Ray Gelato

Life and career

Gelato is of Jewish ancestry and was born in London, the son of a Jewish mother and an American soldier stationed in the UK. Through his father's record collection, he heard 1940s swing bands as well as 1950s R&B and rock and roll. Louis Jordan and Louis Prima were inspirational, and his admiration for Sam Butera led him to start learning tenor saxophone at age 19. He played semi-professionally the following year.

In 1982, Gelato teamed with French guitarist Patrice Serapiglia, forming the Chevalier Brothers. He adopted his stage name around this time. After winning a talent show at London's Camden Palace, the group toured the UK, Europe and Japan, playing at the Montreux Jazz Festival and the North Sea Jazz Festival. The band dissolved by 1988.

Gelato worked solo briefly, then sang and played in the British film Scandal (1989). He formed Ray Gelato and the Giants of Jive, who performed at Carnegie Hall (filmed for Italian television in 1992) and recorded Gelato Express (1993), disbanding the next year. In 1994, Gelato sang on the soundtrack for the BBC drama No Bananas and formed the Ray Gelato Giants, a more traditional outfit playing music by Nat King Cole, Duke Ellington, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra.

They performed at the Umbria Jazz Festival, Montreal Jazz Festival, San Sebastian Jazz Festival, toured Italy and the United States, appeared on Maurizio Costanzo's television programme, and played at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club and the 100 Club in London. Their version of "Tu Vuò Fà L'Americano" was used in a worldwide Levi's television commercial in 1998, appearing on the albums The Men from Uncle (1998) and Live in Italy (2000). Gelato played saxophone in a cameo in the film Enigma (2001). In 2002, the group played at Paul McCartney's wedding to Heather Mills, performed for Queen Elizabeth II at The Ritz Hotel, London, and played at Richard Branson's home.