ABOUT NORTHSHORE JAZZ

NORTHSHORE JAZZ hires the finest professional musicians.  Many perform on a regular basis in the New Orleans area.  It is the quality of these select performers that our customers truly enjoy. 

With many families relocating since Hurricane Katrina and close proximity to New Orleans, a growing need for live jazz on the Northshore seemed apparent.  Just one year after Katrina, Northshore Jazz was founded in August of 2006 by Richard A. Schwartz.   

 Photo: Public Information of Southeastern Louisiana University 

For over 15 years RICHARD A. SCHWARTZ has worked throughout the United States and Italy perfoming solos with such musical legends as Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin.  He has performed with major jazz artists, backing up Tom Scott, Byron Stripling, Diana Krall, Steve Tyrell, Ernie Watts, John Clayton, Dave Grusin, Roy Hargrove, Bob Mintzer, The Turtle Island String Quartet, Paquito d’Rivera, Justo Almario, Don Menza, Bud Shank, and Bill Watrous.  Having also performed in orchestras, most notably the Boston Pops, Mr. Schwartz has worked with an array of renowned commercial composers, conductors, and performers including Linda Ronstadt, Keith Lockhart, Nathan Scott, Johnny Mandel, Peter Boyer, Jack Elliot, Mitchell Glickman, Frank Proto, Charles Floyd, Samuel Adler, Frank Battisti, H. Robert Reynolds, Ray Pizzi, and Patrick Williams.

As a woodwind doubler, Mr. Schwartz performed in pit orchestras including the national tours of Kiss Me, Kate and The Producers and has recorded projects for Public Television and the Toshiba label.  Schwartz also authored the internationally recognized intonation tool The Tuning C.D. and instructional guide Circular Breathe Now with published contributions in Saxophone Journal and International Trumpet Guild Journal.  He has performed for senators, governors and president Ronald Reagan.  A member of the American Federation of Musicians, Schwartz is currently instructor of jazz and saxophone at Southeastern Louisiana University.