Johnny Richards


Johnny Richards was an American jazz arranger and composer scoring numerous sound tracks for television and film. He was a pivotal composer/arranger for cutting edge, adventurous performances and recording sessions by Stan Kenton's big band in the 1950s and early 1960s; such as Cuban Fire!, Kenton's West Side Story and Adventures in Time.

Biography

Richards was born in Toluca, Mexico, to a Spanish father and a Mexican mother, whose parents were Spanish immigrants to Mexico. He entered the United States on August 4, 1919 at Laredo, Texas, along with his mother, three brothers and sister:
Siblings:
Richards' father, Juan Cascales y Valero, immigrated earlier, crossing the border at Laredo, Texas, on June 4, 1919. The family lived first in Los Angeles, California and later in San Fernando, California, where Joe, Johnny, and Chuck attended and graduated from San Fernando High School. In 1930, Richards was living in Fullerton, California, and attending Fullerton College.
Richards worked in Los Angeles, California, from the late 1930s to 1952. In 1952, he moved to New York City. He had been arranging for Stan Kenton since 1950 and continued to do so through the mid-1960s. He also led his own bands throughout his career. In addition, he wrote the music for the popular song "Young at Heart", made famous by Frank Sinatra and others.
Richards died October 7, 1968, in New York City, of a brain tumor. Reviewers have deemed his style as being influenced by Duke Ellington and Pete Rugolo.

Discography

As leader

  • Annotations of the Muses
  • Something Else by Johnny Richards
  • Wide Range
  • Experiments in Sound
  • The Rites of Diablo
  • Walk Softly/Run Wild!
  • My Fair Lady – My Way
  • Aqui Se Habla Español
  • ''Mosaic Select 17''

    As sideman/arranger

With Charlie Barnet
With Harry James
With Stan Kenton
  • Cuban Fire!
  • Back to Balboa
  • Two Much! with Ann Richards
  • Kenton's West Side Story
  • Adventures in Time as composer arranger and conductor
With Hugo Loewenstern