John Bernard Riley

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John Riley
JohnBRiley.jpg
Photo by R. Andrew Lepley (August 2004)
Background information
Birth nameJohn Bernard Riley
Born (1954-06-11) June 11, 1954 (age 70)
Aberdeen, Maryland, United States
Genres Jazz
Occupation(s)Musician, educator
Instrument(s)Drums, percussion
Years active1968 – present
Website www.johnriley.org

John Bernard Riley (born June 11, 1954) is an American jazz drummer and educator. He has performed with Woody Herman, Stan Getz, Milt Jackson, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, John Scofield, Bob Mintzer, Gary Peacock, Mike Stern, Joe Lovano, Franck Amsallem, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, John Patitucci, and Bob Berg. [1] [2] [3] [4]

Contents

Life

John Riley in Norway in 2017 John Riley Jazz pa Jolst 2017 (201334).jpg
John Riley in Norway in 2017

Riley began playing drums at age eight, after receiving a snare drum as a gift. In the biographies provided to the media, Riley acknowledges the early support of his parents, John and Mary Ann. While attending fourth grade in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Riley began studying percussion privately with Thomas Sicola, Jr. (b. Mar. 1944), who, at that time, was a recent graduate of the New York College of Music (bachelor of music) and a music teacher in the nearby Cranford Township Public Schools. [5]

Riley studied music at the University of North Texas College of Music, where he was introduced to a larger world of music and percussion. While there, he played, toured, and recorded Lab 76 with the One O'Clock Lab Band. Lab 76 was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band." Jazz drummer Paul Guerrero had been one of his influential teachers at North Texas. [6]

Discography

With Bob Mintzer

With Bobby Paunetto

With DMP Big Band

With Eijiro Nakagawa and Jim Pugh

With George Gruntz

With Hubert Nuss

With Luis Bonilla

With Mike Metheny

With Vanguard Jazz Orchestra

With others

DVD

Academic positions

Publications

See also

References

  1. ↑ The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz, Second edition (3 volumes), edited by Barry Kernfeld, Macmillan Publishers, London (2002)
  2. ↑ Riley, John, Oxford Music Online
  3. ↑ S. Bennett, Portraits: John Riley, Modern Drummer, xiii/6 (1989), 72
  4. ↑ W. F. Miller, The Art of John Riley, Modern Drummer, xviii/7 (1994), 26
  5. ↑ "Scotch Plains-Fanwood High to induct 6 alumni into Hall of Fame" Archived 2018-11-14 at the Wayback Machine , Suburban News, October 27, 2016. Accessed November 13, 2018. "John Bernard Riley Class of 1971"
  6. ↑ What Do You Know About...? Paul Guerrero Archived 2016-01-16 at the Wayback Machine , by Victor Rendón, Modern Drummer, December 1, 2011
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