Leader Rickey Woodard spent 7 years with the Ray Charles Band, has played with Frank Capps Juggernaut Band, and Jeannie & Jimmy Cheathams’ Sweet Baby Blues Band. Rickey is a current member of the Clayton-Hamilton Big Band and has played on 40 jazz recordings, 12 as a leader/co-leader. Rickey plays the saxophone with great power, soul, and a command of the instrument. From straight ahead, to ballads, or blues, Rickey plays them all with great style, finesse, and ease. A true saxophone master.
Dr. Bobby Rodriguez wears many hats in the musical field. He is a producer, director, composer, arranger, author, educator, speaker, and clinician. Bobby has acted in TV and film, and played on over 2 dozen jazz recordings, 11 as a leader. He has written the ABC’s of “Brass Warmup” and the ABC’s of “Latin Jazz”. Bobby has worked with over 70 jazz music greats, and has received 1 gold and 3 platinum records. Bobby is on the board of several jazz, art, and cultural organizations, and director of Latin jazz at UCLA, UC Irvine, Pasadena City College, and several southern California schools. Bobby has been active in the LA inner-city jazz educational programs for over 20 years, and President of Hispanic Musicians Association for 22 years. Bobby has received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Drew University, and was selected Jazz Educator of the Year by the LA Jazz Society.
Pianist Billy Mitchell is a producer, composer, author, and helps at-risk youth, having established a scholarship academy to help inner-city art and music students. Billy sponsors music workshops that give free music instruction in the LA area. He has established and is the executive director of a conservatory and youth symphony. Billy has worked as a producer for over 40 years on dozens of recordings of a wide spectrum of musical genres. Billy played in Clint Eastwood’s movie “Bird”, and appeared in the film “Jazz” which was an award winning docu-drama about black musicians. Billy has recorded 10 CD’s as a leader, appeared on over 35 other recordings, and has played with over 75 different music artists.
Bassist Richard Simon is an educator, producer, clinician, and conductor who has performed with over 75 different artists. Richard has written and performed a jazz production entitled “Poor Richard’s All Man Act Plus One”. He is the program director of “Jazz America”, co-founded by the great Buddy Collette. It is an after school jazz instruction program for middle and high school students in the Hollywood area. Students learn the music of Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Benny Carter, and Mary Lou Williams. Richard was mentored by the great bassist Red Calendar, and woodwinds master Buddy Collette.
Drummer Don Littleton is an accomplished percussionist who has been performing for over 40 years jazz, Latin jazz, R&B, blues, hip-hop, reggae and more. Don has mastered traditional and exotic percussion instruments like the Cajon, Timbales, Trap, Conga, and Bongo drums, Chacares, Claves, Culca, Djembe, Shekere, and others. Don has played with over 40 renowned musicians, has appeared on over a dozen recordings, and a half dozen TV and reality shows.
Saturday December 10th the talented Rickey Woodard Quintet, 5 master musicians performing a variety of jazz styles at 7:00pm at Pete Carlsons’ Jazz for Jazz Lovers. Don’t miss it!!!
