Richard Clements

Pianist Richard Clements is a devoted carrier of the bebop tradition of Barry Harris, with whom he studied after moving to New York City in the early 1980s and alongside whom he often performed. He played in R&B bands around northern California in the 1970s before dedicating himself to jazz. Over his career he has worked with Clifford Jordan, Abbey Lincoln, Leon Thomas, and Charlie Persip's Superband, among others. In 1997 he moved to Paris, where he joined Archie Shepp's band and toured throughout Europe and Japan. Back in New York, Clements co-founded the Barry Harris Institute of Jazz, which carries on Harris's teaching legacy through workshops and jam sessions.