Richard Underhill's wonderful warm alto sound, great writing and arranging skills and in-from-the-outside soloing make him one of Canada's most distinctive jazz performers. Richard has been nominated for a Juno Award for all 3 of his albums as a leader and won a 2003 Juno Award for his jazz solo debut 'Tales from the Blue Lounge.' His latest album 'Kensington Suite' has been number one on the Canadian Jazz charts for months and has garnered significant critical acclaim.
Richard was nominated for the Prix du Jazz at the 2003 Montreal Jazz Festival and his video 'the Old Guys' went to number one on the Bravo! video charts in 2004. The founding member of Toronto's acclaimed Shuffle Demons, he has toured Europe and Canada to critical acclaim for over 22 years. A truly original jazz composer and arranger, Richard's exciting original music captivates audiences with singable melodies, outstanding musicianship and engaging performances. His 2nd 'Moment in Time' is a fan favourite and has garnered significant critical acclaim.
Richard has performed and recorded with The Neville Brothers/Meters, Han Bennink, Julius Hemphil, Dr. John, Kathleen Edwards, Taj Mahal, Maria Muldar, Rob McConnell, Molly Johnson, Blue Rodeo, Andy Stochansky, Hawksley Workman, The Sadies, Luke Doucet, Bobby Wiseman, Soul Rebels, the Mighty PoPo, Paul Cram, Kevin Breit, the Hemispheres Orchestra, NOMA and Toronto jazz stalwarts like Reg Schwager, Jake Langley, Steve Koven, Ron Davis, Wayne Cass, Tyler Yareema, Tory Cassis, and George Koller. In demand as a session player and sideman, he has written horn and string arrangements for Kathleen Edwards, Molly Johnson, Andy Stochansky, Hawksley Workman, Blue Rodeo, Bobby Wiseman, Big Rude Jake and Lorraine Segato. He leads several diverse groups including his jazz quintet, the Funk Explosion and the improvising electronic groove ensemble Astrogroove.
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