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What makes someone tick? Depends on the individual. In my case it is creating things, many of them musical. While my day job is all about ideas (and making them come to life), the nostatic existence is inextricably tied to music.

Here is the “just the facts” data:

  • multi-instrumentalist: primarily a bassist, but also play guitar, dobro, banjo, keyboards, and vocals
  • award-winning composer (for Orbital Redux)
  • read, have a great ear, a car that works, and I’m not a flake
  • have gigged on and off for over 40 years, doing everything from solo singer/songwriter shows to small jazz ensembles to jazz big bands to musical theater pits to funk, soul, and rock shows.
  • steeped in jazz, funk, soul, rock, folk, bluegrass and most anything in-between
  • playing out in front of people (no matter how many or how few) or in the studio – as long as there is music to be made I’m in

If it makes a difference, I have a phd in chemistry from Caltech. I also am an amateur extra-class radio operator (K6GS), photographer, filmmaker, perpetual tai chi student, ex-car and bicycle racer, motorcycle tourer, and seeker of the illusive green room. In the early 00’s I spent four years playing with Kaz Takeda, appearing on three albums and performing shows in LA and Japan. I was bassist and producer in Simpleflower, and since 2009 have played nearly one thousand shows in Southern California with a number of different bands. In 2020 we escaped LA for Lompoc, currently gigging around the central coast with Mark David in Soul Stingers. I’ve studied with Grammy-award winning bassist Victor Wooten, worked with Anthony Wellington on both bass and keyboard, and way back when, guitar and banjo with Walt Richards.

A recent addition to the discography is the all-original instrumental nostatic solo album “like dissolves like” that dropped on 11Jan22. Other notables are the nostatic Time’s Up 2014 and 2016 String Life Live albums, Blue Noise Kitchen’s Dancer on the Road 2017 EP (bass, co-writing, mixing/producing the title track) and Lefty and the Hatman’s 2019 album Deja Blue (bass). 

For 2022, live gigs came back (at least a fair chunk of them), and I played a lot of great shows with Mark David (bandleader), Bill Flores, Martin Young and others in Soul Stingers, while also bringing back the solo act (“yachtcoustic”). I stumbled on the Ken Burns Country Music documentary and was reminded of the joy of analog instruments. That led me to pick up dobro, eventually leading to the new nostatic album “Resonance Matters” that dropped 13jan23. Certainly is different than like dissolves like – after all, it’s nostatic.

For 2023, it’s back to the woodshed, this time on guitar on the jazz tip. Still working the dobro and singing, and regularly doing gigs on bass and solo guitar/voice. Only so many hours on the planet, trying to make as much music in as many different ways as I can.

enjoy the ride – todd richmond

main discography

2023 – resonance matters – nostatic solo (dobro, acoustic and electric guitar, bass, banjo, producer)
2022 – like dissolves like – nostatic solo (bass, keyboards, writer, producer)
2019 – Deja Blue – Lefty and the Hatman (bass)
2017 – Dancer on the Road – Blue Noise Kitchen (bass, writer)
2016 – String Life Live – nostatic (bass, producer)
2014 – Time’s Up – nostatic (bass, guitar, keyboards, banjo, writer, producer)
2013 – Juliette – Kaz Takeda (bass)
2004 – SoCalSoul – Simpleflower (bass, producer)
2002 – The First Wave – Kaz Takeda (bass)
2001 – While My Guitar Gently Speaks – Kaz Takeda (bass)
1994 – Exothermic Jazz – Caltech Jazz Band (bass)
1988 – Blopuck Xmas – The Blopucks (guitar, keyboards, vocals, producer)
1983 – Eggcarton Demos – Nasty Habits (guitar, vocals)
1979 – Live at Randy’s – THC (guitar, vocals)

current tools

Rob Allen Mouse 30 fretless rosewood
Rob Allen Mouse 30 fretless ebony
Rob Allen Deep 4 fretless
Fodera Yin Yang Deluxe

Beard Radio R Squareneck Resonator
Martin 000-28 CA 1937
Collings OM1 JL
Collings I-30 LC
Anderson Raven

Audio Kinesis H1203 and C1203T bass cabinets
Mesa WD-800 and D-800 bass heads
Henriksen Bud 10
EV Evolve 30M

Jam Pedals Harmonious Monk
FEA Labs Dual-band comp
Dr. Scientist The Elements
Empress Compressor mk2
Diamond Memory Lane
Empress Para EQ mk2
Strymon El Capistan
Diamond Comp/EQ
Wampler Belle
Ditto Looper+
COG 66 Mini
TC Impulse
EHX 720

Ableton Live on a MacBookPro w/Push 2
NI Komplete 13 with an S61
RME Babyface Pro FS