ON SALE NOW!
WHAT
For his third full-length album, two-time Emmy-nominee David Ricard brings his
18-piece big band into uncharted waters.
While previous records leaned more toward quirky and fun (think "Swan Lake" meets "Sing! Sing! Sing!" or a surf guitar version of "God Rest Ye Merry"), PARALLELS marks the band's first foray into what the composer calls “sorta serious” music.
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"A veteran film composer who specializes in writing for cartoons, Ricard knows what it takes to ramp up the
musical action.
This is fun, high-impact jazz that doesn’t sacrifice a bit of artistic integrity"
-JAZZIZ
Full review here
"Ricard's resourceful charts and perceptive choices of material help make Parallels a consistently bright and pleasurable big-band album"
- ALL ABOUT JAZZ
4.5/5 stars
Full review here
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"Ricard stretches the boundaries of big band music with humor and originality"
- JAZZ JOURNAL
"Fans of modern but swinging big bands will find much to enjoy throughout Parallels"
- Scott Yanow
"The David Ricard Big Band could make a concept album about cauliflower and we’d listen without blushing"
- JAZZ CULTURE
Full review here
"No section gets short changed or underutilized in Ricard's writing, with winds, brass, and rhythm artfully combined to yield strong introductions, melodic statements, ensemble and/or shout choruses, solo backgrounds, and endings"
- CADENCE MAGAZINE
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"Parallels will surely reach music lovers both young, old and in-between. This is an exciting project presented with love and a masterful understanding of the many intricacies of big band jazz."
- L.A. JAZZ SCENE
Full review here
"The fur flies high and each track is a fully realized gasser. Hot stuff for smoking times"
- MIDWEST RECORD
Full review here
Why do I love writing for big band? read about it in SOUND ON SOUND
VIDEOS FROM PARALLELS
COME OUT SWINGIN'
feat. Doug Webb & Grant Geissman
COMING SOON!
SPIDER-MAN
feat. Wayne Bergeron & Will Brahm
PASS THE PEAS
feat. Dennis Rolins & Michael Czaja
COMING SOON!
NOTE-ABLY PINK
feat. Dave Thomasson & Erik Hughes
WHY
PARALLELS’ concept dates back to the composer’s childhood.
The album explores the parallels between his own life, art, and music
with those of his father.
Jack Rickard was a prolific illustrator whose work has been adored by millions.
His output as a cartoonist for advertising, movie posters, and most notably,
the covers of MAD Magazine reflect an eerily-similar career arc to David’s.
Coincidentally, Jack was a jazz drummer in his early years and had a continued infatuation with big band music.
The artist’s pet project was creating dozens of paintings of jazz luminaries in various combos.
Like his son-- who composes music for TV, cartoons, films, and commercials-- the artist considered these paintings his “sorta serious” work.
WHO
Band personnel includes stand-out newcomers from the country's best jazz schools along with top-of-their game studio musicians
from Los Angeles and New York.
Trumpets
Chad Willis, Dave Richards, Wayne Bergeron, Anne King,
Mike Cottone, Josh Aguiar, Blake Martin
Trombones
Dave Ryan, Erik Hughes, Sean Shackelford, Dennis Rollins
Juliane Gralle, Jake Kraft
Saxophones/Woodwinds
Doug Webb, Geoff Nudell, Aaron Heick, Michael Czaja,
Noah Preminger, Dave Thomasson, John Mitchell, Kyle O’Donnell,
Brian Clancy, Stephen Taylor
Rhythm Section
Piano: Brandon Covelli, Jordan Seigel, Bill Fulton
Guitar: Will Brahm, Matt Hornbeck, Grant Geissman, James Leibow
Bass: David Ricard
Drums: Sammy K
Vibes/Percussion: Billy Hulting
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
The inspiration for this album has been in the making for decades,
however, it only recently defined itself.
A long-forgotten trove of Jack's paintings were discovered in a closet
more than 20 years after the artist's death.
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These paintings were the outgrowth of a side-project that was a genuine
labor of love.
Similarly, composing and arranging for big band is a personal side endeavor for David.
Bookings, Inquiries, or just say hi...
