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Rich Lamanna
synthophone, steel drums

richard.lamanna@verizon.net



A Long Island, NY native, Rich began playing saxophone at the age of 10 years. An instrumental performance major and graduate of the "Berklee College of Music" (1979), Rich was a member of the prestigious Phil Wilson's International Dues Band. Fresh out of Berklee he performed with the 60 piece Contemporary Orchestra of Peru, in Lima, with Oscar and Raymon Stagnaro, directed by Jamie Delgado Aparicio. Rich has studied sax under Phil Woods, Joe Viola and Andy McGhee. From the time he first listened to Charlie Parker, John Coltrane and Cannonball Adderly, Rich was inspired to create jazz on the saxophone.

A professional musician of over 35 years, he has toured South America and the Caribbean with his ensemble and other groups and recently performed at the Van Dyck, debuting his recording "Introspective", with national artists Alex Acuna ("Weather Report", Pablo Casals), Kenwood Dennard (Miles Davis, George Benson, Sting, U-2, Dizzy Gillespie), Othello Molineaux (Santana, Joni Mitchell, Herbie Hancock, Monty Alexander), Otmaro Ruiz (Stevie Winwood, Diane Reeves) and local musicians Chuck D'Aloia, Dan Dobek, etc...
 
Rich honed his craft and paid his dues, shedding and gigging with his quartet in Boston and NYC Jazz Clubs before relocating to the Capital District. Local performances include The Lake George Jazz Festival, the Montreal Jazz Festival, Lark Fest, The Egg and the Smooth Jazz Festival, The Van Dyck, Justin's, Castle Street Cafe and The Stockade Inn, with various ensembles and with both local and nationally recognized musicians.

Rich is in an endless search for new sounds and his recent battle with Embouchure Dystonia has ignited new explorations with the Synthophone and steel drum. He is an original and eclectic jazz artist versed in idioms from bop to afro-Latin and experimental jazz, scoring rave reviews from those who hear his music.