Birth

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February 15, 1957 in New Orleans, LA

 

Herlin Riley is a renowned jazz drummer and percussionist who has made a significant contribution to the world of classical music. Born on February 15, 1957, in New Orleans, Louisiana, Riley grew up in a musical family and was exposed to jazz music from a young age. His father, Percy Riley, was a drummer, and his mother, Betty Riley, was a singer. Riley's uncle, Joseph "Red" Avery, was also a jazz musician who played the saxophone. Riley began playing the drums at the age of three and was already performing in public by the time he was six. He was heavily influenced by the jazz greats of the time, including Max Roach, Art Blakey, and Elvin Jones. Riley's father was his first teacher, and he also received guidance from other local drummers, including Smokey Johnson and Earl Palmer. In the early 1980s, Riley joined the Wynton Marsalis Quintet, which was then at the forefront of the jazz revival movement. He played with the group for over a decade, during which time he recorded several albums and toured extensively. Riley's drumming style was characterized by his use of New Orleans rhythms and his ability to blend different styles of music seamlessly. In addition to his work with the Wynton Marsalis Quintet, Riley has also played with a number of other jazz greats, including Ahmad Jamal, George Benson, and Harry Connick Jr. He has recorded several albums as a bandleader, including Watch What You're Doing, which was released in 1999. Riley's contributions to the world of classical music have been recognized with several awards and honors. In 2011, he was awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters Fellowship, which is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a jazz musician in the United States. He was also inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2012. One of Riley's most memorable performances was at the 2005 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, which took place just months after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city. Riley and his band, the Herlin Riley Quintet, performed a set that was both emotional and uplifting, and which paid tribute to the city's rich musical heritage. Riley has also been involved in a number of educational initiatives aimed at promoting jazz music and preserving its history. He has taught at the Jazz Aspen Snowmass Academy in Colorado and has also been a guest lecturer at several universities, including the University of New Orleans and Loyola University. In recent years, Riley has continued to perform and record, both as a bandleader and as a sideman. He released his most recent album, Perpetual Optimism, in 2019, which features a mix of original compositions and covers of jazz standards. Overall, Herlin Riley's contributions to the world of classical music have been significant and far-reaching. His unique drumming style, which blends New Orleans rhythms with other styles of music, has made him one of the most sought-after drummers in the jazz world. His dedication to preserving the history of jazz and promoting its continued growth has also made him a respected figure in the music community.

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