Online Press Kit
bio
profile by Michael Burman
photo
mp3s
CD Purchases - Buy the @#$! CD
You can buy the Kurt Ribak Trio CD online at CDBaby,
and at Musicians Union Local 6. We plan to have the next CD out by spring 2007. We're still working on the art and packaging. The third CD has been recorded but needs more production before artwork and packaging happens.
Meatspace Purchases
You can also buy the CD at Groove Yard, 5555 Claremont Avenue Oakland, CA 94618, and at Down Home Music, 10341 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, CA. Go to my CD page for more info.
Downloads
You can download the Kurt Ribak Trio recording at iTunes and emusic.com, as well as elsewhere. We've been getting some attention at emusic - the recording is rated four out of five stars. You can do a trial membership for cheap, and recordings are way cheaper to download at emusic than with iTunes.
Live downloads
You can go to BayTaper.com or http://mefeedia.com/feeds/21779/ to download our July 2, 2006 show at the Fillmore Jazz Festival. There are also some excellent photos there. The show is rated five stars out of five.
T-Shirts
Kurt Ribak Trio t-shirts are in. These are a seven-color print on Hanes Beefy-T shirts, so these are a quality product. These echo the artwork of the first CD. They are black, with the three-colored hand on the front and the words "Kurt Ribak Trio" on the back. They come in women's sizes and cut from small to XL and men's from small to XXL. e-mail me at: kurt@ribak.com
if you would like to buy a shirt, or catch up with me at a gig.
Check them out here. Drummer Tim Solook and his wife Lisa are modeling them at our Fillmore Jazz Festival gig.
PRIMA GIG
As things now stand, we will continue to play every Friday at Prima through *January*. After that Peter Chastain, the owner and executive chef of Prima, is considering changing our schedule. We might start doing the first and third Fridays, for example, rather than every Friday. Or we may start playing a different day. It's up in the air. It's even possible we might not play at Prima at all after January.
If you like coming to Prima and like knowing we're there every Friday, please let Peter know, whether in person, by phone, or by e-mail. The staff love having us there - it's Peter that needs convincing. He's at peter@primaristorante.com and 925-935-7780 ext. 27.
stuff ....
DRUMMER TIM SOLOOK RETURNS TO TEXAS
For those of you who are wondering what will happen to my trio now that Tim Solook and Kevin Mummey are gone, fear not. There are several other excellent drummers who are familiar with my book. Randy Odell, Matt Willis, Bryan Bowman and Jon Arkin are among the other drummers who appear with us. You'll be seeing more of them with us in 2007. We will also do some trio gigs at Prima with woodwinds, which have done twice in the last month or so. Hal Richards and Lincoln Adler both do a great job with that.
and still more stuff.....
PIANIST / KEYBOARDIST GREG SANKOVICH VACATIONING IN JANUARY Greg Sankovich is planning to spend January traveling in Asia. So he will not be appearing with us during that month, most likely. His smiling mug should be back with us in February. Although he will be missed in January, there will be a number of fine musicians in his place, including pianist / vibist Gerry Grosz, pianist Fred Harris, and guitarist Dave Bell.
on to the gigs!
Friday January 5, 7:00 to 10:00
PM - and every Friday
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz -
Prima Ristorante
Tip - to best hear the band you should have drinks in the bar or make a dinner reservation in the bar. Gerry Grosz is on piano, with Matt Willis on drums.
Saturday, Jan. 6, 7:30 to 10:30
PM
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz -
Servino
http://www.servino.com/ - directions, menu, etc.
9 Main Street Tiburon, CA 94920
This will be a drummerless trio, with Dave Bell on guitar and Lincoln Adler on saxes. This gig was just added. Servino is between Sam's Cafe and Guaymas, with a restaurant section in the back and a bar area with dining tables where we play. It's a nice place and the food we've had has been very nice - and you can step outside and enjoy a wonderful view of the Bay and of Angel Island.
Sun., Jan. 7, 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM - and the first Sunday of every month
Kurt Ribak Trio - Original jazz
Chaya Brasserie
http://www.thechaya.com/
location & info
132 The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 777-8688
Chaya is known for its "Japanese-inspired French cuisine." The food and service are outstanding, they have some very nice wines, and they have some great views of the Bay Bridge.
They also have a specially priced menu at the bar while we are playing, so you can drink and dine on a smaller budget than Chaya normally requires. The trio will be me on bass, Fred Harris on keyboards, and Matt Willis on drums.
Fred is something else - he's a powerful player with serious classical chops. He grew up playing Chopin, but in his teens he got into Coltrane. Now he is this wild mix of McCoy Tyner, Franz Liszt, and Lord knows what else. Fred and I go way back - back to the days when we played in the house band at Club Deluxe and the swing scene was just beginning.
Come check us out - there's not much other jazz happening on a Sunday night, and this is an interesting new version of my band. At Chaya we play a harder-hitting, more driving style than at Prima.
Tuesday, Jan. 9, noon to 2:00
PM
Lincoln Adler with Ned Boynton and Kurt Ribak - jazz -
Cheeseboard Pizza - directions, menu, etc.
1512 Shattuck Avenue Berkeley, CA. 94709
Telephone: (510) 549-3055
I will be playing this Tuesday lunchtime at the Cheeseboard Pizza shop. The Cheeseboard is famed for their pizza. Come see me playing with Lincoln Adler on saxes and Ned Boynton on guitar.
Thursday, Jan. 11, 7:00 to 10:00
PM
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz -
Servino
http://www.servino.com/ - directions, menu, etc.
9 Main Street Tiburon, CA 94920
Dave Bell will be on guitar, with Matt Willis on drums.
Friday, Jan. 12, 7:00 to 10:00
PM - and every Friday
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz -
Prima Ristorante
http://www.primaristorante.com/
1522 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA
Every Friday, 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
All ages
Tip - to best hear the band you should have drinks in the bar or make a dinner reservation in the bar.
Lincoln Adler is on soprano and tenor saxophones, with Dave Bell on guitar. Don't worry folks, I'm not ditching the piano trio lineup we've been using at Prima for over three years, I'm just mixing things up a little bit, especially since Greg Sankovich is traveling and Tim Solook has left the area.
Friday, Jan. 19, 7:00 to 10:00
PM - and every Friday
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz -
Prima Ristorante
http://www.primaristorante.com/
1522 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA
Every Friday, 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
All ages
Tip - to best hear the band you should have drinks in the bar or make a dinner reservation in the bar. Dave Bell is on guitar, with Hal Richards on woodwinds.
Sat., Jan. 20, 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
Kurt Ribak Trio - Original jazz
Chaya Brasserie
http://www.thechaya.com/
location & info
132 The Embarcadero
San Francisco, CA 94105
(415) 777-8688
This will be a Saturday night gig in addition to our monthly Sunday gig. Matt Willis is on drums, with Fred Harris on piano. This should be lots of fun.
Friday, Jan. 26, 7:00 to 10:00
PM - and every Friday
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz -
Prima Ristorante
http://www.primaristorante.com/
1522 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA
Every Friday, 7:00 PM to 10:00 PM
All ages
Tip - to best hear the band you should have drinks in the bar or make a dinner reservation in the bar. Fred Harris is on piano.
Saturday, Jan. 27, 7:00 to 10:00
PM - and every Friday
Dave Casini Trio - jazz -
Sailor's Landing
305 Harbor Drive, Sausalito, CA 94965
415-332-6161
All ages
I regularly play with Dave Casini at Cato's in Oakland. Here he is playing drums. The guitarist is TBA. I haven't been here before and I am strictly a sideman, so I don't know much about the place.
Wednesday,
Jan. 31, 6:00 to 9:00 PM - and the last Wednesday of every month
Kurt Ribak
Trio - Original jazz
Cato's Ale House
http://www.mrcato.com/
3891 Piedmont Ave., Oakland, CA
510-655-3349
all ages, no cover
We play the last Wednesday of every month. Cato's is a beer and wine place with a lot of good bar grub as well. Their beer selection is excellent, and you can bring your kids if you wish. Hal Richards will be on woodwinds, with Dave Casini on vibes.
FUTURE GIGS
Thursday, Feb. 8, and Thursday, March 8, 7:00 to 10:00 PM
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz -
Servino
http://www.servino.com/ - directions, menu, etc.
9 Main Street Tiburon, CA 94920
Band is TBA.
Saturday, March 31, 9:30 PM to 12:30 AM
Kurt Ribak Quartet - original jazz
The Albatross
1822 San Pablo Avenue (two blocks
north of University, west side of the street)
Berkeley, CA 94710
510-843-2473 (510-THE-BIRD)
http://www.albatrosspub.com/
21 and over
$3.00 Cover charge
The Albatross (aka The Bird) has been around since 1964. Current owners Wendy Halambeck and Linda Zsilavetz did a wonderful job of revitalizing the place without losing the charm it had. There are lots of board games available, lots of room for darts, a nice fireplace in the back, and food. It's a very friendly comfortable place. They now have a hard liquor license, so it is a great place to have a single malt scotch or the like.
"One of the perks of being an unemployed musician is that you get to
play much less bad music."
Jack Daney
You can check out mp3s of my music at http://www.ribak.com/mp3s.html. You can go to http://www.BayTaper.com to download our July 2, 2006 show at the Fillmore Jazz Festival.
Alex Walsh's CD "Light Another Candle" is pop - a lot of it sounds like Mott the Hoople meets the Replacements to me. This was recorded in 2003. I play electric bass and upright on it.
Brian Schindele's CD The Moral is original straightahead jazz. I like it - the title tune kicks off the CD with some great drumming. This CD features Brian, drummer Tim Vaughan, Sheldon Brown on tenor sax, Tom Griesser playing sax on one track, Dave Scott on trumpet, cornet, and flugelhorn, Larry Leight on trombone, and Connie Champagne as featured guest vocalist on a ballad track.
I regularly play with Stephen Bigger at Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church, where he is music director. "Lights on the Horizon" is a CD of his contemporary Christian songwriting. Stephen sings lead on a number of the tunes, but he also features Amy Beth Nickelson and Katie O'Gorman, two very talented young members of the congregation at Moraga Valley.
Gig Mailing List
To join my 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. You are encouraged to mention how you heard of me.
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.
2006 gigs
december '06 gigs
november '06 gigs
October '06 gigs
September '06 gigs
August '06 gigs
June-early August '06 gigs
June '06 gigs
May '06 gigs
April '06 gigs
March '06 gigs
February '06 gigs
January '06 gigs
2005 gigs
January '05 gigs
November '05 gigs
October '05 gigs
September '05 gigs
August '05 gigs
July '05 gigs
May / June '05 gigs
May '05 gigs
March '05 gigs
February '05 gigs
January '05 gigs
2004 gigs
January
November
January
September
August
July
June
May
May
March
February
January
Music Videos - Old and Not So...
Stevie Wonder plays "Superstition" on Sesame Street - this is a smoking version.
Reg Kehoe and his Marimba Queens
(better file)
or YouTube version.
The whole thing is something else! The first site has a much bigger file but it is a longer clip.
see... banjo does get the ladies all hot and bothered - check out this Eddie Peabody video
And for something just plain weird, we have....
The one and only... The Cramps! These guys have some brilliant videos.
Ultra Twist - it's warped and dumb but I love it!
Like a Bad Girl Should
Garbageman
Put Down the Duckie - Sesame Street
http://www.epica-awards.org/assets/epica/2004/finalists/film/flv/22012-1.htm
http://www.epica-awards.org/assets/epica/2004/finalists/film/flv/22012-2.htm
http://www.epica-awards.org/assets/epica/2004/finalists/film/flv/22012-3.htm
http://www.epica-awards.org/assets/epica/2004/finalists/film/flv/22012-4.htm
Hello Cthulhu is what happens when you cross Hello Kitty with H.P. Lovecraft, with a special holiday greeting from Hello Cthulhu.
Jack Sheldon's "Jazz Christmas" is a seasonal gem.
And here is comic Rob Paravonian's rant about Pachelbel's Canon in D - great stuff if like me you are deeply sick of Pachelbel's Canon.
Bush Pilot - thanks to my pal David Javelosa for forwarding this to me.
Here we have a website with a directory of musicians with bald/shaved heads. takeitfromthehead.com The site is maintained by Pete Levin, keyboardist for Gil Evans, Paul Simon, Jimmy Giuffre, Annie Lennox, Tony Levin Band, Lenny White and the brother of the famous bassist (also bald) Tony Levin. Pete Levin contacted me and asked if I would like to be on the site, so there I am, right up there with the pop singer Seal, the thrash-metal guitarist Kerry King of Slayer, and Dixieland clarinetist Pete Fountain.
:Iggy Pop's performance contract
