Mike Richmond has shared his passion for music on a worldwide level. The Philadelphia-born bass player, who was born in Philadelphia, has been accompanied by such jazz legends as Miles Davis and Stan Getz as well as folk/blues singer/songwriter Richie Havens. He has also performed with Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar as well as served as the chief bass instructor for National German Jazz Orchestra. Richmond started out as a guitarist and was later inspired by the Comets and Bill Haley shows that he attended with parents in the mid-’50s. Before joining his junior high orchestra, he switched to the bass. Richmond was able to understand world music from an early age. His mother would often play Middle Eastern music in their home. The late-’40s TV series Ramar of the Jungle, and the Beatles’ involvement in Indian music, sparked his interest in Indian music. Richmond has been involved with some of the most important jazz projects. He was a part of the Miles Davis-Quincy Jones-collaborative concert at Montreux, Switzerland. This was Davis’ last performance. Charles Mingus was then replaced by him in the Mingus Dynasty. In 1994, he was awarded Teacher of the Year for his New York University teaching. The Modern Walking Bass Technique (Ped Xing Music), his bass method book, is used in more than 300 schools and universities around the world. Richmond has been awarded Grammy Awards by Miles and Philadelphia Orchestra. He has performed as a soloist with the Hamburg State Opera, Cologne Radio Philharmonic Orchestra and the Cologne Radio Big Band. As a guest lecturer, he represented the United States at the “International Symposium On Jazz PEDagogy”, sponsored by the French Cultural Ministry. Mike Richmond has performed with Miles Davis and Stan Getz, Dizzy Gilpie, Horace Silver. He also performed with Elvin Jones, Joe Henderson and Jack DeJohnette.
