Guitar Ray & The Gamblers - Photograph (2014)

“Guitar Ray & The Gamblers” was founded in 2002, and since 2006 the current line up is consolidated with Guitar Ray Scona on vocals and guitar, GabD on bass, Henry Carpaneto on piano and Marco Fuliano on the drums. Since 2002 they have collected several collaborations and productions with internationally renowned blues artists, including Jerry Portnoy, Big Pete Pearson, Keith Dunn, Otis Grand, Paul Reddick, Lea Gilmore, and took part to big festivals in the blues scene.

Between 2002 and 2004, the band performs on tour with Sonny Rhodes, Keith Dunn, Bill Thomas, Paul Orta, Jumping Johnny Sansone, bringing around the world the Blues from Texas, Chicago and New Orleans.

In 2004, the guitarist Otis Grand, with whom Ray Scona had collaborated in the past, produces his first two albums: “New Sensation” and “Poorman Blues”. Latter is immediately positioned in the Top 5 on “2008 International Pool” Blues News in Germany, and is programmed by several broadcasters in Europe and U.S.

In 2005 the band comes to a turning point: at the Cazorla Blues Festival, in front of an audience of 5000 people, the band meets Jerry Portnoy, harmonica player for Muddy Waters, founder of Broadcasters with Ronnie Earl, and who has played with Eric Clapton. Between Jerry and the band a good feeling is immediately established, so that they start a wonderful collaboration that lasts for two tours.

In 2007 the band participates to the album “Hipster Blues” by Otis Grand, and in 2008 it performs with Otis himself together with Deitra Farr and Little Jimmie Reed in front of CNN cameras at the International Festival Eclat in Beirut, and in France in Limoges with Blues Extravaganza. In the same year the band takes part to Otis’ Norway and Poland tours.

In December 2009 the band starts its first European tour with the current name “Guitar Ray & The Gamblers”, hitting Germany, Belgium, France and Denmark. A DVD named “As The Years Go Passing By” reporting this tour has been realized.

In 2010, the band meets Paul Reddick, talented canadian harmonica player and singer, winner in 2008 of the prestigious Maple Blues Award, author of many songs featured in movies soundtracks, TV series, and commercials (“I’m a Criminal” has been chosen by the Coca Cola Company for a TV campaign in the U.S.). With Reddick and Roxanne Potvin, beautiful voice and Canadian singer-songwriter, the band tours in the spring of 2010 in France, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Austria and Italy. In June, at the french festival Auzon The Blues the band meets Lea Gilmore, journalist, singer and civil rights activist based in Baltimore. Lea is fascinated by the combination of her Gospel singing and Ray’s Blues, so decides to engage the band for her european tour in the same year. Again in 2010, the group takes part in two major festivals, the Gaverenwinkel Festival in Belgium and the Blues En Loirein France. The band meets Big Pete Pearson, excellent bluesman with countless collaborations with legends such as Ray Charles, BB King, Muddy Waters and Etta James. The entente is excellent and an intense collaboration immediately begins.

In 2011 and 2012 the band participates in three European tours with Big Pete, and collaborates with him to “Choose”, a traditional Blues album released in 2012 and produced by the american label Modesto Blues Records.

In summer 2012 the band plays alongside Fabio Treves’ summer tour.

In 2013, after a short tour with Big Pete Pearson, Guitar Ray & The Gamblers back in studio for the recording of the brand new album “PHOTOGRAPH”, with Paul Reddick as artistic producer and feat. of Fabio Treves and Gnu Quartet.