Sue Richardson
Sue Richardson is an English jazz singer, trumpet player and composer born in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, England.
Biography
Sue grew up in Bedfordshire and was involved in music through the county's free music education. She received trumpet lessons and attended a Saturday music school in Dunstable. She attended Northfields Upper School in Dunstable in the 1980s and joined their bigband. George Chisholm was the band's president and they played many concerts with him. In 1986 the visited the World Expo in Vancouver, Canada and played for Margaret Thatcher. On leaving school Sue joined the BBC Symphony Chorus, singing at events such as The Last Night of The Proms and Christmas Carols on Blue Peter.
Sue attended Goldsmiths College (University of London) and gained a BMus(Hons). She currently resides in Seaford, East Sussex with her husband and son.
Career
In 1995 Sue married pianist Neal Richardson and embarked on a professional music career. First working on cruise ships and hotel residencies around the world and later returning to the UK and forming her own jazz quintet which she writes and arranges for.
In 2002 she was a finalist in The Marion Montgomery Awards at The Jazz Divas Festival on the Isle of Wight. In 2004 Sue toured with Liane Carroll in the UK, playing support and released her first album Out of a Song (SPR002CD) on Splash Point Records. In 2007 she released Emergence (SPR006CD)
Sue plays Eclipse trumpets and is an endorsee. Her trumpets are embellished with 24 carat gold flowers.
In 2008 Sue was featured on Ian Shaw's release of Sad Sweet Song (SPR011SG), a tribute to the late Humphrey Lyttelton. As a result, Sue became guest trumpet player with the Humphrey Lyttelton band, appearing at The Hammersmith Apollo for the concert celebrating his life.
In 2011 Sue released her third album, Fanfare (SPR010CD). It was reviewed in The Observer by Dave Gelly who commented that she is "no mere gimmick". The launch concert was reviewed in The Times by Clive Davis. "her timbre is warm and full-bodied - her soloing, while avoiding high-note theatrics, evokes the generosity and exuberance of players from the swing era."
Discography
- 2004 Out of a Song
- 2007 Emergence
- 2008 Sad Sweet Song (Guest appearance on Ian Shaw's "Sad Sweet Song")
- 2011 Fanfare
Media
- Sue Richardson's Fanfare reviewed in The Observer, February 2011:
- Sue Richardson's launch concert for Fanfare reviewed in The Times, February 2011:
- Sue Richardson interviewed and performing on BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour, March 2010:
- Sue Richardson interviewed on France 24 TV, May 2010