Kim Richmond is an active and versatile musician based in the Los Angeles area. His first love is jazz, and his primary jazz voice is the alto saxophone. He has, however, been involved in nearly every facet of the professional music industry as a player, composer, arranger and conductor. Kim has been a member of the orchestras of Stan Kenton, Louis Bellson, Bob Florence, Clare Fischer, Bill Holman, and Vinny Golia, among others. He is also a committed educator, serving as an adjunct professor in the Jazz Studies department of USC and on the staff of numerous jazz camps. Whatever his mode of expression, he strives to express a uniquely original voice, combining his extensive experience with the new sounds of our evolving musical world. Visit his website: www.kimrichmond.com
"Cover yourself. Bring in a qualified substitute to teach the class or student for you. Cheating should not be part of the normal educational practice."
I have a beef. Our jazz students at our local universities and colleges are paying a lot of money (and if not, then "dues" -- in the case of teaching assistantships) for the activity of acquiring knowledge and expertise in the area of playing and writing jazz, and all the peripherals that go along with that subject. We have many professionals in this town in particular who have much to offer and share in the way of instruction to those budding students and professionals.
What I am seeing is their being cheated. Many teachers take time off from teaching these students for various legitimate reasons: road trips, concerts and other obligations and opportunities. That's all well and good, but if that is the case, what often happens is that the teacher tells the class "no class the next two weeks," or if it's a student ensemble class, "just rehearse yourselves." I've seen this happen over and over again.
What should happen is that the teacher calls a sub for himself, one of the many professionals that have valuable information to impart. Yes, I know the teacher hates to have to pay out money to a sub, but he took that teaching gig with an obligation to teach the student and be there for him. Otherwise, the student is taken advantage of, "does not get his money's worth" and is deprived of some valuable and useful information. I'm not saying that the teacher should not take these road gigs and other professional opportunities. I'm just saying: "Cover yourself. Bring in a qualified substitute to teach the class or student for you." Cheating should not be part of the normal educational practice.
I would rather play Chiquita Banana and have my swimming pool than play Bach and starve.
– Xavier Cugat
Q: Why did the harmonica player leave his harp on the dashboard of his car?
A: So he could qualify for a handicapped parking space.
