# Jim Riggs

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{{Short description|American saxophonist, band director, and educator}}
{{other people||James Riggs (disambiguation)}}
'''James Garland Riggs''' (born July 28, 1941) is an American [saxophonist](/source/saxophone) in classical and jazz idioms, [big band](/source/big_band) director, collegiate music educator, and international [music clinician](/source/music_clinician). He is also a [University of North Texas](/source/University_of_North_Texas) Regents Professor Emeritus .

==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](/source/One_O'Clock_Lab_Band).  Riggs performed regularly with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the Ft. Worth Symphony Orchestra. 

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](/source/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](/source/Frank_Sinatra), [Ella Fitzgerald](/source/Ella_Fitzgerald), [Tony Bennett](/source/Tony_Bennett), [Nancy Wilson](/source/Nancy_Wilson_(jazz_singer)), [Henry Mancini](/source/Henry_Mancini), Ray Charles and [Nelson Riddle](/source/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](/source/University_of_North_Texas_College_of_Music) where he had taught applied saxophone, directed the [Two O'Clock Lab Band](/source/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 [http://www.jazz.unt.edu/ Jazz Studies] program at North Texas.

Riggs directed the [Two O'Clock Lab Band](/source/Two_O'Clock_Lab_Band) while coordinating the world's largest enrollment of saxophone students.<ref>[http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth145563/m1/1/ ''Two Longtime Jazz Professors Retire''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160115050042/http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth145563/m1/1/ |date=2016-01-15 }}, [North Texas Daily](/source/North_Texas_Daily), March 26, 2008</ref>  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](/source/North_American_Saxophone_Alliance) Young Artist Competition, semifinalists in the [Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition](/source/Thelonious_Monk_Institute_of_Jazz) (Luis Hernandez 2002; [Dave Pietro](/source/Dave_Pietro) 1991 & 1996; Clay Pritchard 2013), and winners in [Down Beat Magazine](/source/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.](/source/Washington%2C_D.C.) His students hold first call professional playing positions across the globe including Hamburg, New York City and Los Angeles.

==Publications==
* James Garland Riggs, ''An analysis of [Jacques Ibert's](/source/Jacques_Ibert) [Concertino da Camera for alto saxophone and eleven instruments](/source/Concertino_da_camera_(Ibert%2C_Jacques))'' (1972); {{OCLC|44099873}}

==Selected discography==
'''As Director of the [Two O'Clock Lab Band](/source/Two_O'Clock_Lab_Band), [University of North Texas College of Music](/source/University_of_North_Texas_College_of_Music)'''
{{refbegin}}
* ''The Transparent Two,'' [http://www.bolorecords.com/ Seafair Bolo] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712142849/http://www.bolorecords.com/ |date=2009-07-12 }} BSCD 8006-2 (1994); {{OCLC|31772581}}
* ''Two O'Clock Jazz Band I,'' [http://www.klavier-records.com/ Klavier K 77019] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116074115/http://www.klavier-records.com/ |date=2013-01-16 }}
* ''A Salute To Benny Carter,'' CD [http://www.klavier-records.com/ Klavier (K 77028)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116074115/http://www.klavier-records.com/ |date=2013-01-16 }} (1999); {{OCLC|704944523}}
* ''Two O'Clock Jazz Band II'' (recorded May 1997, released March 1999) CD [http://www.klavier-records.com/ Klavier (K 77023)] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116074115/http://www.klavier-records.com/ |date=2013-01-16 }}
* ''The Translucent Two,'' North Texas Jazz, [http://www.klavier-records.com/ Klavier] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130116074115/http://www.klavier-records.com/ |date=2013-01-16 }} (2001); {{OCLC|50079074}}
* ''The Manne We Love: Gershwin Re-Visited,'' Cambria, CD [http://www.tncmusic.net/ TNC Jazz 5882] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101208145922/http://www.tncmusic.net/ |date=2010-12-08 }} (2001); {{OCLC|58838861}}
* ''The Best of the Big "O",'' North Texas Jazz, 0003 JR (2005); {{OCLC|74146713}}
* ''Avenue "C" Jazz,'' North Texas Jazz, 06032 JR (2007); {{OCLC|826866780}}
* ''Bruce Hall Jazz Music,'' North Texas Jazz, 07032 JR (2008); {{OCLC|826865973}}
* ''Denton Texas, Jazz Giant,'' North Texas Jazz, 07052 JR (2009); {{OCLC|826865974}}
* ''[https://store.music.unt.edu/airstream-artistry-jim-riggs-best-two# Airstream Artistry - Jim Riggs' Best of the Two] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729004728/https://store.music.unt.edu/airstream-artistry-jim-riggs-best-two |date=2020-07-29 }}, '' UNT Store
{{refend}}
'''Other recordings'''
{{refbegin}}
* ''Annual Fall Concert of the Lab Bands'' (7 Lab Bands at North Texas), North Texas Jazz (Nov 25, 1969)
* ''Lab '70! Home concerts, Germany, National College Jazz Festival, Switzerland'' (1970)
* ''Lab! Annual Spring concert of the Lab Bands'' (April 14, 1970)
* ''North Texas State University Lab Bands: Annual Spring Combo Concert,'' Century (April 21, 1970)
* ''Live! The North Texas Lab Bands, Fall and Spring concerts, 1970/1971,'' Precision (1970)
* ''Lab 72! 25 years respect for jazz education; North Texas State University,'' Precision (1972)
* ''One O'Clock Lab Band at The National College Jazz Festival, University of Illinois'' (1972)
* ''Live! ('72-'73)'' ([One O'Clock Lab Band](/source/One_O'Clock_Lab_Band)), (recorded Nov. 21, 1972 & Apr. 20, 1973)
* ''Groovey,'' James Riggs, Rich Matteson, Phil Wilson, Bengt Hallberg, Jack Petersen, Red Mitchell, Egil Johansen,  Four Leaf Clover Records, FLC 5060 (1981)
* ''Kneedeep in Paradise'' Jim CaJacob and Friends, (1998) 
* ''The Never Ending Blues,'' "The Lou Fisher Big Band," Mark Records, MJS-57625
* ''The Legend,'' The Lou Fisher Big Band (1980)
* ''Royal Street,'' The Lou Fisher Big Band, Sea Breeze SB 2012 (1983)
* ''Playin' In the Park,'' Pete Petersen And The Collection Jazz Orchestra (1985)
* ''[https://www.allmusic.com/performance/ghost-train-triptych-mq0000535087 Ghost Train Triptych for wind symphony] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311020125/https://www.allmusic.com/performance/ghost-train-triptych-mq0000535087 |date=2023-03-11 }}, '' North Texas Wind Symphony (1996)
* ''[https://www.allmusic.com/album/texas-times-mw0002911929 Texas Times] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200729044828/https://www.allmusic.com/album/texas-times-mw0002911929 |date=2020-07-29 }}'' Jim Riggs & Stefan Karlsson (2018)
* ''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BWvVxJHKRE Theme for the Lonely Man] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311020214/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BWvVxJHKRE |date=2023-03-11 }}'' Jim Riggs, baritone saxophone - composed and arranged by Mike Smith (2020)
{{refend}}
* ''Riggs Rags,'' SaxeTexaS Saxophone Quartet, James Riggs, Lee Pulliam, James Ogilvy, Terry Steele (2007)

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External links==
* [http://www.jazz.unt.edu/?q=node/110 Jim Riggs' page on the North Texas Jazz website]

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Riggs, Jim}}
Category:American classical saxophonists
Category:American male saxophonists
Category:American jazz saxophonists
Category:American music arrangers
Category:Jazz arrangers
Category:American jazz bandleaders
Category:1941 births
Category:American jazz educators
Category:Living people
Category:University of North Texas College of Music alumni
Category:University of North Texas College of Music faculty
Category:21st-century American saxophonists
Category:21st-century American male musicians
Category:American male jazz musicians

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Jim Riggs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Riggs) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Riggs?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.
