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Have you ever wondered who played the bells on Scarborough Fair? Or the snaps on the Addams Family TV show, the bongos on the original Mission Impossible TV show, or the xylophone on "The Simpsons" theme song? Well, Emil Richards, who has close to 2000 films and TV shows to his credit and the world's largest collection of percussion instruments (over 770 to date), played all those sounds. His credits span from Frank Sinatra, Joni Mitchell, Frank Zappa, The Beach Boys, Ella Fitzgerald, Bing Crosby, Marvin Gaye, George Harrison to over 750 more. He has played on Movie Scores written by Alfred Newman, Bernard Hermann, John Williams, Jerry Goldsmith, Elmer Bernstein, Bill Conti, and Quincy Jones, Danny Elfman and 100's more.
Outtake from the film "The Wrecking Crew": The Critically Acclaimed Music Documentary, Directed by Denny Tedesco. Featuring Tommy Tedesco, Carol Kaye, Hal Blaine, Don Randi, Glen Campbell, Earl Palmer, Plas Johnson, Dick Clark, Brian Wilson, Cher, Al Casey, Herb Alpert, Joe Osborn, Jimmy Webb, Nancy SInatra, Micky Dolenz, and many more.
ABOUT EMIL RICHARDS:
Emil Richards, (born Emilio Radocchia) in 1932 in Hartford, Connecticut started playing the xylophone at age six. He is a graduate of Julius Hart School of Music, (now known as University of Connecticut) and Hillard College.
He joined the Hartford Symphony Orchestra while in tenth grade, working under Arthur Fiedler and Fritz Mahler. He began to work around New England with Bobby Hackett, Flip Phillips, and Chris Connor.
In 1952 and 1953 he was stationed in Japan, while serving in the First Cavalry Army Band as assistant band leader.
In 1954 Emil moved to New York where he played jazz gigs with Charlie Mingus, Ed Shaunghnessy, and Ed Thigpen while doing studio recordings for artists such as Perry Como, Ray Charles, and Mitch Aires.
In 1955 Emil joined the George Shearing Quintet. He stayed with the group for over four years, playing 51 weeks a year.
In 1959 he moved to Los Angeles where he worked with the Paul Horn Quintet, Jimmy Witherspoon, the Shorty Rogers Big Band, Lennie Bruce, and Lord Buckly. He started recording for Frank Sinatra, Nelson Riddle, Judy Garland, Sarah Vaughan, and Doris Day. In 1962, in response to a request from President John F. Kennedy, Emil and a small jazz combo joined Frank Sinatra on a tour around the world for the benefit of under privileged children. This group helped to found the first hospital in Israel for Jewish and Arab children. This was the beginning of Emil's interest in, and collection of ethnic percussion instruments.
After this world tour, Emil returned to L. A. to begin recording with such artists as the Beach Boys, Jan and Dean, Bing Crosby, Nat Cole, and Frank Sinatra. He also worked on film scores for Jerry Goldsmith, John Williams, Henry Mancini, Elmer Bernstein, Johnny Mandel, Quincy Jones, Oliver Nelson, Neal Hefti, Lalo Schifrin, Dave Grusin, Michel Legrand, Alex North, and Bill Conti, to name a few. Both he and Don Ellis were studying Indian rhythms at this time, and co-founded a group known as the Hindustani Jazz Sextet.
In 1963 he met American composer Harry Partch, and sponsored his move along with all his instruments to L A. Emil was connected with the composer and his music as a performer until the composer's death in 1974.
In 1965 he formed the Micro-Tonal Blues Band along with his music grammar school buddies, Joe Porcaro, and Dave Mackay.
In 1968 he joined Stan Kenton as a member of his NeoPhonic Orchestra, and remained principal percussionist for the orchestra's entire existence.
In 1969 he made another trip to India, Bali, and Europe, studying, and collecting more ethnic percussion instruments.
Upon his return to L A that year he joined Roger Kelloway and the Cello Quartet.
In 1972 he made an extensive trip around the world collecting and studying percussion instruments with master players from all corners of the globe.
In January of 1974, Frank Sinatra came out of retirement and asked Emil to join him in a small group augmented by Count Basie and his orchestra.
In mid 1974 he left this group to travel through central and south America to collect and study marimbas and music of Cuba, Peru, and Brazil.
In October of 1974 Emil joined George Harrison and Ravi Shankar for an extended concert tour of north America.
In 1976 he made a trip to Sicily to trace his roots, and to study the maranzano, the jew's harp found in the region where his mother came from. He stopped in England to record with George Harrison, and befriended one of the world's greatest percussionists, Sir James Blades.
In 1977 he became a member of Frank Zappa's Electric Symphony and recorded several albums with this large orchestra. He was also on Zappa's first recorded album, Lumpy Gravy.
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The Wrecking Crew: Tribute to Leon Russell, The Master of Space and Time (Film Outtake)by WreckingCrewMovie2,506 views
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