Ray Anderson (born October 16, 1952) is an American jazz trombonist.
Trained by the Chicago Symphony trombonists, he is regarded as someone who pushes the limits of the instrument, including performing on alto and soprano trombone. He is a colleague of trombonist George E. Lewis. Anderson also plays sousaphone (marching tuba) and sings. He was frequently chosen in DownBeat magazine's Critics Poll as best trombonist throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Anderson has worked with David Murray, Charlie Haden's Liberation Music Orchestra, Dr. John, Luther Allison, Bennie Wallace, Gerry Hemingway, Henry Threadgill, John Scofield, Roscoe Mitchell, Randy Sandke's Inside Out Band, Sam Rivers' Rivbea Orchestra, Bobby Previte, George Russell and others. Anderson is a member of Jim Pugh's Super Trombone with Dave Bargeron and Dave Taylor. He received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts for a series of solo trombone concerts.
Anderson has frequently returned to his early love of New Orleans music for inspiration. His Alligatory Band and Pocket Brass Band, featuring tuba player Bob Stewart or sousaphonist Matt Perrine and trumpeter Lew Soloff, are rooted in its tradition. Since 2003 he has taught and conducted at Stony Brook University.
After studying in California, he moved to New York in 1972 and freelanced. By 1975, he was a playing trombone as a member of the group Hidden Strength, which also included Roy Herring Jr. on vocals, Grover Underwood on keyboards, Ken Sullivan on keyboards, Robert Leach on saxophone, Alvin Brown on bass and Al Thomas on drums. They had a hit with "Hustle on Up (Do the Bump)" which made it to No. 35 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart, and No. 27 on the Cash Box Top 100 R&B chart. Their album also made the Billboard and Cash Box charts. They also had a hit with "I Don't Want to Be a Lone Ranger".
In 1977, he joined Anthony Braxton's Quartet (replacing George E. Lewis) and started working with Barry Altschul's group. He has led his own groups since the late 1970s including the funk-oriented Slickaphonics, in which he began taking an occasional good-humored vocal, where he shows the ability to sing two notes at the same time (a minor third apart). Anderson has worked with George Gruntz's Concert Jazz Band.
With BassDrumBone
With Slickaphonics
With Barry Altschul
With Anthony Braxton
With Charlie Haden
With Julius Hemphill
With Roscoe Mitchell
With Lucky Peterson
With Bobby Previte & Bump
With Sam Rivers' Rivbea All-star Orchestra
With Hank Roberts
With George Russell's New York Band
With Roseanna Vitro and Kenny Werner