CABCoFA to Host Live Virtual Conversation with Grammy-Winning Musician Raymond Angry
On Tuesday, March 17 at 12:30 p.m. in the Recital Hall, the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts (CABCoFA) will host a live virtual conversation with acclaimed jazz keyboardist, composer, producer, and Steinway Artist Raymond Angry. The event will offer students, faculty, and staff an opportunity to engage with one of today’s most versatile musicians and explore a career that spans jazz, classical music, gospel, R&B, and contemporary popular music.
For CABCoFA, the conversation carries an added layer of significance because Angry’s artistic journey is closely connected to Howard University itself.
Angry studied music at Howard University, where he pursued a double major in classical and jazz piano within the College of Fine Arts. His time at Howard placed him within a rigorous musical environment that emphasized both technical mastery and cultural fluency. While on campus, Angry studied with renowned pianist and composer Geri Allen, whose mentorship helped shape his approach to improvisation and genre exploration.
During those years, Angry also immersed himself in Washington, D.C.’s vibrant jazz community. He and fellow students frequently traveled from campus to the historic Georgetown jazz club Blues Alley, where they could hear legendary artists such as Wynton Marsalis perform. Experiences like these connected classroom instruction with the living tradition of jazz performance and helped deepen Angry’s musical identity.
His early professional career began while he was still connected to Howard. Angry briefly left school to tour internationally with the R&B group Shai in the early 1990s, gaining firsthand experience in the professional music industry before later returning to complete his studies.
From that foundation, Angry went on to build an extraordinary career as both a performer and composer. He has served as a keyboardist with the Grammy Award–winning band The Roots and performs regularly with the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Over the years, he has collaborated with a wide range of artists, including John Legend, Esperanza Spalding, Mick Jagger, and Lauryn Hill.
In addition to his work as a performer, Angry is also a prolific composer and bandleader. His orchestral work Black Athena ~ Power reflects his ability to bridge classical composition with contemporary Black musical traditions, while his New York-based creative series Producer Mondays has become an influential gathering space for musicians and producers exploring new ideas in sound and collaboration.
Angry’s visit to CABCoFA reflects the College’s ongoing commitment to connecting Howard students with artists whose careers embody both artistic excellence and creative possibility. His journey—from Howard classrooms to international stages—offers a powerful example of how rigorous artistic training, cultural awareness, and curiosity can combine to produce work that resonates across genres and generations.
Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to attend this special conversation and engage with one of the many artists whose paths continue to intersect with Howard University’s rich musical legacy.
Listen to Ray's brilliance in the video below!