Richie Morales

As an educator with an M.F.A. degree in Studio Composition, Richie is a member of the jazz faculty at Purchase College Conservatory of Music S.U.N.Y. He has also taught at the Juilliard School's Music Advancement Program, and is a clinician for Yamaha drums and Zildjian cymbals.
New York City born drummer Richie Morales is a versatile player whose credits range from the seminal jazz fusion of the Brecker Brothers, the Latin jazz of Gato Barbieri, Ray Barretto and Dave Valentin, to the more traditional sounds of Dave Brubeck and the late Herbie Mann.
Richie has performed and recorded with such contemporary artists as the late Grover Washington Jr., Stevie Wonder, Carly Simon, Dianne Reeves, and the Mike Stern Group, George Russell's Living Time Orchestra, as well as the Al DiMeola Electric Project, and saxophonist Bill Evans. Richie's performance on saxophonist Gato Barbieri's latest release "Shadow of the Cat" helped garner a "Best Latin Jazz Album of The Year" award from Billboard magazine's 2003 Latin Music Awards, and a Latin Grammy nomination in the same category as well.

For many years, Richie was best known as the percussive force behind the perennial chart topping group Spyro Gyra, composing as well as drumming for the group. Richie also leads his own group, performing a mixture of jazz standards and original compositions reflecting his diverse musical background.

TOURS WITH MAJOR ARTISTS:

Mike Stern : Beijing China. Jan. `03. Extensive European, Asian U.S and Latin American touring 1994 to the present. August `02 performance at the Berklee School of Music Performing Arts Center Guitar Series

George Russell Living Time Orchestra: Germany and U.K. Tour June `03.

Grover Washington Jr. 1995 to 1999. Extensive National touring including all major U.S. jazz festivals
(i.e. JVC Newport, Playboy Jazz Festivals)

Dianne Reeves : Jazz vocalist,1996-98 ,U.S. and European concert dates.
(JVC Newport R.I. Jazz Festival '97)

Bill Evans : Saxophonist, Miles Davis Alumnus.1990-92 European and
Japanese tours.(North Sea Jazz Festival Netherlands, '91)

Al Dimeola : 1991-93,North and South American tours.
(Montreal Jazz Festival '93)

Spyro Gyra : 1984-90,Extensive international touring.North and South
America, Europe, Asia. (All Major U.S. and International Jazz Festivals)

The Brecker Brothers Band : 1978-81,U.S. European and Japanese tours.
( Montreux, North Sea, Nice Jazz Festivals.)