Richard Shulman

by Eddie LeShure

Pianist/composer Richard Shulman has been exploring consciousness through jazz in his recordings, performances and compositions since 1983. The intent behind his music is healing, connection, and the expression of beauty.

Born and raised in Niagara Falls, N.Y., Richard began piano lessons at age seven. As a teenager Richard played organ at various churches, was the music counselor at a summer camp in Canada, and joined a rock band with future jazz recording artists Thom Rotella and Bobby Previte. Graduating from the University of Rochester with a double-major Bachelor’s degree in music and psychology, he continued to perform with Previte in the jazz-fusion band Thermopylae.

While in Rochester, Richard also attended the prestigious Eastman School of Music and studied jazz improvisation with Chuck Mangione and Marian McPartland, orchestration with Donald Hunsberger and arranging with the legendary Rayburn Wright. He continued his studies in jazz with Frank Foster while getting his Masters Degree in musical composition at the State University of New York at Buffalo. During those years he played onstage in concert with such jazz stalwarts as Thad Jones, Eddie Gomez, Pepper Adams, Jerry Dodgion, Freddie Hubbard and Al Harewood – as well as recording his first jazz album “Wonder”.

After moving to New York City, Richard played in the studio as a session musician with the great jazz rhythm section of Ron Carter and Grady Tate; performed with groups such as The Richard Reiter Swing Band, Providence and Crossing Point; and recorded and performed with Mr. Spats (Steve Evans, June Bisantz, Steve Swallow and Bob Moses) and Bobby Previte (with Dave Hofstra, Tom Varner and Lenny Pickett). The Richard Shulman Group, a jazz quartet, played regularly in the New York area and recorded the albums “A Simple Gift” and “Open Spaces”, and Richard also released his solo jazz piano album “Solo Flight”.

Richard has recorded 23 of his own albums, most of which are available on the label “ RichHeart Music”. Trained in the classical and jazz fields, he’s developed a heartfelt language in these genres while splitting his output between jazz and music for meditation, healing and inspiration. An injury in 1977 led him to explore healing aspects of music, and his studies in healing and meditation have informed his music ever since.

I asked Richard how his musical expression in jazz and his spirituality come together, and his response was, “Jazz is a container through which spirituality can be expressed. I turn on an inner listening within the context of what I’m playing – which could be a jazz standard, one of my original tunes, or simply the blank slate of free improvisation. As I play what I hear inside, music is created which expresses that Life which includes what we call spirituality. I become one with the music, a vehicle for that Life which gives me life.”

As a composer, Shulman has created over sixty pieces for jazz groups as well as songs and pieces for chamber ensembles, choir, and symphony orchestra. Commissions include a piece for the Amherst Saxophone Quartet, plus “May Peace Prevail on Earth” for singers, symphony orchestra, three choirs, and jazz quartet, created for the World Peace Prayer Society.

I asked, “Is there a particular context within which you normally compose new music?”

“I will use any context as an “excuse” to compose new music. I’m inspired to write pieces about lessons I’ve learned or particular feelings I may be experiencing, but most large projects start with a specific intent, and the composing follows a process of discovery as I learn in more depth what the piece is about.”

Richard has performed at the Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Art Park, the United Nations, the Kool Jazz Festival, The Amenia Peace Festival and a wide variety of other venues throughout North America and in Europe. A concert in 2008 with bassist Mike Holstein and drummer Sonny Thornton led him to realize that this trio had the sympatico to become his regular group. 2009 brought the release of “Sky Jazz”, the Richard Shulman Trio’s first CD.

Richard currently resides in Asheville, NC and tours and records nationally.

“Richard Shulman has been my musical mentor and friend for some years. Talking to him about the music is a very trippy experience as he looks at the night’s performance as an entire arc – and his internal preparation is legendary. It’s tempting to get caught up in the particulars of performing – Richard reminds me to keep trying to step back to listen (maybe to stay aware), not just drive the song, or the evening. As a teacher and musical companion he is unparalleled.”

– Singer Heather Masterton

www.richheartmusic.com

To hear CDs visit www.jukeboxalive.com/albums.php?profile=199808