Justin Gray is a Juno award-winning bassist, composer, engineer, producer, and educator based in Toronto, Canada. As a double bassist, electric bassist, and Bass Veena player, Justin performs in a variety of traditional and contemporary music ensembles from around the world. Justin is on faculty at Humber College in Toronto, where he teaches audio production, performance, and composition. As a producer, mix engineer and mastering engineer, Justin has worked with artists from around the world in a wide range of musical styles.
Over the course of his career, Justin has received several awards and distinctions, including: 2020 CFMA Nominee (Best World Album), 2018 CFMA Nominee (Best Solo Artist), 2017 Canadian Screen Award (Co-Producer of Best Original Song), 2015 Emerging Jazz Artist Award (Toronto Arts Foundation) and 2015 CFMA Nomination (Best World Album).
Bassist, Producer, and Mastering Engineer for the 2022 Juno Award-Winning Jazz Album of the Year: Group, for Avataar's Worldview.
Bass Veena
In 2010, Justin invented and co-created the Bass Veena, an instrument designed for Indian classical and contemporary world music performance. The instrument was built and co-designed by renowned Canadian luthier, Les Godfrey. The Bass Veena is a hybrid fretless bass, which draws inspiration from North Indian stringed instruments, primarily the Sarode and Rudra Veena. The Bass Veena features 4 main playing strings, 2 drone (chickari) strings, and a 10 string short-scale harp. This instrument was conceived and built during a period of time when Justin lived in Kolkata, India, studying Hindusthani classical music.
Currently, Justin performs on Bass Veena with artists from around the world in traditional and contemporary settings. He composes original music for the Bass Veena, which he performs with his ensemble Justin Gray & Synthesis.
Justin Gray Sound is endorsed by Primacoustic, Radial Engineering, Audeze Headphones, D’Addario Canada, Markbass, Source Audio, MJS Custom Guitars & Pickups, and Godfrey Guitars.
JUNO
AWARD
WINNER