PULLMAN, Wash. – The premiere of a work composed for the Washington State University Jazz Big Band by guest composer, arranger and trombonist Eric Richards will highlight a free, public concert at 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, in Bryan Hall.
Richards is a versatile musician who has written music for a variety of ensembles, ranging from the U.S. Army Field Band and Jazz Ambassadors to the National Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops Orchestra. As a trombonist he has shared the stage with Bob Brookmeyer, Dave Liebman, Joe Morello, Jim Pugh, Ben Vereen, Jack Jones and The Fifth Dimension. He is on the composition and jazz studies faculty at the University of Nebraska School of Music.
The Jazz Big Band, under the direction of Regents Professor Greg Yasinitsky, will also perform Richards originals “Fantasia on Kang Ding Love Song,” “Wofdenfunk” and “Shades On Roof Down.” Soloists will include Brian Ploeger, trumpet; Nick Brockmeyer, trombone; Andrew Dodge, guitar; Alberto Ferro, piano; and saxophonists Alvin Delos Santos and Machado Mijiga.
On his arrangement of J. J. Johnson’s “Lament,” Richards will also perform with WSU jazz studies faculty members Brian Ward, piano; Brad Ard, guitar; F. David Snider, bass; David Jarvis, drums; and Yasinitsky, saxophone.
The Jazz Big Band also will perform: “Apollo’s Reel,” a new commission written for the band by Tom Molter, director of the Spokane Jazz Orchestra; Molter’s arrangement of Wayne Shorter’s “Black Nile;” Duke Pearson’s “New Girl;” and Yasinitsky’s “Singular Vision.”