A charter member of the Rippingtons since the group’s Moonlighting debut, this alto saxophonist is an associate of George Benson and has recorded with his own sidemen for various labels. He has earned several music awards, including, in 2001, both Lifetime Achievement and Producer of the Year honors at the Oasis Awards.Īmong the many prominent Rippingtons horn players, Brandon Fields was born in 1958 in Indiana and grew up in Orange County, California. T-Square, Mark Williamson, Dotsero, and Phil Perry are also among those who have entrusted their work to the producer.įreeman, who lives in Boca Raton, Florida, with his wife, Rona, was recognized with the Most Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University School of Nashville in 1996. Freeman boasts other behind-the-scenes credits, including work on Carl Anderson’s Pieces of a Heart, Nelson Rangell’s In Every Moment, the Benoit Freeman Project, and works by Kenny Loggins, Phil Perry, and VestaWilliams.
After recording and producing a second solo album, Holiday, in 1995, he and colleague Andi Howard founded the Peak Record label with GRP in 1996. The Rippingtons debut album, Moonlighting, appeared in the United States on the GRP label that year.įreeman, who is also a music producer, has taken charge of all of the Rippingtons recordings. Scott Breadman ultimately filled in on percussion and has been affiliated with the Rippingtons ever since. Freeman collected a capable and impressive group of jazzmen for that project, specifically pianist David Benoit and saxophonists Brandon Fields, Kenny G., and Dave Koz. In 1986 Freeman founded the Rippingtons in order to make an album for the Japanese Alfa label. His solo debut album, Nocturnal Playground, was released in 1985. After moving to Southern California in 1978 he took advantage of the nearby schools, attending Cal Arts and the University of California, Los Angeles. Guitarist Russ Freeman began learning to play at age ten and followed in his guitarist father’s footsteps, performing in studio sessions by age 16. Each member, past and present, has also performed in music realms outside of jazz, making Rippingtonscollaborations multifaceted explorations of diverse styles and rhythms.
The Rippingtons jazz collective feature a dynamic group of sidemen and solo stars, each a consummate musician in his own right. Group formed in 1985 in Los Angeles, California Meet this week’s Featured Artist – The Rippingtons Formed in 1985, the band had been host to many well-known musicians who have contributed to the band unique sound and have built a foundation to launched their own successful music careers. This Grammy-nominated contemporary/smooth jazz group has been embraced by music lovers around the world as one of the premier contemporary/smooth jazz band.