Contact
Office Phone:
(585) 274-1470
E-mail:
rricker@esm.rochester.edu
Sound Files:
About Ramon Ricker . . .
Ramon Ricker is professor of saxophone at the Eastman School of Music. In addition to his duties as artist/teacher of saxophone, he also teaches Entrepreneurship in Music, coaches the award winning jazz group Saxology, and is director of the Institute for Music Leadership.
Dr. Ricker received a bachelor of music education degree in clarinet from the University of Denver, a master of music degree in woodwind performance from Michigan State University, and a doctor of musical arts degree in music education & clarinet from the Eastman School. He has been a full-time Eastman faculty member since 1972, and for nine years served as the chair of the department of winds, brass and percussion (1989-98). His association with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra first began as a clarinet soloist in 1972 and in 1973 he won a position in the RPO as a member of the clarinet section. He continues to play in, and occasionally conduct, the orchestra today. Since 1996 he has also served on its board of directors. For eight summers ('93-'00) he was music advisor to the Schlossfestspiele in Heidelberg, Germany where he directed the participation of the Eastman School Philharmonia in their five-week residency at this well-known German music festival.
Ray first began his musical studies on the clarinet at age ten. At age 16, while still studying the clarinet, his interest in jazz led him to begin saxophone lessons. Throughout his professional career he has continued to perform on both instruments. Today he is often a featured saxophone and clarinet soloist and chamber musician in venues throughout Europe and North America. His books on jazz improvisation and saxophone technique as well as many of his compositions are looked to as standards in the field with over 120,000 copies sold worldwide and translations in French and Japanese. As a professional musician and music contractor he has performed on hundreds of television commercials and program themes including national accounts for NBC, ABC, Cinemax, HBO, and Arts and Entertainment. As a composer and arranger he has been honored by grants from the National Endowment, New York State Council on the Arts, Creative Artist Public Service, Meet the Composer, and ASCAP. His arrangements have been commissioned by the Rochester Philharmonic, and the American, Atlanta, Cincinnati, and North Carolina Symphonies.
Selected Biography & Discography
Published Books
The
Ramon Ricker Improvisation Series (books
and CDs) Advance Music
(Germany)
Vol. 1: The
Beginning
Improviser
Vol. 2:
Blues
Vol. 3: The
II-V-I Progression, Standard Tunes and Rhythm
Changes
Vol. 4: The
Developing Improviser; the Melodic Minor Scale
The
Ramon Ricker Saxophone
Series Alphonse
LEDUC, (Paris)
Book 1: Etudes
sur la gamme diminuée (Etudes on the Diminished
Scale)
Book 2: Etudes
sur les accords complexes (Advanced Chord studies)
Book 3: Etudes jazz sur la gamme pentatonique (Etudes on the
Pentatonic
Scale)
Book 4: Douze études jazz virtuoses (Twelve
Challenging Jazz
Etudes)
Pentatonic Scales for Jazz Improvisation Warner/Chappel
Technique Development in Fourths for Jazz Improvisation Warner/Chappel
New Concepts in Linear Improvisation Warner/Chappel
New Concepts in Linear Improvisation Warner/Chappel
(Cassette and Booklet)
Coltrane: A Player's Guide to His Harmony Jamey Aebersold
(co-authored w/Walt Weiskopf)
The Augmented Scale in Jazz Jamey Aebersold
(co-authored w/Walt Weiskopf)
Published Music (non jazz)
Ten Duets for the Twentieth Century Clarinetist Autograph Editions, NY
Mein Junge Leben Hat Ein End', J.P. Sweelinck, trans. for wind ens. G. Schirmer
'Cello Suites 1, 2, 3, 4 of J.S. Bach for Solo Saxophone Dorn Publications
When I'm Sixty-Four, by Lennon and McCartney, arr. for sax quartet Kendor
Variations on a Theme of Sweelinck for saxophone quartet Kendor
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (Debussy) for clarinet quartet Advance Music
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (Debussy) for clarinet Advance Music
The Girl with the Flaxen Hair (Debussy) for saxophone quartet Advance Music
Published Music (jazz oriented)
Jazz Sonata (saxophone and piano) Advance Music
Solar Chariots (soprano saxophone and piano) Dorn Publications
Jazz Ensemble
Skuffle; Mission Music
Genesis; Mission Music
Tap-Toe; Mission Music
Snapper; Mission Music
Special K; Mission Music
Forecast for Tonight Is Darkness; Mission Music
All the Things You Are, Jerome Kern, arr. Ricker; Warner/Chappell
Notte a Roma, Tyzik/Severinsen, arr.Ricker; Bella Musica
Suspended Animation; Advance Music
First Flight; Advance Music
Saxology (5 saxes and rhythm section)
Black Narcissus, Joe Henderson arr. Ricker Advance Music
Creature Feature, Gerry Bergonzi arr. Ricker Advance Music
Gaviota, Clare Fischer arr. Ricker Advance Music
Jones, Gerry Bergonzi arr. Ricker Advance Music
Times Lie, Chick Corea arr. Ricker Advance Music
Witch Hunt, Wayne Shorter arr. Ricker Advance Music
Viper Cipher Advance Music
Passing Glances Advance Music
Morning Star Advance Music
Passion Flower Advance Music
Recordings (as leader and/or producer)
Ramon Ricker: Double Play Open Loop Records 1988
Eastman American Music Series Vol. 2 Albany Records 1997
Heaven to clear when day did close David Maslanka (tenor saxophone and string quartet)
(Contemporary classical music)
Jazz Sonata, Eastman American Music Series Vol. 8, Ramon Ricker and Bill Dobbins,piano Albany Records 1999
New Music Mix, Eastman American Music Series Vol. 9, Albany Records 2000
(Contemporary classical music)
Saxology; Mark Records 1984
My First Concert, Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra 1984
(Cited in the New York Times top gifts for children, Christmas 1984)
Saxology featuring Jerry Bergonzi Advance Music 1994
Saxology featuring Bob Mintzer Advance Music 1996