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Richard Jones

About Me

My Jazz Story

Hi, I’m Rick Jones and if you're reading this it’s because you wanted to know a little bit more about me. Thankyou for your interest, I’ll try to keep it short and real. The only way I can describe myself as a musician is to say that I am a product of the Milwaukee music culture. I grew up listening to Classical, Jazz, and Big band music. Like many Midwestern kids, I performed in school bands, orchestras and summer marching bands. My band director turned me on to Dizzy Gillespie in Jr. High, and by high school I was attending jazz clinics with Jamey Abersold, David Baker, Maynard Ferguson and Stan Kenton. After high school I attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, and then moved back to Milwaukee to study privately with organist Will Green and guitarist Manty Ellis. After a summer gig at Disney World in the All american College Band I returned to Milwaukee and Manty became my mentor. He hired me to work in an All-Star jazz orchestra that he lead with Tony King. That was where I got to know trumpeter Brian Lynch. Manty, Tony, Brian, and Will changed my perspective by exposing me to different forms of serious jazz and the concepts behind them. Funding for the group was nearing an end, so I decided it was time to leave Milwaukee and the Air Force band seemed like a good way to go. With a guaranteed assignment in California, I spent the next few years in the Air Force Band of the Golden Gate. After my stint in the Air Force I moved to Phoenix where I performed on the jazz, big band, and Latin scene. In 1996 I moved to Las Vegas and quit playing trumpet for several years to take care of my son and run my own entertainment support and consulting business, LasVegasShowcase. In September of 2003 I resumed my career as a jazz trumpeter and band leader on the Las Vegas scene and have been fortunate enough to perform with many of the Las Vegas jazz greats through my Jazz Showcase events and while hosting Gus Mancuso’s Jazzology. I sincerely appreciate your interest and hope you enjoy my music.