Jim Riggs

James Garland "Jim" Riggs (born July 1941) is an American saxophonist in classical and jazz idioms, big band director, collegiate music educator, and international music clinician. He is also a University of North Texas Emeritus Regents Professor.

Career

As performer

As a University of North Texas student (1969–72) Riggs performed with the University of North Texas One O'Clock Lab Band. Riggs performs regularly with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the Ft. Worth Symphony Orchestra. Riggs performed with the Dallas Symphony on the European tour of the Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, England, and Ireland. He recorded Prokoviev's Lieutenant Kijé, Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue, Porgy and Bess, and An American in Paris with the Dallas Symphony. Riggs also appeared as a jazz soloist with the United States Navy Commodores in Washington, D.C.

Riggs is the leader and founder of The Official Texas Jazz Orchestra, a Dallas-based ensemble dedicated to performing state of the art large jazz ensemble music. Riggs has conducted All-State Jazz Bands in Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Tennessee. Riggs has appeared as a featured performer and clinician at Jazz Festivals throughout the USA and Sweden. As a freelance artist he has performed with Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson, Henry Mancini, Ray Charles and Nelson Riddle. He is a prolific studio recording artist.

As educator

Until his retirement in August 2008, Riggs had been professor in the Jazz Studies and Performance Divisions of University of North Texas College of Music where he had taught applied saxophone, directed the Two O'Clock Lab Band, and taught Jazz Style and Analysis. Riggs joined the North Texas faculty in the fall of 1973. Riggs has instructed many prominent alumni of the Jazz Studies program at North Texas.

Riggs directed the Two O'Clock Lab Band while coordinating the world's largest enrollment of saxophone students.^[1] The Two O'Clock Lab Band was named "winner" in Downbeat Magazine's "Annual Student Music Awards" in 1994, 1997, 2001, 2006 and 2008. He has produced many national and international award-winning saxophonists, including first-place winners and finalists in the North American Saxophone Alliance Young Artist Competition, semifinalists in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition (Luis Hernandez 2002; Dave Pietro 1991 & 1996), and winners in Down Beat Magazine Student Music Solo Awards.

Riggs former students hold teaching and performing positions in numerous colleges and universities throughout the United States and in elite military bands in Washington, D.C. His students hold first call professional playing positions across the globe including Hamburg, New York City and Los Angeles.

Education

• 1966 – Bachelor of Education in Secondary Education: Music-Instrumental and Vocal, University of Toledo
• 1972 – Master of Music, University of North Texas College of Music

Clinician

Selmer Saxophones International

• Rico International artist/clinician

Family

Jim Riggs is married to Joanna Leslie Riggs (née Conaway). She retired in 2006 as a library supervisor at the University of North Texas. They have one daughter, Lindsay Countryman, and twin grandchildren Carson and Claire.

Publications

• James Garland Riggs, An analysis of Jacques Ibert's Concertino da Camera for alto saxophone and eleven instruments (1972); OCLC 44099873

Selected discography

As Director of the Two O'Clock Lab Band, University of North Texas College of Music

Other recordings

Other saxophone faculty at North Texas during Riggs' era

• John Giordano, Artist in Residence, Saxophone, 1966–1973
• Dennis F. Diemond, saxophone faculty, Sept 1977–
• Debra A. Richtmeyer, saxophone faculty, 1981–1991
• Eric M. Nestler, DMA, Professor of Music, saxophone, 1992–present
• Brad C. Leali, August 2008–present
• James F. Ogilvy, grad student

References

External links

• Jim Riggs' page on the North Texas Jazz website