Los Angeles, California Pianist Rick Olson regularly performs as a pianist and keyboard player as a soloist as well as band member and accompanist, in styles of music including jazz, classical, pop, rock, blues, latin, and new music:
In concerts, festivals, clubs, restaurants, YouTube performances, soundtracks, weddings, baby showers, retirement parties, memorials, churches, temples, private events, civic groups, political events, store promotions, wineries, breweries, parks, plazas, and more.
His studies include classical piano at University of Minnesota, jazz at Berklee School of Music, composition at New England Conservatory, Film scoring at UCLA Extension, as well as private jazz studies with Cedar Walton, Stanley Cowell, Marian McPartland, Gary Peacock, and Bobby Peterson.
He has worked as a transcriber and arranger for Herbie Hancock 1989 Headhunters II Band, Maxwell “Urban Hang Suite”, Fourplay 4/ Harvey Mason, LA Superband with Larry Carlton, Voices of Praise Gospel Choir, Wah Wah Watson, Carly Simon/Doug Webb QEII project, and David Dahlsten, among others.
He has performed with many well known and legendary jazz, rock and contemporary music musicians as a freelance piano player and keyboardist, such as Phil Upchurch, Alex Acuna, Abe Laborial, Raymond Pounds, Bruce Conte, Larance Marable, Rick Zunigar;and many stars have made “cameo appearances” on Rick’s gigs and or benefit events including Billy Higgins, Chaka Khan, Little Jimmy Scott, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, George Clinton, Ronnie Laws, Valerie Harper, and Keith David.
Olson performs regularly throughout California from Ventura to Palm Springs, from San Francisco to San Marino, Santa Paula to Santa Monica, Long Beach to Lompoc, Big Bear & Anaheim to Tustin & Temecula and beyond; nationally Nevada, Minnesota, New York, Tennessee internationally in Canada (Whistler), Japan (Onomichi), Greece (Epidauros)
He has performed as a solo pianist for many years, all kinds of events for many audiences and clients including: politicians,movie star actors and actresses, famous musicians, international business people & groups, artists, writers, law firms, weddings, country clubs, holiday events etc.
Olson is also a composer of music ranging from contemporary, to classical and jazz, as well as soundtracks and uses his diverse musical background and keyboard skills in that effort.
He is also a music teacher: piano, guitar, and trumpet, as well as theory/composition and improvisation.
Rick is based in Gardena, California and is available for solo piano (and digital piano) concerts anywhere/ everywhere, (combos are available), as well as for writing soundtrack cues for film/tv and teaching music locally and on the web.
Solo Piano, Rick Gigs, Composed by RickOlson, Minnesota Jazz Archives M, Ambient, 432hz, Americana, Spoken Word, Jazz Live, Organ.
Barstow Station Americana Piano of the West
Red Sails in the Sunset February 2021