The tough-toned tenor of
Herman Riley has long been a valuable asset on a countless number of performances and recordings based in the Los Angeles area. He played locally in New Orleans as a teenager, served in the military (1955-57) and then attended San Diego City College. After moving to Los Angeles in the early 1960's,
Riley worked with virtually everyone during the next few decades including
Count Basie,
Shelly Manne,
Benny Carter,
Bobby Bryant,
Joe Williams,
Donald Byrd,
Gene Ammons,
Blue Mitchell,
Quincy Jones, the Capp-Pierce Juggernaut,
Lorez Alexandria and many others. The only album that this perennial sideman has thus far made as a leader is a Jam Lp from 1985. ~ Scott Yanow