Doug Richards, founder of jazz studies at Virginia Commonwealth University, was once hailed by the famed critic Martin Williams as “the most original writer for big band since Gil Evans.” Based in Richmond, Virginia, he flies under the radar nationally but towers in significance among the flourishing Richmond scene. To hear Through a Sonic Prism, his new album of Jobim arrangements featuring vocalist Laura Ann Singh with a top-shelf group of Richmond players, is to be struck by something truly special. Richards’ horn accompaniments, to cite just one aspect, are wildly imaginative, tightly executed, with a rich and unusual blend of brass and reed sonorities — all of it somehow never getting in the way of the song. Richards lets these Jobim classics speak for themselves while making them brand new in the process.

“Jobim fits in an exalted club with the likes of Barber, Copland, Ellington, Strayhorn, Monk, Mingus, Sondheim, Rodgers, Gershwin, Kern, Ravel, Stravinsky and Mahler,” says Richards. “During the pandemic I began exploring Jobim’s songs, and when I got to ‘Ligia’ I knew I wanted to construct a framework that would complement its beautiful design. I approached this album mainly as writing for a group of chamber ensembles, often in contrapuntal fashion. Standard homophonic big band writing is used only rarely. After ‘Ligia’ I was hooked, and 13 others followed in relatively short order.”

Richards’ wisdom has seeped into the groundwater nourishing successive generations of jazz virtuosos. His former students in the 40-plus years he’s devoted to jazz education include Nate Smith, Steve Wilson, James Genus, Clarence Penn, Reggie Pace, members of Butcher Brown and a host of other eminent players and bandleaders.

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LABEL: self-released

ALBUM: Through a Sonic Prism

RELEASE DATE: September 15, 2023

ARTIST LINKS:
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