In truth, the name Richard Williams may be rather familiar to some people and not only because he is originally from Salinas, California, but currently resides in South Provo, Utah.

Richard is a composer and has almost always been involved with music since first learning to play the piano in the third grade. By the time he reached the fifth grade, he had learned to play the trombone, and says that he “picked up other instruments along the way when [he] got bored in band class.”

His music has been recorded at Capitol Studios, Budapest, Prague, and Fox Studios in LA.

Some people may also recall that Richard is a part of the cinematic pop band, TREN, along with Taylor Miranda, Eliza Smith, and Nate Young. The group met through the Commercial Music Program at Brigham Young University (BYU). The band’s unique focus is on creating music for major films such as Captain America: Civil War, featuring the Marvel Comics character, Captain America.

The group actually stated on their Facebook page that “the premise of the song [“Civil War”] is that evil wins when forces for good are divided. It is when we come together that good prevails and amazing things can happen.”

TREN also wrote the hit song “Live or Survive,” intending it to be the end credits song for The Hunger Games.

On his brand new album, the just-released Hollywood Christmas, multi-instrumentalist Richard Williams weaves a rich tapestry of big band classics, orchestral and rock arrangements that create a new, updated sound for a dozen Christmas classics.

Partly driven by his Mormon faith, Williams decided to show off his considerable arranging chops by putting his own spin on these well-known and beloved songs.

1. It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
2. The Holiday Season (Pt. 1)
3. Happy Holiday (Pt. 2)
4. The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
5. White Christmas
6. Santa Claus is Coming to Town
7. Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree
8. Here Comes Santa Claus
9. Jingle Bells
10. Frosty the Snowman (Pt. 1)
11. Jingle Bells (Pt. 4)
12. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas
13. Winter Wonderland
14. Let It Snow (Pt. 1)
15. Up on the Housetop (Pt. 2)
16. Let It Snow (Pt. 3)
17. (There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays
18. I’ll Be Home For Christmas
19. Coming Home (Pt. 1)
20. Somewhere in My Memory (Pt. 2)
21. Someway, Somehow (Pt. 3)
22. Somewhere in My Memory (Pt. 4)
23. - 40. Instrumental tracks

This beautifully crafted, melodically infectious new Holiday album opens on the vibrant, warmly vocalized It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year [feat. Alex Stiles] and the Rat Pack-esque The Holiday Season (Pt. 1) featuring Nate Bryant, and they are followed by the rambunctiously delightful Happy Holiday (Pt. 2) featuring Company B, the luscious The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) [feat. Alex Stiles], a beautifully sung White Christmas (featuring a breathy Rebecca Lopez) and then comes a spirited Santa Claus Is Coming to Town [feat. Evon Collett & Connor Ross] and a party-flavored Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree [feat. Taylor Miranda, a vocalist in Williams’ virtual cinematic pop band TREN].

Along next, on what was my very first Christmas music-listening experience of the year, is the finger-snapping Here Comes Santa Claus, Pt. 1 [feat. Hayley Kirkland & Connor Ross] and Jingle Bells, Pt. 2 and they are in turn followed nicely by the beloved Frosty the Snowman, Pt. 3 [feat. Company B], the euphoric Jingle Bells, Pt. 4, a low slung Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas [feat. Russian vocalist Dmitry Noskov], and then comes the upbeat and joyous swing of Winter Wonderland [feat. Hayley Kirkland & Company B] and the gently fervent swing of Let It Snow, Pt. 1 featuring Benny Benack III.

The harmoniously layered Up on the Housetop, Pt. 2 featuring Company B is up next and that is followed by Let It Snow, Pt. 3, and then comes the veritable gossamer of the delicately, nay, sweetly sung duo of both (There’s No Place Like) Home for the Holidays and I’ll Be Home for Christmas [both featuring Chelsea Brooke Olson], then come the quartet of scenically atmospheric tracks in the form of Coming Home, Pt. 1, Somewhere in My Memory, Pt. 2 (a song from the movie Home Alone), Someway, Somehow, Pt. 3 and before a whole host of instrumentals, Somewhere in My Memory, Pt. 4 [feat. Julie Seechuk].

To add to the album’s vibrant texture, Williams brought on board several of his favorite vocalists to perform as solo artists and in various combinations on each each of the songs. “Every singer has their own sound and own approach”, says Williams, “I chose singers that I thought would do the best job on each of the songs, and I then arranged the songs to fit each singer’s style and vocal range”.

In closing, Williams takes a unique approach on this album by including the instrumental tracks without vocals for people who may just want to listen to the music and to highlight his arrangements, which stand ably alone because of their cinematic quality.

Official Website

Richard Williams @ Facebook