John Bernard Riley


John Bernard Riley is an American jazz drummer and educator. He has performed with Woody Herman, Stan Getz, Milt Jackson, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, John Scofield, Bob Mintzer, Gary Peacock, Mike Stern, Joe Lovano, Franck Amsallem, the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, the Carnegie Hall Jazz Band, John Patitucci, and Bob Berg.

Life

Riley began playing drums at age eight, after receiving a snare drum as a gift. In the biographies provided to the media, Riley acknowledges the early support of his parents, John and Mary Ann. While attending fourth grade in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, Riley began studying percussion privately with Thomas Sicola, Jr., who, at that time, was a recent graduate of the New York College of Music and a music teacher in the nearby Cranford Township Public Schools.
Riley studied music at the University of North Texas College of Music, where he was introduced to a larger world of music and percussion. While there, he played, toured, and recorded Lab 76 with the One O'Clock Lab Band. Lab 76 was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Jazz Performance by a Big Band." Jazz drummer Paul Guerrero had been one of his influential teachers at North Texas.

Discography

With Bob MintzerSpectrum Techno Pop Art of the Big Band Departure Only in New York The First Decade Big Band Trane Latin from Manhattan Homage to Count Basie Live at MCG Old School, New Lessons
With Bobby PaunettoComposer in Public Reconstituted
With DMP Big BandCarved in Stone DMP Big Band Salutes Duke Ellington
With Eijiro Nakagawa and Jim PughLegend and Lion E2'n J2
With George GruntzLiebermann Live in Berlin Merryteria Expo Triangle News Reel Matters
With Hubert NussThe Shimmering Colours of Stained Glass, The Underwater Poet Feed the Birds
With Luis BonillaI Talking Now Twilight
With Mike MethenyBlue Jay Sessions Kaleidoscope
With Vanguard Jazz OrchestraLickety Split Thad Jones Legacy Can I Persuade You? The Way, Up from the Skies Monday Night Live at the Village Vanguard Forever Lasting, Live in Tokyo
With others

DVD

Academic positions

Publications

Brazilian Rhythms for Drumset,, by Duduka da Fonseca and John Riley, Alfred Publishing The Art of Bop Drumming, Alfred Publishing Beyond Bop Drumming, Alfred Publishing The Jazz Drummer's Workshop, Modern Drummer The Master Drummer, Alfred Publishing