Ray Ventura

Raymond Ventura (Paris, France, 16 April 1908 - 30 March 1979, Palma de Mallorca, Spain) was a French jazz bandleader. He played a significant role in popularizing jazz in France in the 1930s.

Ventura played piano in a group called The Collegiate Five from 1924, which recorded under the name Ray Ventura et ses Collégiens for Columbia Records beginning in 1928. He led the group from 1929 and recorded for Decca Records and other labels through the 1930s, becoming a popular dance ensemble in France in that decade. His sidemen included Philippe Brun, Alix Combelle, and Guy Paquinet.