This is one nimble drummer. A quick reader and snappy player, Richard Irwin’s obviously deep into jazz but, then again, he can pop a rimshot backbeat and make it real. Although his touch on ride cymbal is light and dancing, he’s not merely tipping it—he’s digging deep and bringing out the full tone. Even at frantic, breakneck tempos when Richard is summoning untold chops and complexity, he never permits cymbals or drums to wash out. This fine control, articulation, and sense of proportion no doubt explains Irwin’s perch at the top of the competitive Montreal jazz scene. Seems Richard’s always busy recording: one day he’s leading a jazz trio for the Effendi record label, the next he’s following a conductor like a hawk and backing a full orchestra for CBC or touring with singer Nikki Yanofsky.
There’s hope for those of you who hail from hamlets. Richard Irwin grew up in the town of Winchester, Ontario, miles away from anything but farm fields. Solid schooling, early drum instruction, which included pipe band discipline, commended him for jazz studies at McGill University. The rest, as they say, is his story. Irwin rose through the ranks in Montreal and beyond. He’s played with countless name jazz musicians in studios and has seen action in clubs worldwide, from Ronnie Scott’s to Catalina’s to his share of the Blue Note franchise.
From Bruce Wittet’s write up for the 2012 Montreal Drum Fest
2012 Montreal Drum Fest ad.
“Nikki Yanofsky's drummer also stood out for me. Playing tight jazz beats with oodles of feeling on a kit that couldn't sound any better in Massey Hall, Rich Irwin gave Yanofsky's songs a gorgeous, solid foundation.”
From Nikki Yanofsky at Massey Hall - 04/21/12
Wed, 04/25/2012 - 11:00 — Sean Chin
Written by Alex Metcalfe and Photographs by Lee-Ann Wylie
Zildjian official website profile.
“And yet again, I was struck by the tastefulness of Irwin’s drumming. This is not a small thing. Too often, nowadays, I hear bands where the drummer is trying too hard to make an impression, throwing in superfluous backbeats and cymbal washes where they intrude on the musical progression. Irwin is one of those drummers, like Roy Haynes, who always seems to know exactly how much to play. Indeed, the more I listened to this disc, the more I was impressed by the solo work as a whole. It contributes to the compositions rather than flying out on a limb that doesn’t seem to be connected to the trunk of the tree.”
From Solon McDade Paints Musical Murals
The Art Music LoungeApril 16, 2018
Written by —© 2018 Lynn René Bayley
“Pianist Paul Shrofel is so elegant, and drummer Rich Irwin masterfully urgent, completing a superb rhythm chemistry around the bass, keeping things spacious with economical punctuation, never overplaying.”
Jazz bassist Solon McDade brings home the band for expert encounter.
The Edmonton Journal – April 20, 2018
Written by Roger Levesque