Tony Richards is a Chicago based guitarist, writer and arranger born in New York City in 1959. Tony, having been raised by opera singers, began teaching himself guitar at the age of 11. Early on, he listened to classical music, jazz and the pop music of the sixties. Later, he started to be influenced by progressive artists of the early seventies. As a teen he was fortunate to see live performances by Thelonius Monk, Vladimir Horowitz and Andrés Segovia.
Recently, Tony has played with fine artists such as: drummer Larry Beers and bassist Rafe Bradford in the Tony Richards Trio, singer/songwriters Rachel Drew (in a duo that performs jazz standards), Phil Angotti, Anna Fermin and Patrick Gemkow, classical pianist Paul Hamilton, jazz guitarists Roddy Elias and Matt Warnock, guitarist/record producer Jay O’Rourke, and bandmates Lou Hallwas (The Differents) and Josefina Asconapé (It’s Okay, a jazz band that Tony put together).
Tony writes and plays in a variety of styles with roots clearly based in jazz. His solo guitar repertoire includes the great composers: Thelonius Monk, Bill Evans, Miles Davis, Duke Ellington, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Jerome Kern and Johnny Mandel, along with his original compositions. Tony has many musical influences and is greatly inspired by Lenny Breau, Wes Montgomery, Bill Evans, Johnny Smith, Ben Webster, Glenn Gould and many others!
In addition to his solo jazz guitar project and Trio, Tony currently collaborates and performs with Rachel Drew and Phil Angotti.
Venues
Beat Kitchen, Broadway Cellars, Davenport's, Double Door, Empty Bottle, Fitzgerald's, Folk at Heart - Sweden, Friendly Tap, Fulton Street Art Collective, Goldys, G-Man Tavern, High Hat Club, Lagunitas Chicago, Liar's Club, Lincoln Tap Room, Live Wire, Martyrs', Montrose Saloon, Oakton Community College, Reclaimed Bar and Restaurant, Salon Series - Park Ridge, Reggies, Schubas, Simon's, The Velvet Note - Atlanta, Township, Uncommon Ground, Western Illinois University, Wisconsin Conservatory of Music