[quote]By Brianna Powell
Editorial Editor
Photo courtesy of raygoren.com[/quote]

When I was 11,  my biggest musical accomplishment was playing Hot Cross Buns on an off-tuned saxophone without writing the letters over the sheet music. That was the pinnacle of my lackluster and frankly mediocre musical career. It’s all been downhill since that faithfully pitchy performance and my musical skills have been left to collect dust in the attic along with my creaky saxophone.

But when teenage musical prodigy Ray Goren was just three, he played nursery songs on a toy keyboard. By the age of five, Ray was listening to jazz and playing by ear his own versions of songs by his favorite artists. And by 11, Goren’s guitar skills drew the admiration likes of Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, the late B.B. King and beyond, placing him on the same stage of blues and jazz musical legends. After picking up and teaching himself how to play the guitar at just  nine years old, Goren has been deemed as one of the most promising and talented acts in the blues genre.

With his newest music offering, a five song EP, “Song for Me”, Goren has proved himself as formidable force in the music world despite his age. Produced by Grammy-winner Steve Jordan, who has worked with industry heavy hitters like Beyoncé, John Mayer, and Alicia Keys, Goren’s EP is soaked in funky guitar riffs wrapped in the heart of blues music. The namesake single “Song For Me” is dazzled with Goren’s soulful vocals and dirty blues guitar riffs, leaving no doubt that he is a force to be reckoned with in the industry.

“I’ve worked with a ton of great and legendary musicians in my career and Ray is one of the most gifted artists I’ve ever witnessed. The fact that he is so good, at this age, just blows my mind,” Jordan said in an interview with Jay-Vee Records.

Although my musical gifts didn’t pan out the way I once hoped they would, Goren’s musical talent is one that I can vicariously live through as my saxophone molds upstairs. At 15, he’s gone to heights that seem improbable for someone his age. But if he proves anything, it’s that age is simply a number and that he can certainly hold his own alongside the musical greats.