RITESONIAN   PRODUCTIONS

BENJAMIN   WRIGHT

 

 

 

   Benjamin F. Wright Jr., began formulating the backbone of his musical career in the mid-sixties, in his native Greenville, Mississippi. While performing as Drum Major in the high-school marching band, and he played tympani’s, as well as other percussion instruments in the high-school concert band. He was also chosen as the pianist for the select, Directors Band.

   After high-school, his first major tour was with the prominent Rhythm and Blues icon Ted Taylor where Mr. Wright played piano and shared vocal chores with the group. The group also allowed him his first opportunity to work as a musical arranger.  This exposure gained Benjamin Wright the recognition as an excellent musician, which lead to subsequent R&B tours with major artists, such as James Brown  Otis Redding,   Billy  Stewart and  Gladys Knight and The Pips.

   At the end of this successful tour period, the U.S. military draft interrupted his ever so promising musical career.  While serving in the U.S. Air Force, Mr. Wright enrolled in the Department  of  Defense  music theory class, as well as taking correspondence courses through Carl Fischer Music and The Berkeley School of Music to offset his mandatory,  yet successful military tour of duty.  Upon his Honorable discharge in Montgomery, Alabama (his last assigned military station), he was invited to perform and work with Bobby Moore and The Rhythm Aces, Chess Records recording artists who were very popular at that time.  After several years, he parted from Bobby Moore and began working the hotel circuit and jazz trios across the United States.

   In 1969, Mr. Wright settled in Chicago, the hub of successful R&B music at that time. He began   working as a copyist for industry notable  arrangers such as Charles Stepney, Gene Barge, Donny Hathaway  and  Richard Evans,  while performing with the Pieces of Peace; a group of stellar  recording  musicians which performed  recording  sessions  for Jackie Wilson, The Chi-Lites, Jerry Butler, Curtis  Mayfield, The  Impressions, Tyron  Davis, The  Dells and other greats. During this time, Benjamin Wright produced his first album on blues artist Otis Clay for the TK-label.   In 1970-71, he   enrolled in the Chicago Conservatory of Music. At the end of 1971, the Pieces of Peace, along with Mr. Wright, embarked on a year long tour of the U.K. and Middle-East.  Upon his return to the states, he became   the musical   director   for the legendary   group The Dells.    Soon   after,   The Benjamin Wright Orchestra was formed.  The group played behind many of the greats performing in Chicago and surrounding areas as well as being the house band for the popular High Chaparral night club. 

    In 1975 Benjamin Wright headed west to Los Angeles and  became   the   musical   director  for  “The Temptations,  Gladys  Knight  and   The  Pips,  Aretha Franklin  and   Barry  White  and  The  Love  Unlimited  Orchestra.   In  1979   he  was  the  string   arranger  for   the  famed  Michael Jackson  first  solo  album  “Off  The  Wall”  produced  by  Quincy Jones.   Benjamin  Wright  alone with  Kathy Wakefield and Tony Coleman  wrote the Grammy  Award winning  song  “Find 100 Ways”  sung by James Ingram on  the Quincy Jones  album “The Dude”.

      In 1982-83 a new Wright era began with the opening of Ritesonian Recording Studio which was a dream come true.   Also during 1982-83 Benjamin Wright established the Ritesonian Music Company (ASCAP). He had established B-Rite Music (BMI) 8 years earlier.

   In 1987, Mr. Wright was selected to be the musical director and conductor for the" Night of the Divas." This event was held in Washington D.C. A tribute to the first black opera star, Miss Marion Anderson   who attended the affair. This further established Benjamin Wright as an extraordinary musician as well as an accomplished   conductor.

  1988 took   Benjamin back   on the road as musical director for “Gladys Knight and the Pips” to do a year of one niters.   To the surprise  of  even Benjamin  Wright,  he suggested to “Gladys Knight and The Pips”  we need  to change the  always  32 piece orchestra to  a  10 piece  band  because  the schedule  would not allow the time to  rehearse a new orchestra in a different city everyday.   After a little arm twisting,  Gladys and The Pips  gave Benjamin the go ahead to transform the charts  for the 32 piece orchestra  to  a  10 piece  band that  included  5 keyboard players.   It worked so well that the “Gladys Knight and the Pips” band was the hit of the tours for the next couple of years.    Being  a workaholic  Benjamin  always  worked  in  his  hotel rooms  on  the road  to  write  charts  for recording sessions  for  many artist and to complete other writing assignments.    The 90’s  provided   many recording projects for  Benjamin Wright  as one of the most sort after  arrangers  in  the  music  business.   Also  touring  new places  in  America,  Europe,  Asia,  and  the Far East,   doing  long  engagements  in Las Vegas  and  Atlantic  City,  performing  at  the White House   for  president  “Bill  Clinton” and   serving   as  one of  the music  directors   for  the “Rhythm  and Blues  Pioneer  Awards”.

    2000 was also very good for Benjamin Wright.   More recording sessions with new artist and quite a few symphony dates.   There  has  also been  a  wonderful  spiritual  opportunity  for   Benjamin  to  put together,  write  and  conduct  50 piece orchestras for  church programs. [What a blessing and a joy]  In  2002  he  received  a  “DOCTORAL  DEGREE”  from  the Pentecostal Bible College  in  Tuskegee Alabama.   

    In  2003,  Benjamin Wright and his  long  time  friend  singer,  Louis Price  former  lead  singer with  The Temptations   finally  stopped  talking about  it  after five years and put  together an 18 piece band  with  three back ground singer.  This is a dream come true for Louis Price and Benjamin Wright.  I bet you “can” guess what the name of the band is:  You are   right!  The name of the band is

“THE PRICE/WRIGHT ORCHESTRA”.   This   orchestra  consist  of 18 stellar  recording  session  players  and  3  lovely talented  back ground singers   lead by  one of  the most versatile and talented  singers  in the business,  Louis  Price and  gold and platinum  arranger/conductor  Benjamin Wright.

   2004 has started off very successful for   Benjamin …..five new arrangements  for a new album  by Brandy,  produced  three  songs  with Otis Williams for  The Temptations,   a  50 piece  orchestra  at  the Great Western Forum   for  the  Faithful Central  Bible Church  Easter service   and  gigs  on the itinerary for The Price/Wright  Orchestra.   Oh  I must mention that during  the 2004  Grammy  Awards,   “Justin Timberlake    won  2 Grammies  for  the  album Justified  and was runner-up  for album of the year   and  Outkast  won 3 Grammies  and  won album of the year……….Benjamin  Wright   arranged  strings   on   two  tracks  for  Justine  Timberlake   and  two  tracks   on   Outkast.   [Still in the game huh?]