Written Interview with trumpeter and composer Rex Richardson
Jazz Blues European Union: – Thank you for taking the time to have this interview with Jazz Blues EU. Tell us about your music. When did you start performing?
Rex Richardson: – Thank you, this is a great honor for me! I was interested in music from a very early age; my parents noticed this when I was two or three years old. My first performances were as a singer with church and school choirs, probably when I was about seven or eight years old. I received my first trumpet when I was ten years old, mostly as therapy for my asthma, and played in my public-school band program. I started to become serious about the trumpet at about thirteen years old.
JBEU: – What do you consider to be your hometown and how does that affect your music?
RR: – Because my father was in the military (the U.S. Coast Guard), my family lived all over the U.S. (Hawaii, Alaska, California, New York, Massachusetts). Finally when I was fourteen, our family settled in the Washington, D.C. area, in northern Virginia, upon my father’s retirement from the Coast Guard. My mother has lived in the same house for some forty years, so I think of D.C. as my hometown.
This has a huge effect on my music, because I had a wonderful private teacher and band directors at my high school, and because D.C. is full of incredible musicians because of all of the military bands and the National Symphony. I was very luck to grow up musically in that environment!
JBEU: – What performers have been your inspiration?
RR: – So many! They range from my high school teacher, Dennis Edelbrock, to classical trumpet icons such as Maurice André and Håkan Hardenberger to jazz legends Woody Shaw and Freddie Hubbard, not to mention great singers of multiple genres, from Jessye Norman to Freddie Mercury.
In more recent years I have drawn deep inspiration (and a lot of jazz vocabulary) from saxophonists such as Michael Brecker and Chris Potter.
JBEU: – What do you find most challenging about being an independent artist in today’s music industry?
RR: – It depends on what you mean by “independent” – most straight-ahead/post-bop jazz musicians are independent recording artists these days, because the major labels don’t really deal with jazz. So, it can be very challenging to promote one’s music without a major-label budget, and in fact I have mostly given up on trying to sell physical CDs, except when I am on tour in Japan or certain parts of South America. My latest album was released for streaming/downloads only.
On the other hand, I have been a full-time professor of trumpet for over two decades, so I am not financially “independent” – and this has made it much easier to accept concert engagements I want to play, rather than being forced to accept “gigs” that might be less artistically satisfying.
JBEU: – What do you base your success on?
RR: – Whatever success I have had has been due to three things: 1) The support of other people, including mentors, my wife, and my colleagues; 2) aiming for clear goals; and 3) tenacity or an unwillingness to quit (because I often wanted to, over the years!).
JBEU: – Can you talk about your experiences collaborating with other artists or musicians? How does it influence your creative process?
RR: – Yes, this has been the primary stimulant for most of my growth as a musician over the years. Having the chance to tour with Joe Henderson and the amazing musicians in his band, or the Chicago Jazz Ensemble with William Russo (of Stan Kenton fame) were huge opportunities for me.
It has influenced my creative process by forcing me to engage with new challenges in terms of styles, harmonic structures, and rhythm approaches. Often, after performing with a new collaborator, I have been inspired to write charts influenced by their aesthetic. This has been absolutely crucial for my creative process!
JBEU: – What was your latest musical release?
RR: – My latest album is Elegy on Summit Records.
JBEU: – Do you have any news to share? Could you share the story behind your latest new CD Elegy and what inspired its creation?
RR: – My latest news is that I released a trumpet study book on qPress only about three weeks after my latest album. It is called Rexterity: Dexterity Studies for Trumpet (a humorous title; I did not choose the name “Rexterity!”).
As for my album Elegy: It features five of my compositions, two by tenor saxophonist Charles Owens, and one by pianist Dimitrijej Vasiljević. In addition to those wonderful musicians, the album features legendary saxophonist Steve Wilson, tenor saxophonist J.C. Kuhl, pianist Daniel Clarke (who is K.D. Lang’s pianist), bassists Andrew Randazzo (of Butcher Brown) and Randall Pharr, and drummers Brian Caputo and Kofi Shepsu. All of these musicians are fantastic, and all are affiliated with my recent hometown, Richmond Virginia.
The title was chosen because almost all of the compositions were written in tribute to someone, lost friends or family members, and in some cases, persons who are still with us.
JBEU: – How does your latest album fit into your creative path? Is this a goal you wanted to achieve?
RR: – It fits my creative path in that it demonstrates my development as a composer, trying to integrate more vernacular/pop/rock/hip-hop elements into my writing, and I think it demonstrates substantial growth as an improviser, compared to my previous jazz projects (some of my albums are much more on the “classical music” side of the spectrum). And yes, these are goals I was hoping to achieve.
JBEU: – How do you approach the process of songwriting, and are there any specific themes or emotions you tend to explore in your music?
RR: – I supposed that my approach varies. Sometimes I find a lick or pattern on the trumpet, while improvising, that feels like it should be developed into a tune. This is how the track “Seize Every Day” on Elegy was created; the bridge started as something I caught myself playing while improvising on “The Tao of Heavy D” (another one of my tunes which is on Elegy) and I thought “Hmmm…this should be a song.”
In other cases, I have set out to write something more deliberately, and I usually start at the piano, sometimes with a chord progression, but usually with a melody.
There are many themes/emotions that have inspired my writing, I suppose; “Lefty in the Clover” (also on Elegy) was inspired by a difficult chapter in my relationship with my wife (years ago, before we were married) and is associated with very poignant, and in some ways painful, memories. It was a great catharsis to write it, and it drew my wife and I closer together when I shared it with her. In stark contrast, “Tao of Heavy D” is pure fun, dedicated to a longtime drummer friend of mine. Nothing “heavy” or poignant to that tune!
JBEU: – As an indie musician, how do you navigate the balance between creative freedom and commercial appeal?
RR: – It’s a great question. I don’t feel too much conflict, because I think that sitting in a room and writing or playing in a fashion that only appeals to me, or only to musicians in my immediate circle, is of limited value. I love to connect with people through music, and I love the idea that they might leave a performance of mine feeling happier than when they showed up. For me, this is the “mission” of music – to improve people’s lives, whether it’s inspiring young people to find positive outlets or simply raising someone’s spirits and reminding them that there is tremendous beauty out there.
JBEU: – What role does technology and social media play in promoting your music and connecting with your audience?
RR: – Quite a big role. I don’t think I am a social media “master” by any stretch, but I try to get the word out about my performances and my recordings. I think it is a crucial tool for musicians in 2025, because it’s the primary means by which the world exchanges information.
JBEU: – Could you describe a memorable live performance experience or tour that has had a lasting impact on you and your music?
RR: – There are too many to count, for sure…one of them would have been touring with Joe Henderson in the late 90s; this was an incredible opportunity for me that forced me to “level up” in terms of my musicianship. Another was entirely different, performing with very young jazz musicians from the Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, England. The vibe in the room was magical, with the incredible enthusiasm (and amazing ability!) of these young musicians and their happy parents and family members. Absolutely inspiring.
JBEU: – In an era of streaming platforms, how do you feel about the changing landscape of music consumption and its impact on independent musicians?
RR: – Every major change has pros and cons. It is easier than ever for musicians to get their music out to the public, but probably harder than ever for individual releases to generate any income for the musician. I think that economics – laws of supply and demand – will always make it difficult for independent musicians, and it’s the reason why many streaming platforms pay so little. However, this does not bother me personally; my CD sales were almost always made while on tour, and if I was lucky, they might amount to enough to cover flights/other expenses. Now, it’s a different objective: I’m hoping that people will like my recordings, especially Elegy, and will help spread the word, and that this in turn will result in better bookings and strong audience turnout at my concerts. I don’t see any reason to be angry at the streaming platforms; music has become too accessible, and almost disposable, for so many people that the platforms are not incentivized to pay higher fees.
JBEU: – Musicians often have a close relationship with their fanbase. How do you engage with your fans and build a dedicated community around your music?
RR: – It seems easier than ever to engage with fans, thanks to social media. I am always thrilled to hear from someone who reaches out to tell me that they enjoyed one of my performances, videos, or recordings, and I try to be very responsive and communicative with them. I think it’s important to demonstrate to music fans that their enthusiasm is valuable and that there’s a “real person” behind the music who, like everyone, cares about connection with people. We should not take for granted that music brings us together, this is of supreme importance!
JBEU: – How can fans find you? Lastly, please share some final words with the fans.
RR: – They can check out https://allmylinks.com/rextrumpet and find my links to Instagram, Spotify, Youtube, etc.
As for final words to the fans: A thousand thanks! Without your love for the music, there’s no realy point to anything I do. Please reach out, I would love to hear from any you!
Interview by Olivia Peevas
