Theresa Riccardi, Drummer and Percussionist based in Portland, Oregon, began performing Jazz after a lifetime of using her kit in practically every other genre of music. Theresa was born in Detroit, Michigan and her family relocated to the Los Angeles area when she was 4 years old. Her focus on drums started at a very early age when an instrument peddler knocked on her parents’ front door to see if any of the children wanted to take music lessons… “That’s when I first knew I wanted to play drums…” and being the daughter of a talented musician father, Theresa got her wish…
At 11 years old Theresa began playing drums at the public school she attended, and as her musical skills and education flourished, she began private lessons as well. Throughout her school days in the 1970s, though being the only girl drummer at the time, Theresa held first chair in orchestra band, marching band, stage band, and PEP band.
At 18 Theresa began to play drums professionally. At 19 she joined her first cover band and toured with a “fine band leader” who’d had a Vegas Act for many years. For three years the band toured up and down the coast of Oregon and Washington, hitting all the regular clubs and venues. “I owe a lot to Larry Ford because he passed down his knowledge of how to play many different styles of percussion.”
Throughout her career Theresa has functioned primarily as a freelance drummer. She has performed and recorded with many different bands in a variety of musical styles. In recent years Theresa turned her attention to Jazz and began working with Vocalist/ Guitarist, Suzanne Callaway, and together, they have created “Two Spirit Jazz.”