STEPH RICHARDS "Richards is one to watch...(NPR)"

"“A rising force in avant-garde jazz…a virtuoso of otherworldy sound” (Jazz Times)

"Emerging Maestro" (New York Times) trumpeter Steph Richards is a rising force in the creative music scene, having worked with pioneering artists ranging from Henry Threadgill, Anthony Braxton and John Zorn to St. Vincent, David Byrne and Yoko Ono and her sonic explorations have led to collaborations with performance artists Mike Kelly, Laurie Anderson/Lou Reed. Richards has also worked with creative jazz masters Jason Moran, Ravi Coltrane, Sylvie Courvoisier and others. Driven by a curiosity how listeners interact with music and what sensory variables are open to experimentation, her own compositions have featured across North and South America and Europe. premiering on iconic stages at Carnegie Hall, the Blue-note, Bimhuis and Lincoln Center.

Originally from Canada, Richards has spent much of her career cultivating a presence while living in Brooklyn, NY. Richards has performed alongside the Kronos Quartet, the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), The Pixies and Kanye West and co-produces the FONT Music festival alongside trumpeter Dave Douglas. Her multimedia works include site-situated works for carousel and choreographed ensemble, underwater percussion and football fields. She is involved with Anthony Braxton's Lorraine Sextet and Double Trio, Tricentric Orchestra, Henry Threadgill’s Kestra, Bang on a Can’s Asphalt Orchestra of which she is a co-founding member and through which she has worked with St. Vincent, Tyondai Braxton and choreographer Susan Marshall. She holds degrees from the Eastman School of Music, McGill University and California Institute of the Arts and is on faculty at UC San Diego.

RECENT NEWS:

New York, NY – October 12, 2023 – Northern Spy Recordings is thrilled to announce the upcoming release of "POWER VIBE," the groundbreaking album by the avant-garde jazz luminary Steph Richards. Scheduled to drop on May 3, 2024, "POWER VIBE" is set to captivate listeners worldwide with its revolutionary fusion of creative music and jazz, adorned with sensory electronics.

Recognized as a "rising force in avant-garde jazz" and hailed as a "virtuoso of otherworldly sound" by Jazz Times, Steph Richards is renowned for her transformative sonic explorations. With "POWER VIBE," Richards delves deeper into uncharted musical territories, reshaping the boundaries of jazz and creative expression. The album promises an unparalleled auditory experience, making waves in the contemporary music scene.

In this mesmerizing musical endeavor, Steph Richards collaborates with a brilliant quartet comprising Joshua White, Gerald Cleaver, and Stomu Takeishi, each a luminary in their own right. This extraordinary ensemble is further elevated by the innovative electronic wizardry of Max Jaffee. Together, they craft a sonic tapestry that defies conventions and transcends genres, pushing the envelope of what is possible in the realm of music.

"POWERVIBE" is a testament to Richards' visionary artistry, seamlessly blending traditional jazz elements with cutting-edge sensory electronics. The result is a transformative auditory experience that challenges preconceptions and invites listeners into a world of unparalleled creativity and innovation.

In 2021 she released Zephyr (Relative Pitch Records), with rising star pianist Joshua White. Awarded “Best Album of 2021” by the Boston Globe, The San Diego Union Tribune, The 2021 Jazz Critics Poll, The Wyoming Tribune and The New York City Jazz Record Review stating “Richards is an emerging force of nature”.

Her 2020 release SUPERSENSE feat. Jason Moran (piano), Kenny Wolleson (drums) and Stomu Takeishi (bass) is an award winning sensory experimental exploration; complete with custom scratch-and-sniff scents designed by Sean Raspet. Awarded Best Record of 2020 by All About Jazz and garnering multiple 4 star designations, "Supersense makes for high-grade experimental avant-garde and then some" (All About Jazz ****1/2). The New York Times "Steph Richards is an emerging maestro of extended technique…think of Richards as extending the techniques of artistic interaction, creating a way for audiences and performers to share space from afar. “

Richards' Take The Neon Lights (Birdwatcher Records, 2019) features a quartet of deep-in-the-scene Brooklyn players James Carney (piano), Sam Minaie (bass) and Andrew Munsey. Written as a dedication to her home New York and inspired by eight poems that center on the vivid, heart-breaking beauty of city life in New York City, Take The Neon Lights garnered strong critical acclaim with NPR’s Fresh Sounds stating, “Richards is one to watch” 4 stars from Downbeat Magazine; "Steph Richards proves herself a virtuoso of nonlinear trumpet playing".

Her debut record Fullmoon (Relative Pitch Records) was hailed as “a bold pronouncement” (New York Times) and voted on multiple “Best of 2018” year end lists, including as the #1 Record of the Year by Free Jazz Collective. Steph's “ingenious” (WBGO) 2019 record “Take The Neon Lights” earned high praise, with NextBop calling the record "mesmerizing...fans of avant-garde jazz should definitely give this one a listen” and was voted Best of 2019 by The NYC Jazz Record Review. Her upcoming 2020 Fall release SUPERSENSE (Northern Spy Records) features the interactions of scent and sounds, featuring renowned bandmates Jason Moran (piano), Stomu Takeishi (bass), Kenny Wollesen (drums). Richards is a Yamaha Artist.

released records (collaborator)

Anthony Braxton: ZIM Music, Tricentric Records, June 2021

James Carney Sextet: Pure Heart (Sunnyside Records), featuring Ravi Coltrane, Oscar Noriega, Steph Richards, Tom Rainey and Dezron Douglas.

Henry Threadgill: Dirt...and More Dirt. Featuring: David Virelles, Liberty Ellman, Elliot Humberto Cave and others. PI Recordings, 2018. (Pulitzer-winning composer’s album on “Best of 2018” lists: NPR, Stereogum, New York Times)

Deerhoof/Coverband: Coverband, Joyful Noise Records, 2017.

Taylor Ho Bynum Plustet: Enter the PlusTet, Firehouse 12 Records, 2016.

Anthony Braxton: Composition No. 46 (+168 and Language Music), New Braxton House Records NBH048, 2014.

John Zorn: There is No More Firmament, Tzadik Records, 2017.

Anthony Braxton: Trillium J: The Non-Unconfession- ables - Composition No 380. New Braxton House Records, 2016.

Asphalt Orchestra: The Pixies’ Surfer Rosa, Cantaloupe Records, 2014.

Joseph C. Phillips Numinous: Changing Same, New Amsterdam Records, NWAM068, 2015.