Tim Richards Trio - Four Aces (2025)

The album is being released on vinyl as well as CD and we talk about what seems like a significant anniversary. It’s 40 years since he last released an album on vinyl. Back in the mid-eighties, Tim’s first long-lived and successful band, Spirit Level, had been touring Europe and recorded an album, Killer Bunnies, in 1986, with US trumpeter Jack Walrath. That was the last album Tim released on vinyl before moving to the new format, CD. Now, with ‘on demand’ production available meaning much reduced up-front costs for artists, 40 years later vinyl is back. It’s a salutary reflection highlighting a long journey in jazz for Tim.

Alongside the playing, he’s developed a career as an educator and writer, publishing a series of popular books with Schott Music built on his experience of teaching. He’s been busy in that ten-year gap between releases, the library now extending to ten publications. Tim points out that the new album has two pieces, Pandeiro and Island Hopping, that appear in his books. With a launch gig coming up on 30 November and touring next year, there are more treats yet to come from Tim Richards.