About
Serendipity lent a hand when Peter Swann contacted Richard to discuss opening his new jazz and swing club ‘The Sands Venue’ in Gainsborough with a Rat Pack show. The meeting led to Peter and Richard discussing ideas for the album and ways of building on the renewed popularity for big-band sounds.
And so, in January 2005 Richard recorded his latest album TOP CAT in London’s premier studio, Abbey Road, with a 65-piece orchestra. The album comprises 6 original songs in the style of the great swing classics and 9 standards with exciting new arrangements by Pete Long.
“It was exhilarating recording my new album TOP CAT at Abbey Road studios” says Richard. “I was particularly excited about hearing my six original songs for the first time with the orchestra because you realize how completely fresh and uncompromising they are. They work really well alongside the well known songs which have been given some new and beautiful treatments including the swinging ‘Top Cat’ and ‘My Lean Baby’ to the moody ‘Moon River’ and bossa-nova ‘Bring Me Sunshine’. Singing big-band swing and jazz-influenced work is as natural to me as breathing”.
2005 has proved a busy year for Richard. As soon as he finished recording, he was offered the role of Dr Adam Forsythe in the hit UK soap opera ‘Emmerdale’. When asked if there’ll be any chance of Dr Forsythe singing in ‘The Woolpack’ he smiles knowingly, “Now wouldn’t that be nice? The singing doctor – you’ll just have to keep watching”!
