fax: 510-528-4774

postal mail:
P.O. Box 8045,
Berkeley, CA 94707-8045

Kurt Ribak (pronounced REE-bok, like the shoes) grew up in Berkeley, CA. Early musical experiences included singing in the San Francisco Boys Chorus and studying 'cello.  While a student at UC Berkeley Kurt began playing electric bass, buying his first good bass with money made working as a janitor. At Cal he continued to play classical music and studied jazz while playing in the UC Jazz Ensembles, where he met and first played with pianist Greg Sankovich. Kurt also studied West African drumming with C.K. Ladzekpo and spent summers teaching at Cazadero Music Camp, where he played with trombonist Julian Priester, guitarist / composer Paul Dresher, and steel drummer Andy Narell, as well as working in the local early music scene.

Kurt subsequently earned a scholarship to Berklee College of Music, after a bout with tendinitis. He graduated with top honors, studying bass with Whit Browne, Bruce Gertz, and John Repucci. Kurt spent many hours transcribing and absorbing the styles of bassists Paul Chambers, Ray Brown, and Charles Mingus, but also spent hours dissecting the compositions and arrangements of African bandleader Fela Kuti and R&B giant James Brown. 

Kurt first learned of his love of composition while at Berklee College of Music. His early tunes often reflected a strong Thelonious Monk influence, while others reflect his love of the great bassists/composer/bandleader Charles Mingus, whose music he studied intensively at Berklee. Later tunes bring to mind the South African composer Abdullah Ibrahim a.k.a. Dollar Brand, Horace Silver, Lee Morgan, and Cannonball Adderley. 

After graduation from Berklee Kurt returned to the San Francisco Bay area.  Drummer Bryan Melvin, formerly with the great electric bassist Jaco Pastorius, said Kurt plays bass "the way it should be played." R&B legend Johnny Otis sought him out to say Kurt’s playing reminded Otis of the late bassist Curtis Counce, a favorite sideman of Otis.

In 2001 Kurt started his own group, the Kurt Ribak Trio, which has been his primary musical focus.  In 2003 he re-connected with UC Jazz Ensembles bandmate Greg Sankovich, the trio’s pianist. The Kurt Ribak Trio features Kurt’s own compositions but includes select jazz standards and under-appreciated tunes from the Great American Songbook.

The Kurt Ribak Trio has two CDs out, "Kurt Ribak Trio," and "more."  Both CDs feature Kurt's compositions.  The CDs have proven popular in Japan, where Disk Union and GATS Productions Ltd. are distributing the CDs.  The track "Pseudoafrocubanismo" from "Kurt Ribak Trio" was licensed for inclusion in the Japanese LP and CD release "Jazz Bar 2007, " and the track "Prima" appeared on "Jazz Bar 2008."  The releases enjoy regular airplay on KCSM-FM and steady sales in both the US and in Japan.  A third Kurt Ribak Trio CD, "gone," has just been released.  The CD release party will be held at Yoshi's in San Francisco Tuesday, June 30.
 

GREG SANKOVICH, piano, organ and keyboards was born in 1960 and was raised in the East Bay area of San Francisco. After showing attraction to piano as a child, he began his keyboard journey with classical training from age 6. His parents' interest in dance and popular music inspired Greg's feel for music that moves people, so his inclination from an early age was towards rhythmically-oriented music.

He went on to study with the finest jazz and latin pianists and educators in the San Francisco area including Al Zulaica, Mark Levine, and Art Lande. From 13 years old Greg was busy in the SF bay area with local jazz, club and dance bands, and was an active member of the UC Berkeley Jazz Ensembles, highlighted by concert tours in Japan and Europe.

After graduation, Greg moved to Tokyo where he lived for over ten years, performing with a long list of top Japanese artists. Greg has contributed his sound to an eclectic range of musical talent from jazz to R&B, hiphop to pop. He has performed and recorded music on over 25 record labels, and has produced music for TV, radio, and film. Currently, Greg performs regularly in the SF Bay Area with his 6+ year jazz-funk project Times 4 who are working on their third cd release, bassist Kurt Ribak's jazz groups, an R&B buddy band since his teens the Blue Sky Band, and many other musically diverse freelance projects.

Tim Solook is a working drummer whose talent to adapt to a variety of musical styles is always in demand. Born and raised in New Jersey, Tim studied music in Philadelphia and New York City, receiving his BM degree from the Manhattan School of Music.

While studying at MSM, Tim took private instruction from jazz drumming great Joe Morello and vibist David Friedman. Upon graduating, Tim studied vibes with Caribbean Jazz Project's Dave Samuels. Collectively these associations have molded a solid musical foundation for Tim's style.

Over the last 25 years, Tim has performed everywhere from the Newport Jazz Festival, Saratoga, NY, Continental Arena, Rutherford, NJ, and the Roxy in Los Angeles to the Jazz Keller in Frankfurt, Germany. He has recorded five nationally distributed CDs with Houston jazz pianist Joe LoCascio.

While living in Houston, Tim performed with celebrated jazz musicians Freddie Hubbard, Kirk Whalum, Herb Ellis, Charlie Byrd, Emily Remler, Dave Leibman, Roseanna Vitro, Monty Alexander, Tim Hagans and Randy Brecker. From 1996 to 2002, Tim held the position of percussion instructor at Houston Community College, working with private drum students and the percussion ensemble for five years.

Currently residing in San Jose, CA, Tim continues to teach, compose, record, and perform extensively throughout the Bay Area. His first CD as a leader called "ABILITY" was just released on the Sol Time record label.