West Bank School of Music
Jazz Composer Series 1985

This is an historical archive for streaming the 1st West Bank School of Music Jazz Composer Series of 1985. These are the original radio programs that were aired and are presented here so you may listen to these guest composers and their music. This website also includes the Minnesota Composers Gallery radio programs which I also engineered and produced for KFAI FM Community Radio.

West Bank School of Music Jazz Composer Series of 1985 Intro-Outro theme
Music was composed by Ellen Lease & performed by Ellen Lease & The Pat Moriarty Ensemble

Rick Olson

Rick Olson - Arranger, co-producer, multi -instrumentalist, band leader

Biography 6/7/2012: Rick Olson (Frederick Olson) is a keyboardist, composer/arranger, and multi-instrumentalist based in the Los Angeles area. Born into a musical family in 1963 in Massachusetts, he grew up in Washington D.C. By junior high school he was already listening to recordings by Armstrong, Brubeck, Corea, Davis, Ellington, Martino, Monk, and Parker, among others, as well as a wide range of rock, blues and reggae releases.

In 1977 Olson's family moved to Minneapolis, where he began to sit in at local clubs and to play gigs. He attended Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan for his senior year of High School, working on his instrumental and compositional skills. He won two Student Recording Awards from Downbeat magazine, and, a scholarship to attend the Berklee School of Music in Boston. After studies at Berklee, Olson attended University of Minnesota plus worked as a performer, arranger and composer (in 1986 he received a grant for Composition from the Minnesota State Arts Board).

In 1988 he moved to Los Angeles where he still resides. Olson's formal musical training includes Jazz studies at Berklee, classical piano studies with pianists Marek Zebrowski in Boston, Massachusetts, Lee Humphries in Minneapolis, and Alexander Braginsky at the University of Minnesota, Film Scoring studies at UCLA, Synthesizer Programming course work at the Grove School, and Music Notation workshops at the Electronic Music Box in Sherman Oaks California. Additional Jazz studies include lessons and or master classes with Cedar Walton, Stanley Cowell, Marian McPartland, Gary Peacock, Joe Hunt, James Moody, Dizzy Gillespie, Yusef Lateef, and Bobby Peterson.

As an instrumentalist, he has played with a wide range of jazz, blues, rhythm and blues, and rock musicians, including: Vocalists Benson Brown, Barbara Morrison, Carl Anderson, Michelle Coltrane, Freda Payne, Little Jimmy Scott, Ernie Andrews, Al Wilson, Dee Dee McNeil, Chaka Khan, Jimmy Spencer, Leslie Lewis, Sandra Booker, Gretchen Parlato, Valerie Harper, Keith David, Jeff Robinson, Lisa Clark, Cynthia Utterbach, Ede Evans-Hyde, Diane Witherspoon, Bili Redd Guitarists Phil Upchurch, Wah Wah Watson, Bruce Conte, Rick Zunigar, Jinshi Ozaki, Ray Bailey, Robbie Krieger, Larry Carlton, Jacques Lesure, Doug MacDonald, Keb Mo, Sheryl Crow, Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, George Gilliam, Earl "Chinna" Smith, Jeff "Skunk" Baxter Bassists Tim Scott, Ernest Tibbs, Bob Maize, Jeff Littleton, Bill Markus, Rick E Taylor, Michael Saucier, Roberto Miranda, Dr Art Davis, Marshall Hawkins, Chris Conner, Darek Oles, Pete Olson, Putter Smith, Al McKibbon, Chris Colangelo, Abe Laboriel, John Heard, Tony Dumas, Eddie Resto, Nathan East, Ernie McDaniel, Jim Hughart, Todd Johnson, Jerry Watts, Dean Taba, Bruce Lett, Keith Jones, Jimmy Earl, Gordy Johnson, Billy Peterson Drummers/percussionists Raymond Pounds, Larance Marable, Roy McCurdy, Ralph Penland, Frank Wilson, Don Littleton, Quentin Dennard, Kenny Elliott, Joe Correro, Donald Dean, Ray Armando, Victor Pantoja, Ramon Banda, C.C. Cameron, Alex Acuna, Enzo Todesco, Thomas White, Paul Kreibich, Jason Harnell, Lance Lee, Harold Acey, Vince Wilburn Jr, Clarence Johnston, Billy Higgins, Jack Ranelli, Kendall Kay, Otis Hayes III, Jimmy Ford, Gerryck King, Earl Palmer, Jay Epstein, Joel Taylor, James Gadsen, Bobby Matos, Land Richards, Alonzo (Scooter) Powell, Fritz Wise Trumpet players Nolan Shaheed, Elliott Caine, Jeff Kaye, Hugh Schick, Andrew Carney, Conte and Pete Candoli, Sal Marquez, Richard Grant, Carl Saunders, Bobby Shew, Mike Price, Stacy Rowles, Jerry Rusch, Jack Shelden, Gene Adams, Walter White, Ron Stout, Rick Gardner Saxophonists Chuck Manning, Benn Clatworthy, Bennie Maupin, Louis Van Taylor, John Bolivar, Justo Almario, Ray Pizzi, Lanny Morgan, Doug Webb, Marty Krystall, Christopher Mason, John Clarke, Red Holloway, Ricky Woodard, Javier Verguera, Herman Riley, Pat Patrick. Curtis Peagler, Irv Williams, Eric Marienthal Trombone players Phil Ranelin, David Dahlsten, Maurice Spears, Jock Ellis, Bob Enevoldsen, Dan Weinstein, Dave Graf Pianists (As an electric keyboardist or guitarist) George Gaffney, Billy Mitchell, Theo Saunders, Rahn Coleman, Ronnie Hasley, Don Grusin, Ed Vodicka, Todd Hunter, Lee Blaske, John Beasley, Scott Oakley Violin/Viola Richard Greene, Jimbo Ross Vibes Onaje Murray, Charlie Shoemake, Nick Mancini, Otis Hayes Harmonica Stan Behrens, Tim Welvaars Groups Quentin Dennard Quartet, Elliott Caine Quintet, Jeff Robinson Group, Bruce Conte Band, Christina Trillo Band, Rick Olson Group, The Ink Spots, The Olympics, The Coasters, Radiant Voices, Jack Ranelli Big Band, Latin Jazz Playground, Bobby Rodriguez Band, The Jazz Vibe, The Jazz Surgeons, Euphoria, Mambo's Combo, and Travel Agent.

Olson has performed at many California Jazz Festivals including: Beatles Fest West San Francisco, Beatles Radio Fest Napa Valley, Mostly Mercer Nevada City, Gas Light Festival San Diego, Idyllwild Jazz Festival, Temecula Jazz Festival, Gardena Jazz Festival, Peninsula Jazz Festival (Palos Verdes), Jazz at Drew, Watts Towers Jazz Festival, Playboy Jazz Festival He doubles on guitar and electric bass.

Also, Olson has transcribed and arranged for artists and groups, including Carly Simon “Concert on the Queen Mary II” 2005, David Dahlsten Rainbow Dancing 2004, Wah Wah Watson ATF 1999, Harvey Mason Fourplay 4 1998, LA Superband featuring Larry Carlton 1997, Voice of Praise Gospel Choir/ Kenny Mason 1998, Herbie Hancock's 1989 Headhunters II Band, as well as tours supporting Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite, a 1996 Columbia/Sony release.

Over the years he has created a large and diverse collection of acoustic and contemporary jazz compositions as well as arrangements with re-harmonization of standard tunes. He has played on many independent CD releases, and wrote a film score in the nineties for David Livingston (Star Trek producer) “A Slice of Life”. Olson currently performs around California with his own group and as an individual freelance musician playing piano, electric keyboards, and guitars; he also works as a composer/arranger, and as a piano/keyboard teacher in Gardena, California.

On 12/23/11 piano310 released the Rick Olson Group CD “Greene Street”.

More Info on Rick Olson

The West Bank School of Music Jazz Composer Series of concerts in 1985 were recorded along with interviews with the Jazz composers by Richard Byron Strunk. These tapes were then used to create these 6 radio programs and were produced and hosted by Richard Byron Strunk. Originally there were 7 Concerts and I still hope to include the missing composers interview and music at a later date. These were first aired in 1985 - 1986 on KFAI "Fresh Air" FM Radio

Quick thank you to Warren Park who was the head of this entire project and originally encouraged me to do this and who was instrumental in its creation as well as thanks to all those involved from the West Bank School of Music. Thanks to Warren Park and the West Bank School of Music plus countless other composers, musicians and music lovers that made the broadcast of this concert series as a radio show possible.

© Copyright 2012 All Rights Reserved. Ricks Enterprises
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