NineNIne – Paul Steven Ray Josh Scott Eli Fountain

This is what happens when you put together an experimental composer(influenced by Miles Davis/John Cage/ Jimi Hendrix/ Steve Reich), a pillar of the NYC grindcore scene, and a veteran of many heavy jazz ventures. When musicians who listen to every style of music, but don’t listen to what anybody says about them decide to blow.


Paul Steven Ray has been composing and performing various mutations of electronic-ritual music for over 20 years. He arrived in NYC in 1981 and has been heard in experimental venues such as Issue Project Room, The Stone, The Knitting Factory, TONIC, MonkeyTown and festivals such as the Noise Festival at the Ontological Theater, the International Electro-Acoustic Festival, Cosmoson, Ivy Salon Paris, CERF Festival , New York Jazz Festival and the NORTH RIVER MUSIC SERIES. He has collaborated with such artists as Theresa Rosas, Bora Yoon, Oblaat, Pheeroan Ak Laff, Vernon Reid, Nate Wooley, Cyro Baptista, Yuko Fujiyama, Val-Inc., Ha-Yang Kim, Eli Fontaine, Julian Thayer and Susie Ibarra. He holds a B.A. in music and dance of the African diaspora from Indiana University and a M.M. in composition from Brooklyn College. Ray has studied composition with Amnon Wolman and John Eaton. His compositions for other media include work created for Laura Staton Dance ( Judson Movement Research Series) and the score for Sikay Tang’s Phrases/s Lesson 5 . In recent years, Ray has taken up the camera to create multimedia work and video art such as Lotus B.’s Haiku Dream for 4 channel video and live music. In 2006, Paul Steven Ray and Theresa Rosas formed the experimental duet, Aquiaconverse(now known as RAY-ROSAS PROJECT) which is now based in Berlin as well as Brooklyn. His experimental opera, SALLY DISTANCE, for Soprano, e. guitar,laptop,live electronics, and video was premiered in 2007 at Galapagos Arts Space and featured Bora Yoon. His listener activated sound environments are outdoor installations designed for an ultra-sensitive sonic experience for the “listener-performer”. He is curator of the experimental concert series, PSYCHELOUNGE. Ray's second opera, SLEEPERHOLD , premiered at Issue Project Room in june 2010. A new recording from his trio, NineNine, will be released in January 2012.

Eli Fountain has displayed his diverse gifts as a performer/composer in jazz, classical, funk, and experimental genres. He has performed internationally and recorded with artists such as Max Roach, Geri Allen, James Carter, The World Saxophone Quartet, Oliver Lake, Butch Morris, and Carman Moore. Mr. Fountain has collaborated with the tap dancing phenom, Savion Glover. He was the musical director for Yale Repertory Theater’s 2004 production of King Lear. He was once a guest in Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood. Mr. Fountain is the founder and director of the group Percussion Discussion


Josh Scott is a fixture of the NYC’s noise rock/ grindcore scene having created, performed , and recorded with Anodyne and Defeatists. He is a quiet and LOUD, calm and Deadly keeper of the lower flames.

Paul Steven Ray(composer/guitars/laptop/electronics), Josh Scott(bass guitar), and Eli Fountain(drums/percussion).