Richard Cortez at piano

Press Kit

Richard
Cortez.

New York City jazz vocalist. A timeless, golden baritone handling The Great American Songbook with deep emotional intelligence, unbridled passion, and an activist’s relationship to both his material and his audience.

Albums5 releases
Streams2M+
LabelLa Reserve Records
BasedNew York City

Long Biography

After sold-out engagements across New York, Oslo, Canada, Mexico, Cincinnati, and San Francisco, acclaimed jazz vocalist and recording artist Richard Cortez brings the timeless music of Frank Sinatra to the stage with an all-star band. Featuring beloved classics including “Come Fly With Me,” “Witchcraft,” and “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” alongside rare gems from Sinatra’s early years with the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, Richard’s performances celebrate the elegance, swing, and emotional depth that made Sinatra one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century.

A rising voice in the contemporary straight-ahead jazz scene, Richard Cortez’s recordings of jazz standards have amassed nearly five million streams worldwide. Amazon Music named his recording of You Don’t Know What Love Is one of the top jazz recordings of 2024, while his music has been featured across major streaming platforms and editorial playlists.

Deeply devoted to the Great American Songbook, Richard has shared the bandstand with some of today’s most respected jazz musicians, including Sullivan Fortner, Peter Bernstein, Emmet Cohen, Kyle Poole, Yasushi Nakamura, Adam Birnbaum, Paul Gill, Grant Stewart, Joe Farnsworth, Jerry Weldon, Nicole Glover, and Russell Hall.

Currently touring internationally, Richard is celebrating the release of his upcoming album A Song For All Seasons, a deeply personal project weaving seasonal jazz standards with archival family cassette recordings of his grandfather sharing life advice when Richard turned 18. His previous duo albums Nightbird and Standards in Orbit—the latter submitted for consideration for the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album—have further established him as a distinctive interpreter of timeless repertoire.

Beyond the concert stage, Richard has performed at celebrated venues throughout the United States and abroad, including The Catalina Club in Los Angeles, where he headlined his own performance and opened for 97-year-old jazz legend Marilyn Maye. He has appeared in productions such as Live at Emmet’s Place with the Emmet Cohen Trio and Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz at Pride with Tony and two-time Grammy Award winner Bryan Carter. He has also partnered with luxury menswear brand Todd Snyder, performing at Rockefeller Center and having his recordings featured in stores nationwide.

With a voice rooted in the tradition of Sinatra and the great jazz singers who came before him, Richard Cortez brings warmth, sophistication, wit, and vulnerability to songs that have defined generations. His performances offer a fresh perspective on the Great American Songbook, reminding audiences that while these songs are timeless, every generation has a new story to tell through them.

Recent releases.

Full discography →

Listen

Selected songs.

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Watch

Video highlights.

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Book Richard.

Available for festivals, private events, concert series, and residencies worldwide.

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