Rich Chiarluce - Musical Director

Rich Chiaraluce is a free lance musician in the Denver area.  He Performs on flute, clarinet, alto and tenor sax.  Rich was the leader of the house band at El Chapultapec Jazz Club for many years.  Rich originally from New Haven, Connecticut.  

Rich attended the Navy School of Music and played with the NORAD Band in Colorado Springs, Colorado.  After serving in the Navy, he attended the University of Northern Colorado where he studied woodwinds.  Rich graduated in 1974 with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education.

Rich has taught at the Clark Terry Jazz Camp, the Telluride Jazz Camp, the Rich Matteson Jazz Camp, and the University of Colorado Jazz Camp.  He also teaches private lessons.  He has given clinics and appreared as soloist with high school and college bands in Colorado.

Rich tours as the lead alto player with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra under the direction of Buddy Morrow.  He has played with the orchestra on the Mississippi Queen Riverboat.  He has also appeared with Pete Candoli, Charlie Rouse, Carl Fontana, Richie Cole, Buddy Childers, Rich Matteson, Chris Woods, Joe Newman, Al Grey, Doc Severinsen, Herb Ellis, Red Rodney, and the Woody Herman Orchestra.  He has performed with Mel Torme, Tony Bennett, Nancy Wilson, Dakota Staton, and Natalie Cole, among others.  Rich has appeared in jazz festivals in Breckenridge, Pine Cliff, Denver, Glenwood Springs, Vail, Beaver Creek, Keystone, Snowmass, and Telluride.  Rich has been featured on Saxophone and clarinet with the Woody Herman All Stars.  He also appears with the Colorado Symphony.

In addition to appearing on numerous CDs as a side man, Rich has recorded two CDs of his own, Because I Love You and Live!  At Sherman's Coffee House.  Both feature him on alto sax, tenor sax, flute, and clarinet.

Rich looks forward to stepping in for Dick Johnson and performing the great solos of Artie Shaw with The Artie Shaw Orchestra.