What Goes Around ...
Incredibly, Lucian Gray had only been playing guitar a few years when he won the Prince Edward County Jazz Festival’s Rising Young Star Award in 2009. The festival wasn’t alone in recognizing his considerable talents; he’d already earned a full-ride scholarship to Berklee College in Boston.
Twelve years later, he’s now the full-time Program Manager for the well-respected Community Music Program at Humber College in Toronto.
It’s been a long journey, and it began with a bit of a tough go at Berklee.
“I spent four years there just catching up to everyone else – they’re such good players down there. Unbelievable, really.” “It was tough to stay in the States when I graduated, and I didn’t see a path forward there.”
He moved back home to Toronto, comfortable where he grew up and with a vibrant music scene for lots of playing, and eventually got into teaching a second-year Master guitar class at Humber. Along the way, Lucian was a finalist in the 2015 Wes Montgomery International Guitar Competition in New York. That led to a critically important endorsement deal with the company that makes world-class Benedetto guitars, which led to great gigs, contacts, and life-long friendships.
A year later, he was a semi-finalist in the elite Herbie Hancock competition that, again, drew entrants from around the world. “I wasn’t super happy with my performance there, but it was important to me because it kind of validated what I was doing as a performer. It was my last competition…competition is for horses, as Bartok used to say.” It added up to a busy career performing and teaching. Cue the pandemic.
Twelve years later, he’s now the full-time Program Manager for the well-respected Community Music Program at Humber College in Toronto.
It’s been a long journey, and it began with a bit of a tough go at Berklee.
“I spent four years there just catching up to everyone else – they’re such good players down there. Unbelievable, really.” “It was tough to stay in the States when I graduated, and I didn’t see a path forward there.”
He moved back home to Toronto, comfortable where he grew up and with a vibrant music scene for lots of playing, and eventually got into teaching a second-year Master guitar class at Humber. Along the way, Lucian was a finalist in the 2015 Wes Montgomery International Guitar Competition in New York. That led to a critically important endorsement deal with the company that makes world-class Benedetto guitars, which led to great gigs, contacts, and life-long friendships.
A year later, he was a semi-finalist in the elite Herbie Hancock competition that, again, drew entrants from around the world. “I wasn’t super happy with my performance there, but it was important to me because it kind of validated what I was doing as a performer. It was my last competition…competition is for horses, as Bartok used to say.” It added up to a busy career performing and teaching. Cue the pandemic.
As with all musicians, the live gigs dried up, and his hours at Humber were reduced because of lower enrollment. He had to pivot to doing more home production and recording projects.
“It was hard to adapt. I took a long break from playing because it was tough with my new job, which is very busy.”
He’s been in his new role with Humber’s Community Music Program since January. It’s for children and youth aged 3-18. It’s a happy homecoming, too. It’s where Lucian started playing jazz at the age of ten, and where he would continue to develop all through high school.
“Before it began in 1980, the only way to get a formal music education was to do classical music. This was formed as an alternative to traditional classic music education, recognizing that the skill set of a jazz musician is very beneficial across all professional music.”
“I know there are some musicians who regard teaching or anything other than performing as a compromise or a necessary evil. It’s never been like that for me. I really enjoy it. Would I say it was a goal of mine to teach when I was at Berklee? No. But make no mistake. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and I’m passionate about teaching.”
The son of well-known musicians Charlie Gray and Madoka Murata got back to live playing recently, and he thinks the live scene is coming back to life.
“I think people are absolutely missing the connection they get from live music. I played my first gig a couple of weeks ago and was amazed. A lot of seats were reserved and it was almost sold out. That didn’t happen before the pandemic so much, so I guess there’s pent-up demand.”
And where does Lucian Gray see himself ten years from now?
“I’m 31. I don’t feel like I’m not a musician anymore, but I definitely feel like I’m still searching a bit. I haven’t done an album. I’m getting closer to it. I just haven’t seen myself as a finished player; maybe you’re never finished, and I’m realizing that as I get older. That’s been a struggle for me.”
There are only fond memories of his award-winning week at the Prince Edward County Jazz Festival in Picton twelve years ago.
“It was amazing for me, particularly coming up from kind of a harsh environment at Berklee, I really appreciated it in the County. I thank those who’ve taken an interest in my career along the way.”
One final note – what music does Lucian Gray listen to now?
“Different stuff, but always - the Blue Note jazz recording classics. And lots of Led Zeppelin!”
“It was hard to adapt. I took a long break from playing because it was tough with my new job, which is very busy.”
He’s been in his new role with Humber’s Community Music Program since January. It’s for children and youth aged 3-18. It’s a happy homecoming, too. It’s where Lucian started playing jazz at the age of ten, and where he would continue to develop all through high school.
“Before it began in 1980, the only way to get a formal music education was to do classical music. This was formed as an alternative to traditional classic music education, recognizing that the skill set of a jazz musician is very beneficial across all professional music.”
“I know there are some musicians who regard teaching or anything other than performing as a compromise or a necessary evil. It’s never been like that for me. I really enjoy it. Would I say it was a goal of mine to teach when I was at Berklee? No. But make no mistake. I am so grateful for this opportunity, and I’m passionate about teaching.”
The son of well-known musicians Charlie Gray and Madoka Murata got back to live playing recently, and he thinks the live scene is coming back to life.
“I think people are absolutely missing the connection they get from live music. I played my first gig a couple of weeks ago and was amazed. A lot of seats were reserved and it was almost sold out. That didn’t happen before the pandemic so much, so I guess there’s pent-up demand.”
And where does Lucian Gray see himself ten years from now?
“I’m 31. I don’t feel like I’m not a musician anymore, but I definitely feel like I’m still searching a bit. I haven’t done an album. I’m getting closer to it. I just haven’t seen myself as a finished player; maybe you’re never finished, and I’m realizing that as I get older. That’s been a struggle for me.”
There are only fond memories of his award-winning week at the Prince Edward County Jazz Festival in Picton twelve years ago.
“It was amazing for me, particularly coming up from kind of a harsh environment at Berklee, I really appreciated it in the County. I thank those who’ve taken an interest in my career along the way.”
One final note – what music does Lucian Gray listen to now?
“Different stuff, but always - the Blue Note jazz recording classics. And lots of Led Zeppelin!”
