Biography
Los Angeles saxophonist and composer Richard Elliot stands among the principal architects of urban contemporary jazz. Having channeled his deep-rooted affinity for funk and R&B first as an in-demand session player and then during a five-year stint with Tower of Power, he began merging soul, funk, and hip-hop rhythms with smooth jazz through his own recordings, among them the 1986 release Trolltown. Following his 1989 signing with Blue Note, he delivered multiple charting albums for the imprint, notably 1992’s On the Town and 1997’s Jumpin’ Off, discs that helped establish the contemporary jazz radio format. In the same era he co-founded the annual franchised Guitars & Saxes tours. Into the new century he refined his approachable style across two charting GRP projects, 2001’s Crush and 2003’s Ricochet. The 2005 album Metro Blue logged 42 weeks on the charts and reached number two, while his 2007 collaboration with trumpeter Rick Braun, RnR, held the top spot on the contemporary jazz chart throughout its 47-week run. He joined Gerald Albright and Mindi Abair among the saxophonists featured on Dave Koz and Friends’ number-one Summer Horns, which stayed on the charts for more than eight months. Elliot next issued his own chart-topping jazz-funk set Summer Madness in 2016, then reunited with Koz and associates for Summer Horns II: From A to Z before returning to solo work with the 2021 release Authentic Life.
Born in Scotland, Elliot moved with his family to Los Angeles at age three. He started on clarinet at seven and switched to saxophone in junior high, where his listening centered on soul, especially the Motown and Philly International catalogs. Relocating from Detroit to Los Angeles in 1972 gave him the chance to pursue that passion professionally; early gigs included work behind Natalie Cole and the Pointer Sisters. After recording and touring with the fusion group Kittyhawk alongside Jeff Lorber and later with Melissa Manchester, he joined the Tower of Power Horns in 1982. Absorbing lessons from the band’s veterans, he continued shaping his personal blend of styles. He appeared on the Yellowjackets’ second album, Mirage a Trois, and recorded with the Temptations, the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Deniece Williams, Rick Springfield, and additional artists.
While still with Tower of Power, Elliot launched his solo career with 1984’s Initial Approach on ITI. He followed in 1986 with Trolltown, the first of three releases on the independent Intima label. In 1987, amid a packed schedule of solo, session, and touring work, he left Tower of Power to concentrate on his own path. For Intima he issued The Power of Suggestion in 1988 and Take to the Skies in 1989—Elliot is also a licensed pilot—then moved to Enigma for 1990’s What’s Inside, shortly after Bruce Lundvall signed him to Manhattan/Blue Note.
His label debut, On the Town, arrived the next year. Supported by heavy airplay on Adult AC and the emerging urban contemporary jazz outlets, the album climbed to number two and remained on the contemporary jazz charts for more than six months. Between 1993’s Soul Embrace and his final Blue Note outing, 1999’s Chill Factor, he placed six consecutive Top Ten contemporary jazz albums, among them the best-selling Jumpin’ Off in 1997.
Elliot joined GRP in 2000 and opened his tenure there with the chart-topping Crush the following year. After a nearly two-year sold-out world tour spanning 2001 and 2002, he returned with Ricochet in 2003. Produced by keyboardist Jeff Lorber, who also performed on the date, the album featured guitarist Jonathan Butler, keyboardist Rex Rideout, percussionist Lenny Castro, and other guests. After departing GRP, Elliot co-founded the ARTizen Music Group with trumpeter Rick Braun; his first release on the label, 2005’s Metro Blue, reached number two on the contemporary jazz chart and spent more than 40 weeks there. Its single, a cover of the Stylistics’ “People Make the World Go Round,” held the number-one position for 11 weeks. Two years later Elliot and Braun collaborated again on RnR; the title track spent more than two months at number one on the smooth jazz chart, and the album itself topped the contemporary jazz list.
Elliot and Braun later sold the label to Artistry Music, distributed by Mack Avenue. His Mack Avenue debut, 2009’s Rock Steady, drew from his R&B roots with both originals and covers, including the Aretha Franklin title track and Curtis Mayfield’s “Move on Up.” Braun, Gerald Albright, and Lorber contributed prominently, and the album reached the Top Four while logging 40 weeks on the contemporary jazz chart. Elliot and Lorber produced 2011’s In the Zone together, a set of nine originals plus a striking version of Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler).” Issued in mid-October, the album marked Elliot’s 25th anniversary as a recording artist. After rejoining Tower of Power for its 40th-anniversary concert at San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium, he teamed in 2013 with Dave Koz, Mindi Abair, and Gerald Albright on the best-selling all-star project Summer Horns, which topped the charts and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Pop Album.
Elliot returned to solo work with Lip Service, his 2014 Heads Up/Concord Music Group release. Inspired by his wife, the album mixed originals and covers, among them reworkings of Brian McKnight’s “Anytime,” Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man,” and an arrangement of the Manhattans’ “Shining Star” by fellow Tower of Power alumnus trumpeter Greg Adams. In 2016 he delivered his second Heads Up/Concord album, the ’70s funk- and fusion-influenced Summer Madness. Produced by Braun, who also played trumpet, the session included saxophonist Curt Waylee and bassist Nathaniel Phillips, among others. The set featured a cover of Spyro Gyra’s “Cachaca,” topped the contemporary jazz chart, and remained there for 29 weeks.
Elliot worked in Japan in the studio and on tour with fusion drummer Akira Jimbo (Casiopea) in 2016 and 2017. The following year he rejoined Dave Koz and Friends for Summer Horns II: From A to Z, this time alongside Albright, Braun, and Aubrey Logan in place of Abair; the album spent 24 weeks on the contemporary jazz charts and reached number one. After further collaboration with Jimbo, Elliot guested on the dark, heavy psych outfit Comacozer’s Mydriasis and on Braun’s Crossroads for Shanachie in 2019. He signed with Shanachie the next year, and in January 2021 released Authentic Life. The album featured contributions from numerous contemporary jazz artists, including Braun, Koz, Lorber, Chris “Big Dog” Davis, Philippe Saisse, David Mann, and Lenny Castro.
Born in Scotland, Elliot moved with his family to Los Angeles at age three. He started on clarinet at seven and switched to saxophone in junior high, where his listening centered on soul, especially the Motown and Philly International catalogs. Relocating from Detroit to Los Angeles in 1972 gave him the chance to pursue that passion professionally; early gigs included work behind Natalie Cole and the Pointer Sisters. After recording and touring with the fusion group Kittyhawk alongside Jeff Lorber and later with Melissa Manchester, he joined the Tower of Power Horns in 1982. Absorbing lessons from the band’s veterans, he continued shaping his personal blend of styles. He appeared on the Yellowjackets’ second album, Mirage a Trois, and recorded with the Temptations, the Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Deniece Williams, Rick Springfield, and additional artists.
While still with Tower of Power, Elliot launched his solo career with 1984’s Initial Approach on ITI. He followed in 1986 with Trolltown, the first of three releases on the independent Intima label. In 1987, amid a packed schedule of solo, session, and touring work, he left Tower of Power to concentrate on his own path. For Intima he issued The Power of Suggestion in 1988 and Take to the Skies in 1989—Elliot is also a licensed pilot—then moved to Enigma for 1990’s What’s Inside, shortly after Bruce Lundvall signed him to Manhattan/Blue Note.
His label debut, On the Town, arrived the next year. Supported by heavy airplay on Adult AC and the emerging urban contemporary jazz outlets, the album climbed to number two and remained on the contemporary jazz charts for more than six months. Between 1993’s Soul Embrace and his final Blue Note outing, 1999’s Chill Factor, he placed six consecutive Top Ten contemporary jazz albums, among them the best-selling Jumpin’ Off in 1997.
Elliot joined GRP in 2000 and opened his tenure there with the chart-topping Crush the following year. After a nearly two-year sold-out world tour spanning 2001 and 2002, he returned with Ricochet in 2003. Produced by keyboardist Jeff Lorber, who also performed on the date, the album featured guitarist Jonathan Butler, keyboardist Rex Rideout, percussionist Lenny Castro, and other guests. After departing GRP, Elliot co-founded the ARTizen Music Group with trumpeter Rick Braun; his first release on the label, 2005’s Metro Blue, reached number two on the contemporary jazz chart and spent more than 40 weeks there. Its single, a cover of the Stylistics’ “People Make the World Go Round,” held the number-one position for 11 weeks. Two years later Elliot and Braun collaborated again on RnR; the title track spent more than two months at number one on the smooth jazz chart, and the album itself topped the contemporary jazz list.
Elliot and Braun later sold the label to Artistry Music, distributed by Mack Avenue. His Mack Avenue debut, 2009’s Rock Steady, drew from his R&B roots with both originals and covers, including the Aretha Franklin title track and Curtis Mayfield’s “Move on Up.” Braun, Gerald Albright, and Lorber contributed prominently, and the album reached the Top Four while logging 40 weeks on the contemporary jazz chart. Elliot and Lorber produced 2011’s In the Zone together, a set of nine originals plus a striking version of Marvin Gaye’s “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler).” Issued in mid-October, the album marked Elliot’s 25th anniversary as a recording artist. After rejoining Tower of Power for its 40th-anniversary concert at San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium, he teamed in 2013 with Dave Koz, Mindi Abair, and Gerald Albright on the best-selling all-star project Summer Horns, which topped the charts and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Instrumental Pop Album.
Elliot returned to solo work with Lip Service, his 2014 Heads Up/Concord Music Group release. Inspired by his wife, the album mixed originals and covers, among them reworkings of Brian McKnight’s “Anytime,” Bruno Mars’ “When I Was Your Man,” and an arrangement of the Manhattans’ “Shining Star” by fellow Tower of Power alumnus trumpeter Greg Adams. In 2016 he delivered his second Heads Up/Concord album, the ’70s funk- and fusion-influenced Summer Madness. Produced by Braun, who also played trumpet, the session included saxophonist Curt Waylee and bassist Nathaniel Phillips, among others. The set featured a cover of Spyro Gyra’s “Cachaca,” topped the contemporary jazz chart, and remained there for 29 weeks.
Elliot worked in Japan in the studio and on tour with fusion drummer Akira Jimbo (Casiopea) in 2016 and 2017. The following year he rejoined Dave Koz and Friends for Summer Horns II: From A to Z, this time alongside Albright, Braun, and Aubrey Logan in place of Abair; the album spent 24 weeks on the contemporary jazz charts and reached number one. After further collaboration with Jimbo, Elliot guested on the dark, heavy psych outfit Comacozer’s Mydriasis and on Braun’s Crossroads for Shanachie in 2019. He signed with Shanachie the next year, and in January 2021 released Authentic Life. The album featured contributions from numerous contemporary jazz artists, including Braun, Koz, Lorber, Chris “Big Dog” Davis, Philippe Saisse, David Mann, and Lenny Castro.
Albums
Straight Up Down
2024
Authentic Life
2021
Summer Madness
2016
Lip Service
2014
Ricochet
2003
Ballads
2001
Crush
2001
The Best Of Richard Elliot
2000
Chill Factor
1999
Jumpin' Off
1997
City Speak
1996
After Dark
1994
Soul Embrace
1992
On The Town
1991
Take To The Skies
1991
Singles
