Logan Richardson, a Kansas City native (b1980), has always understood the importance and joy of learning and loving tradition and all it entails. Kansas City was the city that accelerated the growth of improvised musical instruments (1925-1938). The city created a space for each artist to flourish, with a vibrant economy and a musical social structure that helped to ignite a wide range of musical styles, largely based on the swing and blues elements. Logan started playing the piano at twelve years old. One of the first experiences in improvised musical education was with Max Roach, Jimmy Heath and James Moody. Clark Terry, Ray Brown Shirley Scott. Sir Roland Hanna, Marcus Belgrave and Richard Davis were some of the many mentors Logan had. Logan also worked in concert with Jimmy Heath in both a Small Group and Big Band setting. Logan had the honor of performing at The Smithsonian (D.C.), in celebration of Duke Ellington’s 100th Birthday Celebration (’99). He was also noted in Downbeat Magazine (’99), as an “up and coming” student. Logan completed his first year of post secondary education on scholarship at Berklee College of Music (Boston). After completing his first year, he was awarded The Zoot Sims Scholarship (full-music scholarship) to The New School University in New York (’01). Logan has been performing woodwind repairs on Saxophones and other woodwind instruments in NYC for over a decade, as well as his musical development and studies. Working in Carl Allen’s “New Spirit” band (’02), Greg Tardy Band (’03-05), Joe Chambers “The Outlaw” Band (’05-07) Nasheet Waits “Equality”(’07-present), Jason Moran “Big Band Wagon”(’07-present) As a consequence Logan has recorded as a sideman on -Joe Chambers “The Outlaw”(’05) Greg Tardy’s ” Steps of Faith (’06) Nasheet Waits “Live From MPC (’09) NYC Town Hall (’09) Jason Moran’s Big Band Wagon -50th anniversary of Thelonius Monks historic NY TOWN HALL performance. Logan has recorded and composed two albums of original music and has toured as a leader in the band since 2006. His two albums are called “ETHOS” (Inner Circle Music) and “CEREBRAL FLLOW” (Fresh Sound-New Talent). Logan was featured in a full-page spread in ” DOWN BEAT MAGAZINE” in August 2009. In July 2007, French magazine “JAZZ MAN”, included Logan as one of the “10 burning alto saxophonists worldwide”. German Magazine “SONICMAGAZINE” published a feature about Logan titled “Revolution by Evolution”. In October 2008, Logan was featured in a feature titled “Revolution by Evolution”. Logan has performed at major festivals around the globe such as JVC Jazz Fest (NYC) and Knitting Factory Winter Jazz Fest. (NYC 2005); Terni Jazz Festival, Italy2007; Foggia Jazz Fest, Italy2007); The North Sea Jazz Festival [Rotterdam], UK 2008]; San Francisco Jazz Fest (“California2008”); Umbria Jazz Festival “Italy2007” (Brazil 2009); Jazz a’ Vienne (“France2009); Jazz Baltic („Germany2009”)); Fiemme Jazz Festival (“Italy2007); Terrassa Jazz Festival” (Itale Festival) (Italy2007); Aspen Jazz Festival” (Colorado2004).
