AFTER a lamentable absence from Scarborough stages of many years, this grizzled blues veteran showed that the passage of time had not diminished his ability to entertain one jot.
Now 60, Ray accompanied himself on a plethora of instruments including nine harmonicas and three guitars - a Grunn six-string and two 12-strings, a Yamaha and a 1950s Harmony Sovereign converted by his pal Steve Phillips.
His feet operated a bass drum with 11 pedals to cover the full octave range, not to mention a snare drum, kazoo, jug, cowbell, high-hat cymbal, sock cymbals and a washboard. Each bit of kit had its own mic.
Ray divides his main influences up by instrument. If it's one-man bands, it's Jesse Fuller. If we're talking harmonicas, Sonny Boy Williamson is right up there. Ray's greatest hero is guitarist Mississippi Fred McDowell.
He began with neither ceremony nor announcement. The piped music and some of the lights were turned off. Head down, keeping his eye on all the pedals, he kicked off with Canned Heat's On the Road Again.
He went on to cover blues standards and less well-known material by blues legends Howlin' Wolf, Big Bill Broonzy, Muddy Waters, Lightning Hopkins, Jesse Fuller, Johnny Lewis, John Lee Hooker, Leadbelly and, inevitably, Mississippi Fred McDowell.
Everything was steeped in the extensive knowledge Ray has for his subject, with a huge ring of authenticity.
At the end of the performance, his audience, led by landlord and blues aficianado Brian Witty, erupted in pleasure, before Ray and his mate packed the van for the long drive over the moors back to Gateshead.
* Steve Phillips can be seen at the Cask next Tuesday - see separate report.