Richard Wyands

Richard Francis Wyands (July 2, 1928 – September 25, 2019) was an American jazz pianist, composer, and arranger, best known for his work as a side-man.

Richard Wyands
Born(1928-07-02)July 2, 1928
Oakland, California, U.S.
DiedSeptember 25, 2019(2019-09-25) (aged 91)
New York City
GenresJazz
Occupation(s)Musician, composer, arranger
InstrumentsPiano
Years active1944–2019

Early life

Wyands was born in Oakland, California, on July 2, 1928 and grew up in Berkeley.[1][2] He began playing the piano at age 7 or 8 and started playing professionally in 1944, while a teenager, in San Francisco. In 1950, Wyands earned a degree in music from San Francisco State College in 1950.[2] At school and college he played piano and drums.[1] Wyands was influenced by Count Basie, Nat King Cole, Erroll Garner, Art Tatum, and Teddy Wilson.[3][2]

Later life and career

In the early 1950s, Wyands was part of Vernon Alley's group that was the house band at the Black Hawk club in San Francisco,[1] and thus part of the rhythm section that accompanied visiting soloists.[1] The year after leaving the Black Hawk in 1954, Wyands was an intermission performer at another San Francisco club,[1] before becoming music director for vocalist Ella Fitzgerald during a 3-month period in 1956.[3]

For ten months around 1957, he was accompanist to pop singers in a club in Ottawa, Canada.[1] Following this, he toured with vocalist Carmen McRae for three months, and arrived in New York with her in 1958.[1] In New York, he played with Roy Haynes, Charles Mingus (1959), Jerome Richardson (1959), and Gigi Gryce.[1] In the 1960s Wyands was a member of Illinois Jacquet's band.[1] Wyands worked with guitarist Kenny Burrell from 1965 to 1974.[1]

Wyands died on September 25, 2019, in New York.[2]

Discography

As leader
  • Then, Here and Now (Storyville, 1978)
  • The Arrival (DIW-611, 1992)
  • Reunited (CrissCross 1105, 1995)
  • Get Out of Town (Steeplechase SCCD 31401, 1996)
  • Half and Half (CrissCross 1185,1999)
  • As Long as There's Music (Savant SCD 2031, 2000)
  • Lady of the Lavender Mist (Venus TKCV 35038, 2002)

As sideman

With Gene Ammons

With Kenny Burrell

With Benny Carter

With Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis

With Teddy Edwards

With Frank Foster

With Gigi Gryce

With Roy Haynes

With Freddie Hubbard

With Willis Jackson

With Etta Jones

With Roland Kirk

With Charles Mingus

With Oliver Nelson

With Houston Person

With Jerome Richardson

With James Spaulding

With Buddy Tate and Al Grey

With Cal Tjader

  • Cal Tjader: Vibist (Savoy, 1954)
  • Ritmo Caliente (Fantasy, 1954)

With Warren Vaché

With Richard Williams

With Lem Winchester

With Bobby Kapp, Gene Perla

  • Fine Wine Trio (Fine Wine Records, 2000)

References
  1. Gardner, Mark; Kernfeld, Barry, Wyands, Richard, Grove Music Online. Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press, retrieved December 18, 2014
  2. Chinen, Nate. "Richard Wyands, Consummate Accompanist and Impeccable Jazz Pianist, Is Dead at 91". www.wbgo.org. Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  3. Panken, Ted (December 2, 2012) "An interview with Richard Wyands for the Liner Notes for Half and Half (Criss-Cross) – Feb. 7, 2000".
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