Richard Underhill is a Canadian jazz musician who has a warm alto voice, excellent writing and arranging skills, and in-from the outside soloing. “Free Spirit”, his new project, is a critically-acclaimed Live DVD/Studio DVD set featuring Ron Westray (Lincoln Center Jazz trombonist) and other top jazz musicians from Toronto. In 2008, Richard received the Roy Thomson Hall Award of Recognition for his contributions to Toronto’s musical and artistic community. Richard was nominated to the Prix du Jazz at the 2003 Montreal Jazz Festival and won a Juno Award in 2003 for his jazz debut, ‘Tales from the Blue Lounge. Bravo! ranked his debut video, “The Old Guys”, at No.1. Video Chart and was awarded a 2004 SOCAN Number 1 Award. His most recent album, ‘Kensington Suite,’ received significant critical acclaim. He was nominated to a 2008 Juno Award. His second album, ‘Moment in Time’, was also nominated. In 2008, he was awarded 2nd place in International Songwriting Competition. Richard has recorded and performed with Han Bennink and Julius Hemphil as well as Jane Bunnett and Aaron Neville, Dumpsta Funk and Dumpsta Funk, Kathleen Edwards and Taj Mahal. He is a sought-after session player and sideman and has composed horn and string arrangements to Kathleen Edwards and Molly Johnson, Andy Stochansky and Hawksley Workman as well as Bobby Wiseman and Big Rude Jake. His diverse group includes his jazz quintet, The Funk Explosion, The Kensington Horns Community Band and the improvising electronic groove band Astrogroove. Since 2003, he has been the musical director of the Kensington Festival of Lights. He also sits on both the Music Committee of the Toronto Arts Council and the Board of Directors of Clay and Paper Theatre. Underhill was the founder of Toronto’s Sun Ra-influenced Shuffle Demons. He took the groundbreaking Bop Rap group from Toronto to Europe and Canada. From 1986 to 1997, this group played at jazz, folk and rock festivals across Canada and Europe. They toured from Halifax to Vancouver, from Italy to Estonia, and to Canada 15 times. The Shuffle Demons combine hard bop and hip-hop with exotic costumes and a showmanship that is uncompromising. They celebrated their 25th anniversary with a cross-Canada tour. In 2006, they performed at festivals across Europe, India and China.
