John Richmond Biography

Jazz writers and musicians have described his tenor saxophone sound as "big and round", and his style as "fluid, solid, individual, quite varied", and he "plays with harmonic intelligence." Tenor saxophonist John Richmond returned to live performing and recording last November, 2006, after a hiatus from public performances of several years.

His quartet returned in September to Sweet Rhythm in NYC, where he had played a previous highly successful gig, this time along with George Cables, Bill Moring and Steve Johns. He played other recent gigs with Keith Saunders, Bill Moring and Eliot Zigmund at Sweet Rhythm and across the river at Cecil’s, where he made a live recording, and at Trumpet’s and the Turning Point Cafe. He is organizing the ongoing Jazz evenings every Monday at the Turning Point Café in Piermont, NY. (See the news section of this website for more info.)

John Richmond's live engagements and recording sessions have included work with musicians such as pianists Mulgrew Miller, Benny Green, Kenny Kirkland, Niels Lan Doky, Michael Weiss, Bross Townsend, Michael Cochrane, guitarists Ron Affif and Tony Purrone, bassists Charnett Moffett, Ray Drummond, Curtis Lundy, Essiet Essiet, Dennis Irwin, Phil Bowler, Bob Cunningham, drummers Jeff Watts, Billy Hart, Leon Parker, Lewis Nash, Clifford Jarvis, Bob Previte and Alvin Queen and percussionist Ray Mantilla, wind players Joe Lovano, Eddie Henderson, Chris Potter, Gary Bartz, Harvey Estrin, and countless others including Elliot Sharp as well as many top European musicians.

His soon to be issued CD, “Live at Cecil’s”, was recorded in January 2007 and features the afore mentioned band of Keith Saunders, Bill Moring and Eliot Zigmund.

His early recording as leader, "Round Once," on Consolidated Artists, featured pianist Mike Longo, bassist Buster Williams, and drummer Al Harewood, received favorable critical reviews and radio air play and was a "feature pick" of Cash Box magazine. Among his varied recording credits, he has appeared on two CDs by bassist Ray Drummond, "Maya's Dance" and "Vignettes."

During the ‘80’s, he was immersed in the New York City jazz scene where he worked in many NYC venues as diverse as the Blue Note, Seventh Avenue South, Roulette and Carnegie Recital Hall.

He spent time living in Italy and performing all over Europe including the Umbria Jazz and San Remo Jazz Festivals. He became involved with Umbria Jazz just as it was being reborn, after several years of inactivity, where he also worked with the jazz clinics.

Born and raised in the New York City area, having lived on E. 15th St. for years, his musical studies began at age nine with clarinet. After studies at the Eastman School of Music in both saxophone and clarinet, he graduated from the Manhattan School of Music with a Bachelor of Music degree. His musical training has included studies with Joe Allard, his principal teacher, as well as Dave Tofani, Charles Russo, Harvey Estrin, Mike Longo, David A. Gross, Ramon Ricker, Tim Price.

He is a solid woodwind player including flute, clarinet, soprano, alto and baritone saxophones in addition to his main voice, the tenor saxophone.

He grew up in a culturally diverse environment and was exposed to classical music and soul music and rhythm and blues in his youth. His major influences include Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, Joe Henderson, Wayne Shorter, Dexter Gordon, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Bela Bartok, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, BB King, and R & B artists such as James Brown.

“I was so blown away and inspired when I first heard Charlie Parker that I felt I had to become an alto player. Later, I began to really hear Trane, Sonny Rollins, Wayne Shorter and Joe Henderson and I eventually switched over because I kept hearing the tenor in my mind.”

“During my time studying with Joe Allard, for about 6 years during the 70’s, I did my best to absorb his principals of playing, and I spent considerable time with him on clarinet and soprano too. He was a great inspiration both as a person and as a teacher and I’m so grateful to have had the chance to spend so much time with him. I realize what a privilege that was.”

“I also have to make mention of how influential my friend and classmate Kenny Kirkland was to me. I spent a lot of time with him, played with him almost daily while we were at Manhattan School of Music, and I learned a tremendous amount from him about everything. We all watched him develop exponentially day by day, it was astonishing, while most of us tried our best to improve in a somewhat linear fashion. I used to bug him to write things down for me or show me what he was doing on a particular thing. His loss was such a blow to me and to so many people.”

For a period in his life John was very involved in boxing, and he derived many experiences from this. He made reference to this in his early recording called “Round Once” and has written tunes inspired by boxers Renaldo Snipes and Herschel Jacobs, his teacher.

He spent endless nights in NYC in places such as the Star Cafe, where Junior Cook ran nightly sessions and many great players would show up, the Blue Note after hours sessions with Ted Curson, and the Barry Harris Jazz Cultural Theater. “I learned a lot in that period, especially from Junior. If I wasn’t working, which was a lot of the time, I sat in anywhere possible with just about everybody just about everywhere, in all the clubs. I was out every night and always carried the horn with me.” He also learned from playing regularly with experienced musicians such as drummer David Jones and percussionist/multi instrumentalist Gil Chimes.

During the ‘90’s he did various sessions and gigs, including the Internet Cafe on 3rd St., and was back on the scene for a period but he was largely off the public NYC jazz scene. However, he continued playing, composing, and developing.

“I feel I’ve grown and expanded musically over the years and it’s time to get back out there.”

John is presently booking gigs and preparing an impending studio recording session. More to follow....