Alyssa Allgood
Gregory Tardy
Jeremy Boettcher
Greg Artry
‘Warm Embrace’ is a heartfelt vocal jazz album from pianist Richard D. Johnson, born from three transformative weeks of nightly performances in Shanghai, China.
Featuring DownBeat Rising Star vocalist Alyssa Allgood, tenor saxophonist Gregory Tardy, bassist Jeremy Boettcher, and drummer Gregory Artry, the record captures the warmth, spontaneity, and joy of a band united in spirit and sound—a musical reminder of love’s power to connect and uplift.
Richard D. Johnson is a renowned jazz pianist, composer, and educator whose dynamic career spans over 90 countries as a former U.S. Musical Ambassador. He has performed with legends such as Herbie Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Jimmy Heath, and Stevie Wonder, and has released eight albums as a leader, and currently serves as Associate Jazz Professor at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University.
