​

Born in Pittsburgh, home to jazz greats Art Blakey, Ray Brown, Jeff “Tain” Watts, and Ahmad

Jamal, Richard D. Johnson has deep territorial jazz roots. He was first introduced to the piano at

the age of five by his father, a gospel pianist from Baltimore, Maryland. Since then, he has

cultivated a rich musical background, studying under some of the most legendary jazz musicians

and at prestigious institutions. After receiving a scholarship and graduating from the Berklee

College of Music in just two years, Richard entered the Boston Conservatory, earning a Master’s

degree in Jazz Pedagogy in three semesters. He then received an Artist Performance Diploma

from the Herbie Hancock Institute of Jazz Performance at New England Conservatory under the

direction of the influential Ron Carter.

​

Richard was invited to become a member of Wynton Marsalis’ Septet and the Jazz at Lincoln

Center Orchestra, which he joined from 2000–2003. He also performed with the Russell Malone

Quartet, Delfeayo Marsalis Quintet, and the Bobby Watson Quartet. After completing these

tenures, Richard founded the Reach Afar program for young people ages 7–17, educating them

about elements of jazz in hip-hop.

​

He has traveled extensively, sharing jazz with audiences around the world. As a U.S. State

Department Musical Ambassador, Richard performed in more than 92 countries, including

countries throughout Central and South America, Africa, and the Middle East. During this time,

he accompanied jazz icons such as Wayne Shorter, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Heath, and Stevie

Wonder. In 2005, he became the musical director for Atlanta Spirit LLC, creating a live five-

member band for the NBA and performing at all 46 home games and related events.

Richard’s international work continued in Doha, Qatar, where he performed at Jazz at Lincoln

Center and was appointed acting on-site Jazz Ambassador at the St. Regis Doha Hotel. In this

role, he helped expand the presence of jazz through performance, cultural programming, artist

engagement, and international collaboration.

​

He is currently an Associate Professor of Jazz Piano at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns

Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and a 2025 Public Engagement Speaker Fellow for

the university. At Peabody and Johns Hopkins, Richard continues to expand his work beyond

performance through education, public engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, and creative

program development.

​

Richard is also the founder of Let’s Build Together, an educational initiative that connects

music, creativity, science, engineering, collaboration, and community learning. Through this

program, he brings together students, educators, artists, scientists, and community members to

explore how jazz and creative problem-solving can be used to understand complex ideas. His

recent work also focuses on artificial intelligence, helping educational organizations explore how

AI can support creativity, teaching, communication, curriculum design, and organizational

growth. Richard’s approach to AI emphasizes that technology should enhance human creativity,

support employment growth, and help institutions build new models for learning, leadership, and

innovation.An accomplished composer and arranger, Richard has released eight recordings, including his

latest CD, Warm Embrace (2025). He holds an M.M. in Spanish from the University of Texas

Permian Basin and is pursuing a Doctorate in Leadership and Curriculum. Richard is a Yamaha-

endorsed piano artist and the creator of the podcasts The Jazz Architect and Music is

Business…What is This?