Richie Morales is a versatile player whose credits range from the seminal jazz-fusion of the Brecker Brothers, the Latin jazz of Gato Barbieri, Ray Barretto and Dave Valentin, to the more traditional jazz sounds of Dave Brubeck and Herbie Mann.
Richie has performed and recorded with such contemporary artists as the late Grover Washington Jr., Stevie Wonder, Carly Simon, Dianne Reeves, the Mike Stern Group, George Russell's Living Time Orchestra, as well as the Al DiMeola Electric Project, and saxophonist Bill Evans. Richie's performance on saxophonist Gato Barbieri's release "Shadow of the Cat" helped garner a "Best Latin Jazz Album of The Year" award from Billboard magazine's 2003 Latin Music Awards, and a Latin Grammy nomination in the same category as well. Other artists Richie has performed with include, Kim Waters, Walter Beasley and Paul Jackson Jr.
For many years, Richie was best known as the percussive force behind the perennial chart topping group Spyro Gyra, composing as well as drumming for the group. Richie also leads his own group performing on the NY club scene presenting a mixture of jazz standards and original compositions reflecting his diverse musical background.
Richie is a member of the jazz faculty at Purchase College Conservatory of Music S.U.N.Y. He has also taught at the Juilliard School's Music Advancement Program, and is a clinician for Yamaha drums and Zildjian cymbals.
Richie has been touring in Europe with the George Russell Living Time Orchestra in support of his latest release "The 80th Birthday Concert."
Tours With Major Artists:
George Russell's Living Time Orchestra: Denmark Tour, fall '05, Germany and U.K. Tour June '03.
Mike Stern Group: Israel tour June 04. Beijing China. Jan. '03. Extensive European, Asian U.S and Latin American touring 1994 to the present. August '02 performance at the Berklee School of Music Performing Arts Center Guitar Series
Grover Washington Jr.: 1995-96, 1998-99. Extensive U.S. touring including all major U.S. jazz festivals. (Newport, JVC, Playboy)
Dianne Reeves: Jazz vocalist, 1996-98, U.S. and European concert dates.
Al DiMeola: 1991-93. North and South American tours with "The Electric Project".
Bill Evans: Saxophonist.1990-92.European and Japanese tours.
Spyro Gyra: 1984- 90, Extensive national and international touring.
The Brecker Brothers Band: 1978-81 U.S, European and Japanese tours.
Clinics And Master Classes:
Performance and artist residency, Carl Anderson Conservatory of Music Odense Denmark, with The George Russell Living Time Orchestra. Oct.'05
Faculty member Purchase Summer Jazz Institute, Purchase College Conservatory of Music SUNY. July '05 – '06
Performance at Yamaha Legendary Groove Night 5, Winter NAMM Los Angeles Ca. Jan. '04
Clinic Suffolk County Music Educators Day of Percussion (SCMEA), Sayville N.Y. Jan, '04
Master Class for Friends of the Arts (FOTA), Nassau Community College, & Planting Fields Arboretum. Long Island N.Y. 7/29, 8/9/04
Artists Residency, Royal Northern Conservatory of Music, Manchester England, With George Russell's Living Time Orchestra. June '03
Concert and Master class at Purchase College Conservatory of Music SUNY, Featuring Michael Brecker and Harvie S. April '01
Faculty member Purchase Summer Jazz Institute, Purchase College Conservatory of Music SUNY. July '01.
Master class at Drummer's Collective N.Y.C. May '01
Creative Music Workshop, Music Advancement Program Juilliard School of Music. Feb.'00, April '01.
Master class at Music Advancement Program Juilliard School of Music, March 2000. Sponsored by Zildjian Cymbal Co.
Yamaha Music Center Lubljana Slovenia, March '00
Florida Guitar Show Featuring John Pattitucci, Thoroughbred Music, Clearwater Fla., March '99
Yamaha Products clinic, Thoroughbred Music, Orlando and Clearwater Fla., Feb.'99
Yamaha Drum clinic Zafiro Auditorium, Mexico City, March '99
Yamaha Drum clinic Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Oct. '98
Concert & Master Class at Purchase College Conservatory of Music SUNY, Featuring The Mike Stern Trio. March '98
Yamaha and Zildjian Clinic, Boogie Music, Phoenix Arizona August '98
Mars Music stores clinic tour, June 12-14 and 20- 21, '98 Tampa, Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale
Fla., Houston Texas, with the Mike Stern Trio
Connecticut Chapter Percussive Arts Society Day of Percussion, May '97
Atlanta Drum Shop, Aug.'97
Funk Masters Drum Clinic, Williamsport Pa. Nov.97 Clinic with the drummers of James Brown.
Selected Discography:
George Russell's Living Time Orchestra "The 80th Birthday Concert" recorded live in Europe. Concept Records. Spring '05
Doug Munro "Big Boss Bossa Nova" Zoho Records, fall '04
Gato Barbieri, "The Shadow of The Cat" Peak Records. Fall'02
Billboard Latin Music Awards winner Best Latin Jazz Album. Latin Grammy Awards Nominee. '03
Jason Miles, "To Grover With Love" All Star tribute to Grover Washington Jr. Cue Records. Spring '01. Grammy Nominee Best Contemporary Jazz Album.
Prefab Sprout "Cowboy Dreams" Sony EMI Records Spring '01
Grover Washington Jr.: "Soulful Strut" Sony Records. (Grammy Nominee)
Guy Davis: "Call Down The Thunder" Red House Records '96. (Grammy Nominee)
"A Jazz Lullaby" featuring Dianne Reeves. Hokanzee records '96
Bill Evans "The Gambler, Live at The Tokyo Blue Note Vol. Two" Jazz City Records '91
The Brecker Brothers Band, "Collection/ Volumes 1&2" '91. "Straphangin" '80 RCA Novus.
Dave Samuels: "Del Sol" GRP Records.'91
Dave Valentin: "Red Sun", "Musical Portraits" GRP Records. '92, '91.
Spyro Gyra: "The Very Best Of" 02, "Retrospective"96, "Fast Forward" 90, "Point of View"89, "Rites of Summer" 88, "Stories without Words"87, "Breakout" 86, Alternating Currents", 85. MCA, GRP Records
Instructional Books, Videos:
"Killer Grooves" Carl Fischer Publishing '01
"Modern Funk, Latin, and Jazz Techniques for Drum set. MVP Productions.
Mike Stern Guitar Instructional Video. Rittor Music '01
