul trio Ray Mann 3′s [sic] album launch. They’ve been playing around town since 2005, most prominently their monthly residency at Tonic Lounge, so people have had a chance to catch them here and there. Tonight though, was all about them…

I think the crowd knew we were in for something special when the Ray Mann 3 took the stage, there was a palpable tension. The boys, snappy dressers that they are, carry a lot of style and personality with them. Frontman Ray (ex Kid Confucious [sic] guitarist) steals a lot of the attention with his voice, but Bart and Byron on drums and bass respectively are not to be outdone.

I feel one of the reasons that the band has been able to craft this upwards trajectory for themselves is the strength of the individual players, they just wring so much life from their instruments. The solos throughout the show really drove home the extent of the talent. It’s classic soul music they play with a modern funk twist. Ray has a knack for a well selected cover, and it’s when you hear his versions of D’Angelo’s ‘Brown Sugar’ or The Roots ‘The Seed V2.0′ that the ‘wow factor’ of his vocals sinks in. Tonight however was all about the band’s own songs, and they proved what a strong repertoire they’ve developed over time.

The momentum built steadily through the slinky pink panther style soul, the boys had more and more fun and the Vanguard was grooving about as much as the Vanguard can. They must have felt the hush as they played, the crowd was well and truly drawn in. One of their signature tunes, ‘Opa Opa’, with Bart on the mic always seems to reduce the trio to fits of laughter. It’s an enjoyable spectacle. Then they bowed and left the stage for barely a second and were back with a classy encore that included some Zappa-esque psychedelic guitar, the big single ‘Smile’ and an ultimately feelgood cover of Elton’s ‘Benny And The Jets’. It was a fantastic jam, delivered with such a level of confidence you feel sure they’ll have to go on to bigger and better things.

The musical atmosphere’s right for a band like this to break into the bigtime, the Bamboo’s have done it, and I think the Ray Mann 3 have the mass appeal to sail even further than the Melbourne funk outfit. Best of luck to you guys.

Drum Media Sydney, 27.05.08
“Live Reviews: Kate Miller-Heidke
The Ray Mann 3 (sic)
Ashleigh Mannix
Annandale Hotel 10/05/08″
By Bianca O’Neill

Speaking of being a little out of place, The Ray Mann 3 were certainly not a usual band to play at the Annandale with their brand of cool funk. It speaks volumes when a band that plays funk with big basslines and in three piece suits can convert such a varied crowd as the Annandale attracts – and they did just that. They were just that mix of entertaining and talented; and most importantly, they were enjoying what they do, which made them simply infectious.

Drum Media Sydney, 03.03.08
Live Reviews:
The Ray Mann Three
Annandale Hotel
24/02/08
By Donne Restom

I couldn’t have conceived neo-soul outfit [The] Ray Mann Three working in a rock room. I was wrong. They rocked. The extraordinary tightness of this trio created a sound that was bigger than anything played yet. Stripped back and simple lines coupled with Mann’s rhythmic falsetto had a pulsing rawness that made the young Annandale crowd seriously jump around. It just goes to show that this group has what it takes to transcend the barriers defined by genre.

Drum Media Sydney, 09.01.08
Live Reviews:
Hawksley Workman
Ray Mann
The Vanguard, 09/01/08
By Donne Restom

Pre-show entertainment at The Vanguard is usually a non-event. Dinner is being served and the rattling and clinking of culinary implements create cymbal-like accents within the cacophonic rabble. Ray Mann begins his solo show with “How Long Has This been Going On”, an exceptionally quiet piece that grabs an unusual bout of attention from his chattering audience. Looking visibly surprised with the response Ray continues on his softly spoken, unassuming tack singing “Just Another Night” With You and the original “Gettin’ Through” with a lyrical clarity that can often be obscured within his usual trio. As the audience buzz rises and falls in accord to the dynamic level of each song, Ray pulls off a difficult spot with simplicity and warmth.

Drum Media Sydney, 18.10.05
Live Reviews:
The Ray Mann Three
Tonic Lounge
16/10/05
By Graziella Obeid

On a small street in a petite venue in a big town is Tonic Lounge Bar, a bar that could be mistaken for a jazz den in the old Jewish quarter of Paris. The wall ‘tonic’ is a soft impressionist painting of Frida Kahlo, the decor ‘tonic’ is French bourgeois meets provincial kitsch, and the beverage ‘tonic’ is a raspberry and lychee martini… mmmm, the barman is an expert.

The Ray Mann Three – who are urban, neo-soul, a dash of funk, lots of spunk with a truly fresh spirit… have the ability to propel you into a higher sphere allowing your soul and intellect to waltz into the lofty clouds of the unique. Slotting you into a groove on a not-too-polished urban wooden floor, these songs resonate in your body and soul and are expressed with your feet… hello Ray Mann Three. …

[The] Ray Mann Three combined originals and covers and executed them with such distinctiveness that it seemed to me they extrapolated more spunk than the originals (traditionalists please don’t slap me), especially their version of “The Seed” by The Roots. Other covers came from D’angelo and Jill Scott. Their rendition of “Sign Your Name” by Terence Trent D’Arby had the crowd curving their hips and humming along, while their original, “Morena”, felt like a cross between Lenny Kravitz and Stevie Wonder.

Ray, the lead guitar and singer has a vocal range envious of any of the best in soul. Matt Hunter on bass and vocals kept his funky finger working and Bart Denaro, drums and vocals, was good enough to eat. (Ray and Bart are members of Kid Confucius). The trio were not too polished, not too tight, but a model of loose, energetic cinnamon-spice.

If you want to hear how soul has evolved, see these guys play. Better still, see them at Tonic because it’s gotta be one of the best places I’ve been to in a long time.

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