Richard J. Frank
+1 818 427 5500 (Cell/WhatsApp) • frankr@usc.edu • richard@playthegroove.com
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OVERTURE:
OVERTURE:
Richard Frank, currently in Salt Lake City, has been entrenched in creative business, education, and entertainment in Los Angeles for 25+ years as an educational and instructional designer, multi-media producer, professional musician, creative director, and successful Hollywood business development and marketing executive in the entertainment industry.
Key accomplishments include:
M.A. in Applied Musicology -- Utrecht University, Utrecht Netherlands (UU-2023)
M.A. in Educational Technology -- California State University Northridge (CSUN-2019)
B.M. in Music Performance -- University of Southern California (USC-1986)
A.A.S. in Music Performance -- Onondaga Community College (OCC-1982)
Created PlayTheGroove.com to bring Current Global Grooves and Jazz Genres to Tertiary and Secondary Education (view this Executive Summary for a solid introduction to the approach and a link to the full method (at the end)).
Staged managed numerous jazz performers and produced countless small and large group performances with a solid foundation of groove, folk, rock, jazz, and global music.
Invited to a two-month educational residency in Finland at the Sibelius Academy.
Toured and performed extensively, and co-wrote, produced, and recorded two CDs.
Produced and Executive-produced the PBS documentary entitled Maestro Mehli Mehta and the American Youth Symphony.
Interfaced with every major television and film company in the United States as a Hollywood business development specialist.
Key Websites and Sources:
Key Websites and Sources:
PlayTheGroove.com - current jazz and world music introductory site. Licensed Songs and Content.
View the PTG Executive Summary for a solid introduction to innovative, modern education approaches and a link to the full method (at the end).
UU M.A. 2023 Thesis: "The Funnel of Knowledge: The Challenges and Opportunities of Implementing Culturally Diverse Music in Music Education." Access: Academia (profile), Researchgate (profile), or email me a request for the PDF.
I presented a workshop on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in a Jazz Band at the Oregon Music Educators Association conference. Scott Edgar, author of Music Education and Social Emotional Learning, invited me to join a Music for All YouTube video podcast series on SEL. Here is the full video. Or, start with this short.
GlobalGroovesand Jazz.com - Utrecht University thesis international research study process. Repurposed to emphasize cross-curricular, and cultural-exploratory prototypes
Present Tense Smooth Talkin' album (producer, co-wrote, music director)
Present Tense Night Shadows album (producer, co-wrote, music director)
Richard J. Frank - CSUN feature article
CSUN M.A. 2019 Thesis: "Alternative Approaches to Secondary Music Education Emphasizing 21st Century Learning Competencies with Current Jazz and World Music." Academia (profile), Researchgate (profile), or email me a request for the PDF.
BigKidsGroove.com - international virtual video educational initiative (pandemic-inspired), view final video.
As an Educational Designer and Researcher, Richard recently completed his Master's in Applied Musicology at Utrecht University in Utrecht, Netherlands. He received his Master's in Educational Technology at the California State University Northridge in December 2019. During, and before, this time he designed and executed an international research study, two U.S. national research studies, and numerous primary and secondary action research studies. He has given over 100 clinics, workshops, and conference presentations developing and demonstrating PlayTheGroove, with secondary schools, university students, and educators both nationally and internationally. Additionally, he's presented at several national music conferences and to educators regarding his novel approaches to teaching pedagogy. While not a credentialed, classroom teacher per se, he connects extremely well with youth in classrooms, and with mentorships, and is at home in any educational setting as he creates custom lesson plans and pedagogical approaches as needed focused on unison-based content.
Richard states, "With youth, I see my role is to get them creating, thinking about, and acting on their personal motivations and develop real, work-ready skills such as digital literacies, research, project development, and entrepreneurialism; it's about student-agency and life skills (4 Cs). For educators, I provide leadership and guidance to help them acquire progressive teaching resources to influence growth with 21st Century Skills, Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Problem-Based Learning (PBL), Student-Led environments. and modern learning competencies and modalities. The end goal is to empower engagement to develop and transfer practical work-life skills to youth."
2025 PTG Web Video_Full.mp4
PlayTheGroove (PTG) is a ground-breaking music education methodology with proprietary unison-based content that makes teaching and learning current rhythm-based music more accessible, inclusive, and engaging than ever before.
PlayTheGroove begins with the point of view that rhythm-based music education needs to reflect current, ever-changing musical styles that are relevant and accessible to today’s youth and society – music that has meaning for the students – music that is being performed today by their (close) contemporaries.
PTG is educationally grounded; it is immensely flexible to address flipped, remote, hybrid, and in-classroom ensemble playing and teaching situations. Individuals can also use the content and virtual videos can be created from solo performances by teenagers and adults.
PlayTheGroove applies Richard's innovative pedagogy that encourages learning with little pre-lesson preparation or professional development. It’s educationally grounded and research-based in modern theories of music teaching and learning competencies and allows educators the ability to combine formal and non-formal teaching approaches as they deem appropriate for their own, unique, blended approach.
As a Musician and producer, Richard is a highly accomplished acoustic & electric bassist and played extensively throughout the U.S. with jazz and rock bands, world music, the Harry James Orchestra, and The American Youth Symphony (AYS) under the baton of Maestro Mehli Mehta. This led to manager and development positions for AYS which ultimately led him to produce a one-hour PBS documentary entitled Maestro Mehli Mehta and the American Youth Symphony with Itzhak Perlman, Zubin Mehta, Midori, Robert Merrill, host Walter Matthau, and several others.
He then went on to co-write and co-produce 2 groove jazz CDs with his band Present Tense - Night Shadows (2003), and Smooth Talkin' (2007); and is currently activating PlayTheGroove.com – an international, music education method that bring diverse, relevant, and accessible modern jazz and world jams and pedagogy to secondary music ensembles.
Additionally, Richard is a change agent, problem solver, and multi-media producer. He's managed numerous artist liaison situations, has a strong understanding of folk, rock, jazz, and world music, and managed countless small and large group performances for notables such as R&B heavies Patrice Rushen, Ndugu Chancler, Ronnie Kaufman, and Paul Jackson Jr.
In Business, for over 25 years, concurrently with his music and educational pursuits, Richard has been entrenched in the Hollywood entertainment industry representing high-end creative agencies with feature film main titles, broadcast packages, video game promotions, and multi-platform audio promos. Through his positions, he has worked extensively with Disney+, Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, HBO, ABC, FOX, FX, Discovery Communications, National Geographic Channel, MTV, CNN, Sony/Columbia Pictures, Leo Burnett, Vivendi Games, Eidos, and Activision, to name a few. Currently, he is working with Sound Advice in Hollywood - a full-service, creative and production boutique of audio messaging (radio campaigns) for Disney+, ABC, FOX, and Showtime.
All of the above experiences add context and understanding to his various mentorships and teachings over the years with a strong follow-your-heart message, creative solutions, a growth mindset, a hard work ethic, and identifying and overcoming obstacles.
Richard also enjoys ice hockey (not that good!), nature walks, gardening and landscaping, cooking, stone sidewalks and patios, baking bread, model making, and outdoor activities.
Contact:
Contact:
Richard J. Frank
+1 818 427 5500 (US and WhatsApp)
Many references are available upon request. ©2025
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