Jim Riggs  (JPRiggs@aol.com)
---------
 
 
OCCUPATION:
 
Theatre organist, producer of my own theatre organ recordings, owner of
"Melody Masters" (a mail-order concern specializing in "vintage music")
 
CURRENT POSITIONS:
 
House Organist-Paramount Theatre, Oakland California (4/26 Wurlitzer)
Organist-Stanford Theatre, Palo Alto California (3/21 Wurlitzer)
 
PREVIOUS POSITIONS:
 
Organist-Castro Theatre, San Francisco (4/21 Wurlitzer); Organist-Grand Lake
Theatre, Oakland California (3/13 Wurlitzer); Organist-Avenue Theatre, San
Francisco (3/14/Wurlitzer)
 
Have also played at several pizza parlors (but I keep that swept under the
carpet!): Bella Roma, Martinez California (3/15/Wurlitzer); Pizza Junction,
Rheem California (3/11 Wurlitzer); Organ Stop Pizza, Tucson Arizona (4/24
Wurlitzer).
 
PERSONAL:
 
Wife-Janice; Daughter-Georgia. Hobbies: cooking, entertaining, collecting
vintage sheet music and vintage fountain pens & pencils, keeping my 1982
Jaguar running!
 
Active concertizing across the nation and in the United Kingdom, Australia &
New Zealand. Silent film scoring a specialty (We do a lot of silents at the
Stanford.)
 
Have made 5 recordings:
 
Real Rhythm! (Grand Lake Theatre, Oakland); Singin' In The Bathtub (Alabama
Theatre, Birmingham, Alabama. This was the first ever theatre organ CD recorded
"in-theatre".); Paramount On Parade (Paramount Theatre, Oakland) Granada
(Granada Theatre, Kansas City Kansas) Paramount On Parade, Vol. II
(Paramount Theatre, Oakland)
 
Currently serving as member of American Theater Organ Society (ATOS)
national Board of Directors and on Board of Northern-California ATOS (the
local chapter).
 
Basically self-taught (some piano background). First heard an 18-rank
residence Wurlitzer at age 13 and never looked back! If I were to
characterize my playing style, I'd say I sound quite a bit like a dance
orchestra of the 1930's. Also specialize in re-creating the arrangements of
Jesse Crawford and Sidney Torch.
 
Combining both current and previous positions, I've estimated (conservatively)
that I've performed for over 750,000 Bay Area movie patrons over the last ten
years. For my money, there's simply nothing like hearing (and playing!) a
good Wurlitzer in the setting for which it was intended. Period!