Kurt Ribak 

(pronounced REE-bok, like the shoes)

gigs and other stuff

Kurt playing bass
photo by Lincoln Adler / Groove Tonic Media
site map page      press kit page   home page    New record, "PAST PRESENT FUTURE"



RECORDINGS - We have six recordings. 
Our records are played on KCSM-FM, San Diego's Jazz 88, PRI's "Jazz After Hours" (syndicated on 70 stations), KPFA, KZFR, KKUP, KZSC, KRCB, KZFR, soulandjazz.com's "The Creative Source" and more

Kurt Ribak Trio - debut CD cover Kurt Ribak Trio "more" CD cover Kurt Ribak Trio - "gone" CD cover  I Got One More! cover "onward" record cover
"PAST PRESENT FUTURE" cover
Purchase: You can buy Kurt Ribak's CDs, downloads, etc. online at, on iTunes and all the other usual online sources, at The Groove Yard in Oakland at 5555 Claremont in Oakland, at Bird & Beckett Books & Records, 653 Chenery St., San Francisco, at Down Home Music, 10341 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA.

 
Streaming: You can also stream us on YouTube, Spotify, Qobuz and Pandora, as well as other streaming platforms.
You can go to https://kurtribak.hearnow.com for links to streaming the new record


You can also contact me directly at kurt@ribak.com to purchase recordings.


NEW RECORD

Past Present Future cover art

We released a new record - "PAST PRESENT FUTURE" in 2025, at the Joe Henderson Lab at SFJAZZ.  It is out on LP, CD, and streaming.


The tunes are my own compositions, with the exception of a cover of Elvis Costello's "Almost Blue."

The band on the record is the band that appeared at the May 17 SFJAZZ show:

Kurt Ribak - upright bass, vocals, songwriter, bandleader
Greg Sankovich - piano
Lincoln Adler - saxophones
David Rokeach - drums.

Recorded at 25th Street Recording - Adam Muñoz recording engineer. Mixed by Lincoln Adler and Greg Sankovich.


"PAST PRESENT FUTURE" purchase / listening info here

Gigs


Wednesday January 7, 5:30 - 8:30 PM
Jinx Jones Jazz Duo - Jazz Guitar/Bass Duo
ACRE Bar and Restaurant
https://www.acrekitchenandbar.com/
5655 College Ave, Oakland, CA  94618, United States
ACRE oven and barACRE upstairs dining area
This is where Oliveto used to be.  Really good food, really good service, attractive room, nice bar.  Plus Jinx Jones playing jazz guitar and me on bass.  Sit at the bar or request a table by the band if you want to hear us. 




Kurt Ribak Trio - Original Jazz
Friday, January 16, 7 PM to 9 PM 
regular gig - third Friday of every month
Roxx on Main - California Cuisine - INDOOR SHOW
https://www.roxxonmain.com
627 Main Street, Martinez, CA 94553
Call 925-370-7699 for reservations

My band returns to Roxx on Main in Martinez.  We'll be INDOORS.   Make reservations if you can, as seating is limited.  This month it's Greg Sankovich on keyboards, Mark "Markos" Sowlakis on clarinets and saxophone. 

Note: Roxx is changing hands.  The new owners say they want to keep things much the same, but in my experience few people buy a restaurant intending to keep everything as it is.  Changes are afoot and I encourage people to come see us here while we still have the gig. 

View of Main Street, MartinezSign for "Kurt Ribak Trio" at Roxx

Roxx continues to roll up the awards
Roxx was awarded "Best Restaurant" in the 2025 Best of Martinez awards - https://www.thebestofmartinez.com/category/6496/best-restaurant

Roxx also received multiple Reader's Choice awards from the East Bay Times:

Roxx on Main wins the 2024
 East Bay Times Reader's Choice Awards

1st Place categories:
* Best place to hear live music
* Best specialty cocktail
* Best American food

Roxx also won "Best Live Music Spot" from Diablo Magazine - https://www.diablomag.com/2024-best-of-the-east-bay-complete-list-of-winners/article_bc083c32-39c0-11ef-a516-d7987581ae6a.html

Executive Chef Lesley Stiles and Chef de Cuisine Tony Lauro consistently create outstanding food.  I've repeatedly come on my own time and dime to eat here and cheer on other bands. The restaurant was featured on the KQED-TV show "Check, Please."  The food, California Cuisine, is exceptional.

The restaurant serves food until 8:45 PM and there is a full bar.  Make reservations by calling 925-370-7699 - Roxx is a popular place. 

Downtown Martinez has become a center of live music, as this SFGATE story notes - https://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/martinez-bay-area-live-music-concerts-16717883.php.  You may want to walk around and check out various other bands playing nearby - it's become quite the scene, with brewpubs, BBQ restaurants, etc.   The town itself is worth exploring, dating back to Gold Rush days.  The downtown has many historic buildings, and the train station is worth checking out. 


Cool Record Store and Band Alert:
There's a really cool used vinyl and vintage stuff on Main Street two blocks from Roxx - Devine Records & Vintage: https://devinerecordsandvintage.com
I've bought a bunch of records from Pete and Sandie.  Pete also is a fine drummer, working as a sideman and leading his own blues band, HowellDevine.  Go check out the store and the band.

The store was awarded "Best Boutique" and "Best Antiques/Vintage" in the 2025 Best of Martinez awards. - https://www.thebestofmartinez.com/category/6441/best-boutique, and https://www.thebestofmartinez.com/category/6432/best-antiques-vintage

Devine Records & Vintage: https://devinerecordsandvintage.com now has LPs of my latest record for sale!   They're at 817a Main Street, Martinez, CA.
Kurt's LP at Devine RecordsDevine pendant sign





Wednesday February 4, 5:30 - 8:30 PM
Jinx Jones Jazz Duo - Jazz Guitar/Bass Duo
ACRE Bar and Restaurant
https://www.acrekitchenandbar.com/
5655 College Ave, Oakland, CA  94618, United States

ACRE oven and barACRE upstairs dining area

This is where Oliveto used to be.  Really good food, really good service, attractive room, nice bar.  Plus Jinx Jones playing jazz guitar and me on bass.  Sit at the bar or request a table by the band if you want to hear us. 






DEBUT GIG AT STOOKEY'S - rare SF gig

Kurt Ribak Trio - Original Jazz
Friday, February 6, 7:30 PM to 9:30 PM 
Stookey's Blue Room
https://www.stookeysblueroom.com 
891 Bush Street (x. Taylor), San Francisco, CA 94553
Call 415-771-9695 for info
Stookey's signStookey's blue room interiorStookey's Club Moderne frontStookey's Blue Room facade - drawing

Stookey's Club Moderne opened in 2015.  It's a lovely intimate bar done up in Moderne style.  Beautifully decorated, with an excellent cocktail program.  Great place to dress in your vintage duds if you got 'em. 

In the last year or so they expanded with the addition of Stookey's Blue Room -  https://www.stookeysblueroom.com, right next door.  It too has classic vintage style, and is also a small place but with a bit more room for music.  I've played both rooms of Stookey's repeatedly as a sideman.  They contacted me about leading my band here, and I'm really looking forward to it.  This is an increasingly rare chance to see us play in San Francisco, so I especially recommend it to our San Francisco and Peninsula fans.

I lead a drummerless trio featuring my Usual Suspects Greg Sankovich on piano and Lincoln Adler on saxophone.



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videos - we have a YouTube Channel
 

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PRESS

KCSM Announcer Chris Cortez: "Kurt's ability to take you on a journey from the deepest waters of the Caribbean to the funky alleys of the urban jungle in one listening makes him a truly gifted original in my book."

SFJAZZ
Some nice press about us from SFJAZZ:

“Joyous,” “grooving,” “bluesy,” “sophisticated,” and “masterful” could all be accurately used to describe bassist and composer Kurt Ribak’s music, but perhaps an assessment is best left to the man himself, who calls his rollicking mix of bebop sophistication and body-moving grooves “Charles Mingus meets The Meters.” Ribak brings his superb working quartet, performing music from their most recent album Onward. 


BLOG

You can see my blog post at SFJAZZ about my injury and recovery here - https://www.sfjazz.org/onthecorner/kurt-ribak-interview/

PODCAST
the-hot-jazz-network-podcast logo

Kurt was interviewed by Bandleader / singer/songwriter / guitarist George Cole for his Hot Jazz Network podcast - you can find the podcast on Spotify, Amazon, Podtail, Apple Podcasts, and elsewhere.


STREAMING AUDIO

Just want to hear some audio of us?  We are on Spotify, and you can also hear us here.


Gig Mailing List

To join the mailing list, you are welcome to click on SubscribeGiglist and include the address where you want to receive the mail in the body of the message.

To get off the mailing list, just click UnsubscribeGiglist and include the address you want dropped from the mailing list in the body of the message.


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