Emil Richards

{{Short description|American vibraphonist and percussionist (1932–2019)}}

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Emil Richards

| birth_name = Emilio Joseph Radocchia

| birth_date = {{Birth date|1932|9|2}}

| birth_place = Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.

| genre = {{hlist|Jazz|classical|rock}}

| occupation = {{hlist|Musician|collector}}

| instrument = {{hlist|Vibraphone|percussion}}

| associated_acts = {{Unbulleted list|George Shearing|Paul Horn|Don Ellis|Frank Sinatra}}

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|12|13|1932|9|2}}

}}

Emil Richards (born Emilio Joseph Radocchia; September 2, 1932 – December 13, 2019) was an American vibraphonist and percussionist.

Biography

=Musician=

Richards began playing the xylophone aged six. In High School, he performed with the Hartford Symphony Orchestra. He studied with Al Lepak at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford, graduating in 1952. After being drafted, he belonged to an Army band in Japan and played with Toshiko Akiyoshi.{{cite web|last1=Yanow|first1=Scott|title=Emil Richards |url = http://www.allmusic.com/artist/emil-richards-mn0000819595/biography|website=AllMusic|access-date=August 15, 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Mattingly|first1=Rick|title=Emil Richards|url=http://www.pas.org/about/hall-of-fame/emil-richards|website=Percussive Arts Society|access-date=August 22, 2017}} He cited Lionel Hampton as his first and biggest influence on vibraphone.

In 1954, Richards moved to New York City, where he played with Charles Mingus, Ed Shaughnessy, and Ed Thigpen while doing studio recordings for Perry Como, the Ray Charles Singers, and Mitchell Ayres.{{cite web|last1=Ulaby|first1=Neda|title=Emil Richards: Timekeeper of Tinseltown |url=https://www.npr.org/2011/02/27/134053797/emil-richards-timekeeper-of-tinseltown|website=NPR.org|access-date=August 15, 2017|date=February 27, 2011}} For about three years, he was a member of a group led by George Shearing, then moved to Los Angeles and worked with Don Ellis and Paul Horn. He led his own band, the Microtonal Blues Band, and spent time with composer and inventor Harry Partch. As a sideman, he accompanied George Harrison on tour and recorded with Frank Sinatra, Frank Zappa, Doris Day, Judy Garland, Nelson Riddle, Steely Dan, and Sarah Vaughan.

Richards worked often as a studio musician for movies and television. His credits include playing bongos on the theme song for the television program Mission: Impossible. Other television work included finger snaps for the Addams Family theme, and xylophone work for the opening theme of The Simpsons.{{cite magazine |last1=Barnes |first1=Mile |title=Emil Richards, Legendary Percussionist and L.A. Session Player, Dies at 87 |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/emil-richards-dead-legendary-percussionist-la-session-player-was-87-1263412 |access-date=December 23, 2019 |magazine=The Hollywood Reporter |date=December 17, 2019}} He led a band with Joe Porcaro, and he released a solo album, The Wonderful World of Percussion. His mallet pupils included Morten Grønvad, Stan Levey and Bo Wagner.Frank R. Hayde. Stan Levey: Jazz Heavyweight (2016), Chapter 12 Richards died on December 13, 2019.[https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10162845501530637&set=a.10150659587305637&type=3&theater Announcement family of Emil Richards on Facebook]{{Primary source inline|date=March 2025}}

=Collector=

File:Part of the Emil Richards Collection.jpg

In 1962, Richards went on a worldwide tour with Frank Sinatra to raise money for poor children. The tour increased Richards's fascination with ethnic percussion instruments.{{cite web|title=Emil Richards Collection – Los Angeles Percussion Rentals|url=https://www.lapercussionrentals.com/instruments/categories/emil-richards-collection|website=L.A. Percussion Rentals|access-date=August 15, 2017}} During his career, he collected over 350 instruments, many of them more common in the East than the West. Richards wanted his instruments to continue to be heard in recordings and other performances and to remain together as much as possible. The Emil Richards Collection includes common percussion, such as xylophone and marimba

{{cite journal |journal=PAS Industry News |publisher=Percussive Arts Society}} and exotic, such as the angklung, bulbul tarang, chimta, flapamba, jal tarang, janggu, lujon, mbira, and pakhavaj.

In 1992, he gave sixty-five instruments to the Percussive Arts Society museum in Lawton, Oklahoma. He was a member of the Society's Hall of Fame. Part of the collection was sold to Los Angeles Percussion Rentals. Many instruments were restored and are used in recordings and other performances in Los Angeles.{{cite web |url=http://www.lapercussionrentals.com/erc.html |title=Emil Richards Collection |work=Los Angeles Percussion Rentals |access-date=March 22, 2015}} LAPR works with Odd Art Fabrications to custom design and fabricate instruments and hardware such as chromatically tuned wood blocks and chromatically tuned bell plate.{{cite web|title=OAF|url=http://oddartfabrications.com/about.html|website=Odd Art Fabrications |access-date=September 5, 2012}}

Discography

=As leader=

Yazz Per Favore (Del-fi, 1961)
New Sound Element Stones (Uni, 1967)
New Time Element (Uni, 1967)
Cosmic Sounds with the Zodiac (Elektra, 1967)
Journey to Bliss (Impulse!, 1968)
Spirit of 1976/Live at Donte's (Impulse!, 1969)
Wonderful World of Percussion (Interworld, 1994)
Luntana (Interworld, 1996)

With The Surfmen

The Sounds of Exotic Island (Somerset, 1960)
Hawaii (Somerset, 1960)

=As sideman=

With Louis Bellson

Ecue (Ritmos Cubanos) (Pablo, 1978)
Prime Time (Concord Jazz, 1978)
Louie Bellson Jam (Pablo, 1979)

With Alessi Brothers

Alessi (A&M, 1976)

With Frank Capp

Percussion in a Tribute to Henry Mancini (Kimberly, 1961)
Percussion in a Tribute to Glenn Miller (Kimberly, 1963)
Percussion in a Tribute to Lawrence Welk (Kimberly, 1963)
In a Tribute to the Dorsey Brothers (Kimberly, 2010)
In a Tribute to Count Basie (Kimberly, 2014)

With Rosemary Clooney

That Travelin' Two-Beat (Capitol, 1965)

With Nat King Cole

Nat King Cole Sings/George Shearing Plays (Capitol, 1962)
Let's Face the Music! (Capitol, 1964)

With George Duke

I Love the Blues, She Heard My Cry (MPS, 1975)
Liberated Fantasies (MPS, 1976)
From Me to You (Epic, 1977)

With Michael Giacchino

''The Incredibles (Walt Disney, 2004)
Ratatouille (Walt Disney, 2007)
Coco (Walt Disney, 2017)
Spider-Man: Homecoming (Sony, 2017)
War for the Planet of the Apes (Sony, 2017)

With George Harrison

Dark Horse (Apple, 1974)
Thirty Three & 1/3 (Dark Horse, 1976)
George Harrison (Dark Horse, 1979)

With Paul Horn

Something Blue (HiFi Jazz, 1960)
The Sound of Paul Horn (Columbia, 1961)
Profile of a Jazz Musician (Columbia, 1962)
Impressions of Cleopatra (Columbia, 1963)
Jazz Suite on the Mass Texts (RCA, Victor, 1965)

With James Newton Howard

Off Limits (Varese Sarabande, 1988)
Grand Canyon (RCA, 1991)
Outbreak (Varese Sarabande, 1995)
Waterworld (MCA, 1995)

With Quincy Jones

The Hot Rock OST (Prophesy, 1972)
Roots (A&M, 1977)
The Color Purple (Qwest, 1986)
Basie & Beyond (Qwest, 2000)

With Roger Kellaway

The Roger Kellaway Cello Quartet (A&M, 1971)
Come to the Meadow (A&M, 1974)
Nostalgia Suite (Discwasher, 1978)

With Stan Kenton

Artistry in Jazz (Capitol, 1972)
Stan Kenton Conducts the Los Angeles Neophonic Orchestra (Capitol, 1965)
Hair (Capitol, 1969)
Kenton's Christmas (Capitol, 1970)
New Horizons Volume 1 (Tantara, 2014)
New Horizons Volume 2 (Tantara, 2014)

With Julie London

Julie...At Home (Liberty, 1960)
All Through the Night: Julie London Sings the Choicest of Cole Porter (Capitol, 1965)

With Henry Mancini

The Hawaiians (United Artists, 1970)
Symphonic Soul (RCA Victor, 1975)
The Jazz Sound from Peter Gunn (Fresh Sound, 1994)

With Harry Partch

The World of Harry Partch (Columbia, 1969)
Delusion of the Fury (Sony, 1999)
Harry Partch: A Portrait (New World, 2015)

With Shorty Rogers

Bossa Nova (Reprise, 1961)
Jazz Waltz (Reprise, 1962)
The Fourth Dimension in Sound (Warner Bros., 1962)
An Invisible Orchard (RCA, 1997)

With Lalo Schifrin

More Mission: Impossible (Paramamount, 1969), featured in a chimes solo on "Self-Destruct"
Rock Requiem (Verve, 1971)
Gypsies (Tabu, 1978)
Rush Hour 2 (Varese Sarabande, 2001)
Rush Hour 3 (Varese Sarabande, 2007)

With Shadowfax

Shadowfax (Windham Hill, 1982)
Shadowdance (Windham Hill, 1983)
Too Far to Whisper (Windham Hill, 1986)
Folksongs for a Nuclear Village (Capitol, 1988)
Esperanto (EarthBeat!, 1992)

With George Shearing

In the Night (Capitol, 1958)
Latin Lace (Capitol, 1958)
Shearing On Stage! (Capitol, 1959)
On the Sunny Side of the Strip (Capitol, 1960)
The Shearing Touch! (World Record Club, 1964)
Satin Affair (World Record Club, 1967)

With Frank Sinatra

Ring-a-Ding-Ding! (Reprise, 1961)
Sinatra's Swingin' Session!!! (Capitol, 1961)
Sinatra Swings (Reprise, 1961)
Come Swing with Me! (Capitol, 1961)
Sinatra and Strings (Reprise, 1962)
Point of No Return (Capitol, 1962)
Sinatra and Swingin' Brass (Reprise, 1962)
The Concert Sinatra (Reprise, 1963)
It Might as Well Be Swing (Reprise, 1964)
Sinatra Sings Days of Wine and Roses, Moon River, and Other Academy Award Winners (Reprise, 1964)
Softly, as I Leave You (Reprise, 1964)
12 Songs of Christmas (Reprise, 1964)
My Kind of Broadway (Reprise, 1965)
That's Life (Reprise, 1966)
Strangers in the Night (Reprise, 1966)
Cycles (Reprise, 1968)
My Way (Reprise, 1968)
A Man Alone (Reprise, 1969)
Sinatra & Company (Reprise, 1971)
Ol' Blue Eyes Is Back (Reprise, 1973)
Some Nice Things I've Missed (Reprise, 1974)
She Shot Me Down (Reprise, 1981)
Duets (Capitol, 1993)

With The Manhattan Transfer

The Spirit of St. Louis (Atlantic, 2000)

With L. Subramaniam

Fantasy Without Limits (Trend, 1980)
Blossom (Crusaders, 1981)
Indian Express (Milestone, 1983)
Spanish Wave (Milestone, 1983)
Salaam Bombay! (DRG, 1988)

With Frank Zappa

Lumpy Gravy (Verve, 1967)
Orchestral Favorites (Discreet, 1979)
Läther (Rykodisc, 1996)

With Hans Zimmer

Broken Arrow (Milan, 1996)
The Thin Red Line (RCA Victor, 1999)
The Last Samurai (Elektra, 2003)

With others

Francisco Aguabella, Dance the Latin Way (Fantasy, 1962)
Toshiko Akiyoshi & Lew Tabackin Big Band, March of the Tadpoles (RCA, 1977)
Laurindo Almeida, Virtuoso Guitar (Crystal Clear, 1977)
Herb Alpert, Just You and Me (A&M, 1976)
Herb Alpert, Rise (A&M, 1979)
Paul Anka, Rock Swings (Verve, 2005)
Attitudes, Good News (Dark Horse, 1977)
Klaus Badelt, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (Walt Disney, 2003)
Klaus Badelt, Pirates of the Caribbean (Walt Disney, 2007)
The Beach Boys, The Beach Boys with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (Capitol, 2018)
Bee Gees, Saturday Night Fever (RSO, 1977)
Hal Blaine, Psychedelic Percussion (Dunhill, 1967)
Blondie, Autoamerican (Chrysalis, 1980)
Pat Boone, Great! Great! Great! (Dot, 1961)
Terence Boylan, Suzy (Asylum, 1980)
Brass Fever, Brass Fever (Impulse!, 1975)
Les Brown, The Explosive Sound of Les Brown and His Band of Renown Swingin' the Masters! (Columbia, 1963)
Michael Bublé, Call Me Irresponsible (Reprise Records, 2007)
Bobby Caldwell, Solid Ground (Polydor, 1991)
Vanessa Carlton, Be Not Nobody (A&M, 2002)
Leonard Cohen, Death of a Ladies' Man (Columbia, 1977)
Sam Cooke, Ain't That Good News (RCA Victor, 1964)
Les Crane, Desiderata (Warner Bros., 1971)
Marshall Crenshaw, Jaggedland (429 Records, 2009)
Dick Dale, Summer Surf (Capitol, 1964)
Bobby Darin, Venice Blue (Capitol, 1965)
Bobby Darin, Bobby Darin Sings The Shadow of Your Smile (Atlantic, 1966)
Sammy Davis Jr. & Count Basie, Our Shining Hour (Jazz Heritage, 1979)
Dion DiMucci, Born to Be with You (Collectables, 1975)
Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart, Dolenz, Jones, Boyce & Hart (Capitol, 1976)
João Donato, A Bad Donato (Blue Thumb, 1970)
Donovan, Slow Down World (Epic, 1976)
The Doors, Other Voices (Elektra, 1971)
Duane Eddy, Duane Eddy (Capitol, 1987)
Danny Elfman, MIB2 (Sony, 2012)
Danny Elfman, Epic (Sony, 2013)
David Essex, Be-Bop the Future (Mercury, 1981)
Mimi Fariña & Tom Jans, Take Heart (A&M, 1971)
Victor Feldman, The Venezuela Joropo (Pacific Jazz, 1967)
Jerry Fielding, Near East Brass (Command, 1967)
Ella Fitzgerald, Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Harold Arlen Songbook (Verve, 1961)
Dominic Frontiere, On Any Sunday (Bell, 1971)
Ted Gärdestad, Blue Virgin Isles (Polar, 1978)
Marvin Gaye, Let's Get It On (Tamla, 1973)
Lowell George, Lightning-Rod Man (Bizarre, 1993)
Bob Gibson, Bob Gibson (Capitol, 1971)
Dizzy Gillespie, The New Continent (Limelight, 1965)
Jackie Gleason, The Now Sound... for Today's Lovers (Capitol, 1968)
Jerry Goldsmith, Along Came a Spider (Varese Sarabande, 2001)
Glen Gray, Sounds of the Great Bands! (Capitol, 1958)
Kathe Green, Kathe Green (Prodigal, 1976)
Josh Groban, Illuminations (Reprise, 2010)
Dave Grusin, Cinemagic (GRP, 1987)
Lani Hall, Hello It's Me (A&M, 1974)
Cyril Havermans, Cyril (MGM, 1973)
Lee Hazlewood, Something Special (Light in the Attic, 2015)
Neal Hefti, Jazz Pops (Reprise, 1962)
Jermaine Jackson, Let's Get Serious (Motown, 1980)
Maurice Jarre, Gorillas in the Mist (MCA, 1988)
Pete Jolly, Seasons (A&M, 1970)
Michael Kamen, The Three Musketeers (Hollywood, 1993)
Michael Kamen, 101 Dalmatians (Walt Disney, 1996)
Barney Kessel, Contemporary Latin Rhythms (Reprise, 1963)
Jean King, Sings for the In-Crowd (Hanna-Barbera, 1966)
John Klemmer, Touch (ABC, 1975)
Irene Kral, Wonderful Life (Mainstream, 1965)
Irene Kral, Kral Space (Catalyst, 1977)
Diana Krall, Christmas Songs (Verve, 2005)
Queen Latifah, The Dana Owens Album (A&M, 2004)
Peggy Lee, Blues Cross Country (Capitol, 1962)
Peggy Lee, Sugar 'n' Spice (Capitol, 1962)
Peggy Lee, Make It with You (Capitol, 1970)
Carly Simon, Playing Possum (Elektra, 1975)
Nils Lofgren, Cry Tough (A&M, 1976)
Harvey Mandel, Baby Batter (Janus, 1971)
Shelly Manne, Daktari (Atlantic, 1967)
Hugh Masekela, Hugh Masekela's Latest (Uni, 1967)
Dave Mason, Split Coconut (CBS, 1975)
Lonette McKee, Lonette (Sussex, 1974)
Carmen McRae, I Am Music (Blue Note, 1975)
Mike Melvoin, Keys to Your Mind (Liberty, 1966)
Sérgio Mendes, Brasil '88 (Elektra, 1978)
Bette Midler, Bathhouse Betty (Warner Bros., 1998)
Liza Minnelli, Gently (Angel, 1996)
Joni Mitchell, Mingus (Asylum, 1979)
The Monkees, The Monkees Present (Colgems, 1969)
The Monkees, Instant Replay (Colgems, 1969)
Hugo Montenegro, Process 70 (Time, 1962)
Chris Morris, Christopher Morris Band (MCA, 1977)
Alphonse Mouzon, The Man Incognito (Blue Note, 1976)
Maria Muldaur, Waitress in a Donut Shop (Reprise, 1974)
Gerry Mulligan, The Age of Steam (A&M, 1972)
Sammy Nestico, This Is the Moment (Fenwood Music, 2002)
Juice Newton, Quiet Lies (Capitol, 1982)
Harry Nilsson, Sandman (RCA Victor, 1976)
Jeffrey Osborne, Stay With Me Tonight (A&M, 1983)
Jimmy and Carol Owens, The Witness (Light, 1978)
Freda Payne, Payne & Pleasure (ABC, 1974)
Van Dyke Parks, Jump! (Warner Bros., 1984)
Stu Phillips, A Touch of Modern (MGM, 1956)
Steve Porcaro, Metro (Walt Disney, 1997)
Gregory Porter, Nat King Cole & Me (Blue Note, 2017)
John Powell, Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Recall, 2005)
Don Preston, Vile Foamy Ectoplasm (Muffin, 1993)
Joshua Radin, Underwater (Mom + Pop, 2012)
Helen Reddy, Ear Candy (Capitol, 1977)
Emitt Rhodes, The American Dream (A&M, 1970)
Howard Roberts, Jaunty-Jolly! (Capitol, 1967)
Robbie Robertson & Alex North, Carny (Warner Bros., 1980)
Tommy Roe, We Can Make Music (ABC, 1970)
Linda Ronstadt, Winter Light (Elektra, 1993)
Willie Ruff, The Smooth Side of Ruff (Columbia, 1968)
Buffy Sainte-Marie, Sweet America (ABC, 1976)
Mongo Santamaría, Afro Roots (Prestige, 1989)
Diane Schuur, Music Is My Life (Atlantic, 1999)
Clifford Scott, Lavender Sax (World Pacific, 1964)
Tom Scott, The Honeysuckle Breeze (Impulse!, 1967)
Tom Scott, Great Scott! (A&M, 1972)
Ravi Shankar, Charly (World Pacific, 1968)
Ravi Shankar, Shankar Family & Friends (Dark Horse, 1974)
Judee Sill, Heart Food (Asylum, 1973)
Nancy Sinatra, Boots (Reprise, 1966)
The Singers Unlimited, Just in Time (Pausa, 1978)
Joanie Sommers, The Voice of the Sixties! (Warner Bros., 1961)
Joanie Sommers, Softly, the Brazilian Sound (Warner Bros., 1964)
Phil Spector, Back to Mono 1958–1969 (Abkco, 1991)
The Surfers, Tahiti (HiFi, 1960)
Gábor Szabó, Wind, Sky and Diamonds (Impulse!, 1967)
Bob Thiele, Gábor Szabó & Tom Scott, Light My Fire (Impulse!, 1967)
Mel Tormé, Comin' Home Baby! (Atlantic, 1962)
Vinx, Rooms in My Fatha's House (I.R.S., 1991)
Wendy Waldman, Wendy Waldman (Warner Bros., 1975)
Mary Wilson, Mary Wilson (Motown, 1979)
Nancy Wilson, Guess Who I Saw Today (Capitol, 2005)
Richard "Popcorn" Wylie, Extrasensory Perception (ABC, 1974)
Daniel Valdez, Mestizo (A&M, 1974)
David Werner, Imagination Quota (RCA Victor, 1975)
Gary Wright, Headin' Home (Warner Bros., 1979)

Bibliography

Richards, Emil (1972). World of percussion; a catalog of 300 standard, ethnic, and special musical instruments and effects. Gwyn Pub. Co.
{{cite book |title=Mallet Chord Studies – Chord Voicings and Arpeggio Patterns for Vibraphone and Marimba |first=Emil |last=Richards |year=2009 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=978-1423469919}}
{{cite book |title=Sight Reading for Mallets |first=Emil |last=Richards |year=2009 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=978-1423469902}}
{{cite book |title=Melody & Rhythm Permutations |first=Emil |last=Richards |year=2009 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=978-1423469926}}
{{cite book |title=Exercises for Mallet Instruments |first=Emil |last=Richards |year=2009 |publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation |isbn=978-1423469896}}
{{cite book |title=Wonderful World of Percussion: My Life Behind Bars |first=Emil |last=Richards |year=2013 |publisher=BearManor Media |isbn=978-1593932657}}