Paul Riser

Paul Riser (born September 11, 1943) is an American trombonist and Motown musical arranger who was responsible for co-writing and arranging dozens of top ten hit records. His legacy as one of the "Funk Brothers" is similar to that of most of the other "Brothers", as his career has been overlooked and overshadowed by the stars of Motown that became household names. Some of the Funk Brothers he worked with include: Earl Van Dyke, Johnny Griffith, Robert White, Eddie Willis, Joe Messina, Dennis Coffey, Wah Wah Watson, James Jamerson, Bob Babbitt, Eddie Watkins, Richard "Pistol" Allen, Uriel Jones, Andrew Smith, Jack Ashford, Valerie Simpson, Eddie "Bongo" Brown, Benny Benjamin, Cornelius Grant, Joe Hunter, Richard "Popcorn" Wylie, Marcus Belgrave, Teddy Buckner and Stevie Wonder.

Early career

A graduate of Cass Technical High School in Detroit, Michigan where he studied classical and jazz trombone, Paul was introduced to Berry Gordy at Motown by a friend who had already been working there. He went on to become an uncredited trombonist on most of Motown Records' hits in the late mid 1960s and early 1970s (Motown did not list session musician credits on their releases until 1971). He arranged hit recordings such as: " My Girl" and " Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" by The Temptations, " I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Marvin Gaye, " If I Were Your Woman" by Gladys Knight & the Pips, " Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand) written by Ashford and Simpson and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" as performed by Diana Ross (among other 1970s hits by the singer), and " The Tears of a Clown" by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. The instrumental arrangement for "Papa Was a Rollin' Stone" (The Temptations) earned Riser a Grammy with writer/arranger Norman Whitfield for Best R&B Instrumental Performance. He co-wrote Jimmy Ruffin's hit single " What Becomes of the Brokenhearted".

Later career

After 11 years of working steadily with Motown, Riser found work with other record labels. Artists that Riser has arranged for outside of Motown include:
Luther Vandross, Phil Collins, The Carpenters, Carly Simon, The Doobie Brothers, Tom Jones, Quincy Jones, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin, Roberta Flack, Michael McDonald, Johnny Mathis, Mary J. Blige, and Patti LaBelle.

Riser arranged and conducted the strings on " I Believe I Can Fly," the 1996 Grammy award-winning song written, produced and performed by R&B singer R. Kelly. In 2003, he was also a notable presence on the R. Kelly's album, " Chocolate Factory", arranging many songs on the album including the top 10 hit, " Step in the Name of Love".

In 2009, Riser was inducted into the Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum and he attended the Motown 50th anniversary celebration. As of 2010, Riser is still active in the field of music - teaching and arranging.

When asked in a recent interview what his favorite musical rhythm arrangement was, he replied that it was Diana Ross' cover version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough", which he arranged in 1970.

Partial discography

*'' Diana Ross & the Supremes Join The Temptations'' LP (Co-arranger - Motown, 1968)
*''Soul Spin'' LP by The Four Tops (Co-arranger - Motown MS 695, 1969)
*''Signed, Sealed & Delivered'' LP by Stevie Wonder (Co-arranger - Motown TS 304, 1970)
*'' Naturally Together'' LP by The Originals (band) (Co-arranger - Motown SS729, 1970)
*''Natural Resources'' LP by Martha Reeves & The Vandellas (Co-arranger - Gordy 952, 1970)
*''Great Expectations'' LP by Kiki Dee (Arranger - Tamla 303, 1970)
*''War and Peace'' LP by Edwin Starr (Co-arranger - Motown, 1970)
*''The Return of the Magnificent Seven'' LP by The Supremes & The Four Tops (Co-arranger - Motown, 1971)
*''If I Were Your Woman'' LP by Gladys Knight & the Pips (Co-arranger - Motown SS 731, 1971)
*'' One Dozen Roses'' LP by Smokey Robinson & The Miracles (Arranger - Tamla 312L)
*'' Surrender'' (Arranger - Motown, 1971)
*''Exposed'' LP by Valerie Simpson (Arranger - Motown, 1971)
*'' Floy Joy'' LP by The Supremes (Arranger - Motown M751L, 1972)
*'' All Directions'' LP by The Temptations (Arranger and conductor - Motown, 1972)
*''Neither One Of Us'' LP by Gladys Knight & The Pips (Arranger - "Can't Give It Up No More" - Motown, 1973)
*''Masterpiece'' LP by The Temptations (Arranger - Motown, 1973)
*''All I Need Is Time'' LP by Gladys Knight & The Pips (Arranger - "Thank You (Falletin Me Be Mice Elf Again)" - Motown, 1973)
*'' Diana & Marvin'' LP by Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye (Arranger - "Just Say, Just Say" - Motown, 1973)
*''Eddie Kendricks'' LP by Eddie Kendricks (Arranger - "Where Do You Go (Baby)" - Motown, 1973)
*'' Share My Love'' LP by Gloria Jones (Arranger - Motown, 1973)
*'' Everybody Likes Some Kind of Music'' - LP by Billy Preston (String and horn arrangements - A&M, 1973)
*''Syreeta'' LP by Syreeta and Stevie Wonder (String arrangements, Motown, 1974)
*''Love Trip'' LP by Tamiko Jones - (String & horn arrangement, Arista Records AL 4040, 1975)
*'' I Want You (Marvin Gaye album)'' - LP by Marvin Gaye (Arranger - "Soon I'll Be Loving You Again" - Motown, 1976)
*'' Look Out for #1'' LP by The Brothers Johnson (Horn arrangements, A&M, 1976)
*''Any Way You Like It'' LP by Thelma Houston (Writer, Arranger, Motown 2643-S, 1976)
*''Keep It Comin LP by Valerie Simpson (Arranger, Tamla/Motown, 1977)
*''Shake It Well'' LP by The Dramatics (Co-arranger, ABC Records, 1977)
*'' Who's Zoomin' Who?'' LP by Aretha Franklin (String arrangements, Arista, 1985)Arista LP AL8-8286, 1985
*'' In Square Circle'' LP by Stevie Wonder (String arrangements, Tamla/Motown, 1985)
*''Anomie & Bonhomie-LP by "Scritti Politti" (String Arrangements - "Brushed with oil, Dusted with powder" -Virgin 1999)

References

*Talor, Harold Keith, ''The Motown Music Machine''. Jadmeg Music Publishing, 2004
*Slutsky, Allan, '' Standing in the Shadows of Motown''. Hal Leonard Corporation, 1989

External links

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Paul Riser Sr. Interview
NAMM Oral History Library (2021)

{{DEFAULTSORT:Riser, Paul
1936 births
21st-century American conductors (music)
21st-century trombonists
21st-century American male musicians
21st-century African-American musicians
20th-century African-American people
Living people
African-American songwriters
American trombonists
Male trombonists
American session musicians
American music arrangers
Place of birth missing (living people)
American male composers
21st-century American composers
The Funk Brothers members
Grammy Award winners
Musicians from Detroit
Motown artists
American male conductors (music)
Songwriters from Michigan
Educators from Michigan
Classical musicians from Michigan
American male songwriters