Jazz Articles about Rich Willey

About Rich Willey

Radio & Podcasts

Music from Rich Willey, Paul Hecht, La Boeuf Brothers And More

by Bob Osborne
July 9, 2026

The conventional meets the experimental with a mix of new releases including three new ones from Ivo Perelman and some archive UK jazz from a band that never got around to releasing an album in its lifetime. A spicy mix of straight ahead jazz together with the best in current improvisation. Playlist Rich Willey “Hip, Slick & Cool" from Laid Back Volume One (Boptism) 00:00 Paul Hecht “My Chromatic Romance" from Pyrography II (ears&eyes) 09:15 Le Boeuf Brothers ...

Album Review

Rich Willey: Laid Back Vol. 1, featuring John Swana

Read "Laid Back Vol. 1, featuring John Swana" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
June 20, 2026

Chicago-based trumpeter and composer Rich Willey oversees an impressive 11-piece ensemble on Laid Back, Vol. 1, which embodies seven of his melodically enticing and rhythmically strong compositions, all neatly arranged by Wally Minko. The one drawback in this otherwise pleasing session is a disconcerting funk/Latin beat, which lends an aura of sameness to every number that serves to weaken its purpose and impede efforts to separate it from the herd. That is countered to some extent by the ...

Album Review

Rich Willey: Laid Back Vol. 1, featuring John Swana

by Jack Bowers
June 13, 2026

Chicago-based trumpeter and composer Rich Willey oversees an impressive eleven-piece ensemble on Best Laid Plans, which embodies seven of his melodically enticing and rhythmically strong compositions, all neatly arranged by Wally Minko. The one clear drawback in this otherwise pleasing session, however, is an incessant rock beat, which lends an aura of sameness to every number that serves to weaken its purpose and impede even the most valiant efforts to separate it from the herd. That is countered ...

Album Review

Rich Willey: Boptism Christmas

Read "Boptism Christmas" reviewed by Jack Bowers

by Jack Bowers
November 20, 2024

With seasonal jazz albums in rather short supply this year, it is a pleasure to welcome Boptism Christmas, a series of mostly well- known holiday tunes ably performed by multi-instrumentalist Rich Willey and his impressive North Carolina-based octet-plus-one. The “plus one" applies to Tracks 5 and 6, on which Russ Wilson joins the ensemble to sing ("Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer") or play drums ("Little Drummer Boyz"). Wilson sings respectably on a jazzed-up version of “Rudolph," a mega-hit ...

Album Review

Rich Willey: Puttin' On the Ritz

Read "Puttin' On the Ritz" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello

by Nicholas F. Mondello
August 28, 2023

When Irving Berlin wrote “Puttin' On the Ritz" in 1927 on a unique “transposing piano" tuned to his preferred key of F#, little could he ever know that one day, among the myriad numbers of covers of the tune, that it would title an album that features, among other attractions, Electronic Voice Instrument “wah-wah" solos. Putting that on hold, Rich Willey's effort apes the concept of that tune as an elegant effort. “Puttin' On the Ritz" offers ...

Album Review

Rich Willey Boptism Funk Band: Conspiracy

Read "Conspiracy" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello

by Nicholas F. Mondello
November 7, 2019

Both before and after his first terrific recording as leader--Gone with the Piggies (Consolidated Artists Productions, 1988)--Asheville, North Carolina-based Rich Willey has been a very busy jazzman. During that period, Willey spent dues-playing time with Philly Phenoms, New York Bopsters, did a stint with the great Maynard Ferguson, authored dozens of well-acclaimed trumpet and jazz improv books, wrote scores of original tunes, taught and, in his spare time, performed locally. However, within the last year he has released two outstanding ...

Album Review

Rich Willey: Down & Dirty

Read "Down & Dirty" reviewed by Nicholas F. Mondello

by Nicholas F. Mondello
August 21, 2019

Back in 2001, trumpeter/composer/educator Rich Willey released a critically acclaimed album titled Gone with the Piggies (CAP Records). As a result, a savvy audience has followed him cult-like ever since. With Down and Dirty, the former Maynard Ferguson standout delivers a bacchanalia presentation both as player and composer, surrounded by a unit of Los Angeles' finest players and world- class arrangers. There are marvelously diverse big band grooves here that Willey and his jazz merchants are selling. ...