Ravi is a New York City based jazz and commercial trumpet player who has performed
domestically and internationally for over two decades.
Biography
Ravi is a New York City based jazz and commercial trumpet player who has performed
domestically and internationally for over two decades. Most recently, he has been performing
and touring with Steven Van Zandt and his band Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul, where
he had the chance to play with Sir Paul McCartney, and Bruce Springsteen. Ravi also spent
two years touring with Kool & The Gang, and Ravi has just joined Ain't Too Proud, the
Broadway show based on the life and times of the legendary soul group The Temptations.
Ravi began his musical journey while growing up in Southern California listening to his father's
extensive jazz collection, and studying privately. When he was 16 years old he had his first
opportunity to tour the US and Europe playing with The Velvet Knights Drum and Bugle Corps,
and the American Musical Embassadors, all the while getting guidance and encouragement
from trumpet master Wynton Marsalis.
After high school he matriculated at Howard University where he gained his BA in Music
Therapy. While in college Ravi was fortunate to study with three incredible trumpet players,
Donald Byrd, Fred Irby III, and Professor William Fielder. During this time he also played at The
Kennedy Center in the musical Stardust, and performed and recorded with Jon Faddis.
In his final year at Howard, Ravi was able to get his first touring gig with tenor sax legend
Illinois Jacquet. Mr. Jacquet asked Ravi to join his big band, The Illinois Jacquet Big Band
where Ravi toured and performed with greats such as Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Herbie
Hancock, Nancy Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Clark Terry, and Bill Clinton during his first
inauguration.
Upon moving to New York City, Ravi then started playing around town with various artists such
as Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Whitney Houston, Jay-Z, Beyonce, Queen Latifah, Christina
Aguilera, Annie Lennox, Lenny Kravitz, Barry White, The Roots, Boyz II Men, The Temptations,
and The O'Jays. He gained his MA in Jazz Studies from New York University as well.
He also began performing, touring, and recording with various bands like The Duke Ellington
Orchestra, The Count Basie Orchestra, Sam Rivers Rivbea Orchestra, David Murray's Big Band
and Octet, Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy, Blood, Sweat, and Tears, David Byrne & St. Vincent,
Ani DiFranco, and Michael Jackson The Immortal World Tour.
Ravi can be heard on many recordings such as, Kenny Garrett's Pushing The World Away, Little
Steven and The Disciples of Soul's Soulfire Live, David Byrne & St. Vincent's Love This Giant,
David Murray Octet's Octet Plays Trane, Lester Bowie's Brass Fantasy's The Odyssey of Funk
& Popular Music, Sam River's Rivbea Orchestra's Culmination, Ani DiFranco's Evlolve, So
Much Shouting, So Much Laughter, and Mya's Moodring, The Broadway cast recordings of
Jesus Christ Superstar Live In Concert, 42nd Street, Baby It's You, and Ain't Too Proud.
Ravi has made several TV appearances as well throughout his career.
He has played several
times in the Saturday Night Live house band, Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Today Show with
Kool and The Gang, The Today Show with Little Steven and The Disciples of Soul, the
American Music Awards with Queen Latifah, the MTV VMAs with Christina Aguilera, The Late
Show with David Letterman with Rufus Wainwright, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert with
M. Ward, Good Morning America with Boyz II Men, The Rachel Ray Show with Tony Bennett
and The Count Basie Orchestra, and The View. He's also been featured in a Foxwood Casino
commercial. Recent TV credits include the Emmy-award winning live production of Jesus
Christ Superstar starring John Legend in April 2018, and HBO's Boardwalk Empire. In
November 2018, Ravi made his film debut in the Netflix film The Christmas Chronicles starring
Kurt Russell, with Ravi featured on the trumpet.
Ravi has also spent many years performing in the orchestras of several Broadway shows such
as Annie, The Color Purple, Chicago, Sweet Charity, Anything Goes, 42nd Street, Swing!, On A
Clear Day, Le Cage Aux Folles, Fela!, Baby It's You!, Come Fly With Me, Nice Work If You Can
Get It, and Kat and The Kings.
Ravi was on the faculty of the Jazz@ Lincoln Center Middle School Academy for several years,
and has lead Music Therapy programs at Isabella Geriatric Center, St. Elizabeth Psychiatric
Hospital, and has taught privately for many years.
