Richard Pite
Freelance professional musician and band leader
Forthcoming Events (1)
Friday 8th November 2024, 8:00 pm: Benny Goodman & Glenn Miller at Carnegie Hall 1939
Biography
Richard Pite is a full time musician playing drums (mainly) and also double bass and tuba/sousaphone. For many years he specialised in 1920s music & the drum techniques and visual tricks of the era’s jazz drummers. Richard’s drum heroes range from Buddy Rich to Gene Krupa and from Ringo Starr to Charlie Watts.
He also runs The Jazz Repertory Company and The Party Jazz Agency. His speciality is jazz from the 1920s to the 1940s and he has performed regularly with Keith Nichols and The Blue Devils, The Pasadena Roof Orchestra and for 10 years played with and managed The Rio Trio (1986-1996). He regularly performs on drums and bass at Boisdale Canary Wharf and Boisdale Belgravia as well as acting as bandleader and sideman in numerous jazz bands (mainly vintage and mainstream). His most recent musical projects include Soul Shadows (playing the music of Jazz Funk pioneers The Crusaders), Quiet Riot – a band dedicated to playing soul funk and pop with minimal amplification and London Omnibus – a trio performing jazz and popular music of the 20’s and 30’s alongside comedy and vaudeville routines.
Music Director – Jazz Repertory Company: Founder and co-owner of the UK’s premier producer of authentic live recreations of the greatest music in jazz history. Over the last twenty years The Jazz Repertory Company has been presenting a wide variety of shows featuring the UK’s finest jazz musicians including four sell out shows at London’s Cadogan Hall in the last year including: 100 Years of Jazz in 99 Minutes, Louis and The Duke in London 1932-1933, and Benny Goodman Orchestra’s Famous 1938 Carnegie Hall Concert.
Music Director – Party Jazz Agency: Founder of this long established live music agency (started in 1987) which specialises in jazz, blues, soul and funk music programming for corporate, private and public clients, parties, functions, product launches, corporate events, weddings, TV, film and radio events.