Rich Perry

 Rich Perry has been living and performing in New York City since 1976.
His beautiful tone and sophisticated harmonic conception have given 
him a unique creative voice which critics have described as
 “eloquent”, “inventive”, “thoughtfully lyrical” and “impassioned yet 
cerebral”.

 Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Perry became interested in jazz in high 
school, and studied briefly at Bowling Green State University, before 
moving to New York. In 1977 he joined the Thad Jones /Mel Lewis
Orchestra—which at that time included Pepper Adams, Jerry Dodgion,
 Rufus Reid, and Harold Danko—and spent the next two years touring the
 U.S. and Europe. After Thad Jones left the band, Perry continued
playing with Mel Lewis, recording three LP’s with him, including “Live
in Montreux”, and “Naturally”. The band, with Perry as a key member, 
is now known as The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, and continues to tour and 
record. Three of their recent cds have been nominated for Grammy 
awards.

A highlight of Perry’s career has been his association with the gifted 
composer and arranger Maria Schneider. As a charter member of her 
orchestra, Perry has been featured on all of her cds including,
”Allegresse”, “Coming About”, “Evanesence”, and the Grammy award
 winning “Concert In The Garden”. Her latest recording, “Sky Blue”,
 features “Rich’s Piece”, a beautiful composition written for him. He 
has performed with her in Europe, Asia, and throughout the U.S.

 He has maintained a long-term friendship and collaboration with Harold
 Danko, begun during their days with Thad Jones/Mel Lewis. It has 
resulted in Perry’s cds “To Start Again”, “Cancoes do Brasil”, “At
Eastman”, “East Of The Sun”, “Rhapsody”, “Your’e My Everything” and
 ”At The Kitano Vol 1”. As well as Danko’s cds “Prestigious”, “Nightscapes”,
”Stablemates”, “Tidal Breeze”, “New Autumn”, “The Feeling of Jazz”,
 ”Next Age”, and “Oatts &Perry”.

 Perry has recorded extensively for SteepleChase. The 17 cds he has
 recorded as a leader have featured such greats as George Mraz, Fred
 Hersch, Victor Lewis, Dennis Irwin, Scott Colley, Billy Hart, Frank
 Kimbrough, Jay Anderson, Renee Rosnes, Billy Drumond, George Colligan,
 and Tom Rainey.

 Perry is also a member of the Pete Malinverni Quintet, the Dave Scott
 Quintet, the Christian Finger Band, the George Mraz Quartet, with 
Richie Beirach and Billy Hart and the John Fedchock New York Big Band. 
He has also played in several groups led by the pianist Fred Hersch.

 Perry is a skilled instructor of jazz improvisation and is on the 
faculty of William Paterson University. He has led clinics and
 workshops at schools in the U.S. and abroad including The University
of North Texas, The Eastman School of Music, Northern Iowa State 
University, The University Of Oregon, IACP, Paris, and the AMR in 
Geneva, Switzerland, to name a few. His renown as a personable and
 experienced private instructor has brought him students from all over 
the world as well as from schools in the New York City area such as 
The New School, New York University, Manhattan School of Music, and
 The City College of New York.

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