Nominated Musician Kim Richmond Dead at 84
Kim Richmond, a Grammy-nominated jazz musician and former adjunct professor in the Jazz Studies department at the University of Southern California has died. He was 84.
Richmond died Friday of bladder cancer at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with his wife of 40 years, Chris Zambon, at his side, publicist Gail Cottman said.
He was primarily a jazz saxophonist and composer, but also played clarinet and flute.
During his 68-year career, Richmond played with several noted musicians including Stan Kenton, Louis Bellson, Les Brown and Johnny Mandel. In the 1960s, he arranged music for film composer Lalo Schifrin, drummer Buddy Rich and fellow saxophonist Ernie Watts.
In addition to his work in jazz, Richmond was a member of the classical chamber orchestra Composers Ensemble of Los Angeles and played regularly with the Pacific Symphony. He also performed as soloist with the Dallas and Riverside symphonies, among others..
He recorded 11 albums as a group leader, including 2013's "Artistry," a tribute to Kenton, and 2003's "Refractions," both of which were nominated for Grammy Awards. As a session musician, Richmond performed on more than 100 albums,
Richmond taught at USC for 12 years and was also as a guest lecturer, conductor and guest soloist at college music festivals and workshops around the country including the Santa Barbara Jazz Workshop and the Northwoods Jazz Camp. For many years he was the music director for the Los Angeles Music Center's Spotlight Awards, a local showcase for top student musicians, and was a past president of the American Society of Music Arrangers and Composers.
The Champaign, Ill. native studied at the University of Illinois and served in the U.S. Air Force from 1963 to 1967 before moving to Los Angeles after his discharge.
In recent years Richmond was the co-leader — along with vocalist Kimberly Ford — of the KIM-PROJECT, a tribute to the collaboration between musicians Herbie Hancock and Joni Mitchell.
Cottman said a memorial service will be announced at a later date.
