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Rick Lawn
Composer • Author • Performer • Educator
About Rick
Composer, author, performer, and educator, Rick Lawn has devoted nearly 40 years to jazz education, scholarship and creative work. While much of his work has been made available by publishers and record companies, some of his work has either not been offered for publication or has fallen out of print. All titles previously available from Walrus Music are now offered by eJazzLines who carry most of his 10 piece band titles as well as a number of big band charts.
If you can't find something you are looking for on publisher websites or on this website please write to him via this website. The website provides an opportunity to share many of these great materials - new and old including, in many cases, recordings to help make your purchasing decisions.
Long out of print recordings by the NOVA SAXOPHONE QUARTET will also be made available through this site. Links are provided to other sites where these and other recordings or publications can be purchased. Browse as long and as often as you like as there will no doubt be additions as time permits.​​​
Richard (Rick) Lawn retired as Dean of the College of Performing Arts at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Prior to moving to Philadelphia he was the Founding Director of Jazz Studies, Chair of the Department of Music, and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin. Before joining the Texas faculty Rick was Director of Jazz Studies at the University of Northern Iowa and has taught saxophone and jazz ensemble at Hartwick College.
Rick holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Eastman School of Music where his principal teachers were Rayburn Wright, Bill Dobbins, Chuck Mangione and William Osseck. Grants from the National Endowment of the Arts have supported his work as a composer, and as a member of the Nova Saxophone Quartet he has recorded on the Musical Heritage Society, Crystal and Equilibrium labels. He has also served on the IAJE Board and contributed numerous articles to this organization’s journal as well as the MENC Journal and the Instrumentalist magazines.
The Sea Breeze record label issued “Unknown Soldiers,” a CD recorded by the Third Coast Jazz Orchestra featuring his compositions and arrangements. Kendor, CL Barnhouse, Baker's Jazz and More, Dorn, eJazzLines, (including many of the charts previously published by Walrus and Concept Music), iJazzMusic, Cherry Classics and UNC Jazz Press among others publish his compositions included on this web site. My most recent publication agreement with iJazzMusic.com has enabled him to release a number of new charts and reissue some popular titles that had been out of print for some time.
Rick’s books entitled The Jazz Ensemble Directors Manual, Jazz Theory and Practice, Experiencing Jazz (that includes an interactive website with 65 historically significant recordings) and his recent Jazz Scores and Analysis Volumes I & II have become staples among jazz professionals, educators and students.
He has performed with artists such as Lionel Hampton, Chuck Mangione, Rosemary Clooney, Manhattan Transfer (on Austin City Limits), Ray Charles, Nancy Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Mel Torme, Randy Brecker, The Rochester Philharmonic and Austin Symphony among many others including numerous Broadway shows. Selmer has sponsored his clinics, performances guest conducting appearances in 12 states.
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