ERIC RICHARDS

Dance of the Southern Lights   $100.00
Composed and arranged by Eric Richards
Published by Eric Richards Music Services
Recorded by the US Army Field Band   Nan Raphael, piccolo soloist
I composed this piece in 1985 for Nan Raphael, piccolo soloist with The US Army Field Band. The work combines an AfroCuban abakua groove with a melody supported by the minor blues progression. This piece has been performed all over the world by groups such as The US Army Field Band, The USAF Band, The Dallas Wind Symphony, and the University of North Texas Wind Ensemble.
SOLO PICCOLO Part PDF (click here)

Dos Danzas Latinas  $150.00
Composed and arranged by Eric Richards
Published by Eric Richards Music Services
Recorded by the US Army Field Band   Nan Raphael, piccolo soloist
Dos Danzas Latinas was also composed for Nan Raphael for her solo performance with The United States Army Field Band at the 2002 National Flute Association Convention in Washington DC. I wanted to write a piece that would showcase Nan on both alto flute and piccolo. As a 'Crossover" composer, I enjoy combining elements of the contemporary tonal vocabulary of "Art”" music with the language of American Jazz and the “stirring in” sounds and traditions of other culture. I have a particular fondness for the music of Latin America, especially that of Brazil and Cuba. These musical predilections are quite evident in this work!
     The piece is set in two contrasting sections, which I think of as a “Dance of Introspection” leading into a “Dance of Optimism". The opening section is a Bossa Nova and is framed by two solo cadenza. The second cadenza serves to provide some closure to the first section and also creates a transition into the second.  This "Dance of Optimism" is quite rhythmic and alternates between a Salsa and Samba feel. 
     Since writing the original version of the work, I have also adapted the solo part for soprano saxophone.
SOLO Alto Flute & Piccolo Part PDF (click here)
SOLO Soprano Saxophone Part PDF (click here)
SCORE PDF - Dos Danzas Latinas (click here)

Hook! - A Symphonic Suite     
Composed by John Williams     Transcribed and arranged by Eric Richards
Recorded by the US Army Field Band  
Hook! - A Symphonic Suite was written to be premiered at  The US Army Field Band's keystone performance at the 1992 American Bandmasters Association convention in Washington DC. The film was enjoying some popularity at the time and my commander, COL Jack Grogan, asked me to create a 10 minute medley of some of the extremely tuneful material from John Williams' great score. I learned a great deal about orchestration and transcription for band from "lifting" and adapting this material from the recording...it was quite an eartraining exercise! The Field Band went on to perform the arrangement on several concert tours and made this recording as part of the album In Concert! This arrangement is one of the projects I'm most proud of during my tenure with the Field Band.

Nocturne
Composed and arranged by Eric Richards
Recorded by the Millikan University Wind Ensemble    Perry Rask, soprano saxophone soloist
This piece was originally written as a clarinet solo with concert band for my "musical brother", Tom Puwalski. I made some minor revisions on the solo part to make it workable as a soprano saxophone solo. This recording features Dr. Perry Rask with the Millikan University Wind Ensemble on their album titled Tempered Steel.

The Fair Day (from An Irish Symphony)
Composed by Sir Hamilton Harty    Transcribed by Eric Richards
Recorded by The US Army Field Band (live rough mix)
I was asked to transcribe this second movement from Hamilton Harty's Irish Symphony by COL Finley Hamilton, then commander of the Field Band. The character and orchestration of the winds in the original orchestration made this project especially fun to work with.

A Balm In Gilead (from Three American Spirituals)
Traditional   Arranged  by Eric Richards
Recorded by The US Army Field Band (live rough mix)    Victor Cenales, baritone
This has been one of my favourite spiritual songs since I was a child. Thus, I was very happy to be assigned this project for one of the Field Band's vocal soloists, Victor Cenales, to perform with the band on a concert tour. The live mix is a bit rough, but Victor's artistry really communicates the poignancy of the message.

New York State of Mind (from A Billy Joel Songbook)
Composed by Billy Joel     Arranged by Eric Richards
Recorded by The US Army Field Band (live rough mix)
Victor Cenales, Joel Dulyea, Sara Jones - vocal soloists
Joren Cain - alto saxophone solo
This is an excerpt from an extended concert medley of classic Billy Joel tunes I arranged for the Soldiers' Chorus of The US Army Field Band. It was written for voices, wind ensemble and rhythm section. This arrangement was influenced by the Gospel tradition as well as Jaco Pastorius' great composition Three Views of a Secret. Joren served up some serious Hank Crawford on his soulful alto solo.

Three Chanukah Themes
Traditional     Arranged by Eric Richards
Recorded by The USAF Heritage of America Band, LTCol Douglas Monroe - conducting  
I've been fortunate to be involved in the performance of Klezmer music for many years. As a result of developing a love for this music, I've written a number of Klezmer arrangements for concert band. This medley was commissioned by LTCol Doug Monroe and the USAF Heritage of America Band for a series of holiday concerts in 2005. The tunes presented in this medley are: Maoz Tzur (Rock of Ages), O Ir Kleyne Likhtelekh (O Little Lights of Mystery), and Oy Chanukah!

A Klezmer Tribute!
Traditional     Arranged by Eric Richards
This YouTube video presents the first Klezmer arrangement I did for band. It was also written for Tom Puwalksi and serves as a kind of "musicial diary" of the many Klezmer gigs he and I performed together. This arrangement has been since performed nationwide by ensembles such as The US Marine Band (The President's Own) and The USAF Academy Band.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CnpO_CAm8s

Jazz Fantasia on Greensleeves     $100.00
Traditional     Arranged by Eric Richards
Published by Eric Richards Music Services
Commissioned by the US Army TRADOC Band, Major Tod Addison - commander/conductor
(rough live mix)
This piece was commissioned for a series of Holiday concerts in 2006. The TRADOC Concert Band was looking for a "Crossover/Third Stream-ish" piece about six minutes in length that would feature their excellent drummer and lead alto saxophonist. This rough live mix was captured at one of those Holiday concerts.
SCORE_JazzFantasiaOnGreensleevesPDF (click here)