Join The George Link, Jr Gilmer Arts Playhouse for their celebration of the anniversary of opening to the public in 2017. Kool Breeze featuring Jim Richter will play a wonderful concert in this return engagement. Jim's bio in Additional info.
More details soon.
Jim Richter had his first piano lesson in January, 1960, and he studied classical piano with a number of teachers, including Mildred Victor, a pupil of Artur Schnabel. I also took piano lessons in the Prep Department at the Eastman School of Music, in Rochester, New York, continuing his piano studies until about a year or so after graduating from college.
When he first heard the Beatles and the Stones, he decided he needed to play electric guitar. In early 1966, he got a Silvertone electric guitar and a Silvertone amp. He bought a chord book and taught himself how to play by listening to his favorite records endlessly. Drove his parents crazy!
He played in bands all through high school and college. In 1969, he played guitar with Son House, the famous blues guitarist. He was living in Rochester, NY, at the time. Son House wanted him and his band mates to accompany him to Chicago to play the blues. His parents put a stop to that plan immediately! I think that was a wise move. At that point in my life, I think I’d have gone wild if I had been immersed in the world of blues in Chicago!
From 1970-1974 he was a
member of Cradle, an originals band in New England. They wrote and recorded some good songs, but they never got the big break they hoped for. So, he decided to become an attorney, and he practiced law for a long time.
He never stopped making music. He played in numerous bands over the years, and he continued to play classical music on the piano. In 2013, he decided to focus on music again on a full time basis, and his first album, Summer’s Gone (2016), was the result. Subsequently, he has released a total of three additional albums and four singles as well. He hopes that you will check out my other albums: Metamorphosis (2017) and Breezy Day (2018).
His latest release is entitled Mr. Kool (2020). It’s an all-instrumental album. It’s very jazzy, but with a few rock influences here and there. In general, he has moved more and more toward jazz-oriented music, while still incorporating other influences. He hopes that you will enjoy his music!
He has teamed with Kool Breeze musicians who have had varied careers themselves. John Rathbone, Nolan Walker, Chris Otts, Markham White, Bill Craig, and Michael Cornett will join Jim on stage to bring you an evening of smooth jazz.
