Kurt Ribak (pronounced REE-bok, like the shoes) - bassist

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Kurt Ribak Trio Merchandise

NEW CD
Our second CD, titled "more, " is at all the same locations as the first CD.  The new CD has gotten repeated airplay on KCSM 91.1 FM and KRKD 103.3 FM. 

Big in Japan
The track "Pseudoafrocubanismo" from the first CD was licensed in Japan for use in a jazz compilation recording, "Jazz Bar 07" and the first CD has been selling steadily there.  The second CD is also selling well in Japan.  

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 recordings 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.  

The new recording is available for sale at iTunes, emusic, and elsewhere.

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.

Click on the covers above to go to the cdbaby website, where the recordings are for sale.

Friday, December 21, 8:00 to 11:00 PM - and every Friday - Note gig is now later, NO LONGER 7 PM to 10 PM
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz -
Prima Ristorante
http://www.primaristorante.com/
1522 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA
Every Friday, 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
All ages

Sunday, December 23, 7 PM to 10:30 PM - and the last Sunday of every month starting in January
Kurt Ribak Trio - Original Jazz plus blues and R&B - guests Bob Langlie, GG Amos, and Sheilani Alix
The Riptide
http://www.riptidesf.com
3639 Taraval @ 47th Ave.
San Francisco, CA
No Cover

People have been asking me when we will be back at the Riptide.  Well, I am excited to announce we will be there the Sunday before Christmas.  We will also be appearing the last Sunday of every month starting in January of 2008.  


The Riptide is a way cool bar in the outer Sunset - in fact, it's almost at the Pacific Ocean.  It's a great dive bar co-owned by Les James, the drummer for one of my favorite country bands, Red Meat and for Plain High Drifters.  There is a strong hipster element, despite the location, and there is a very friendly vibe despite the hipster element.  Best of both worlds, really.  The band will be Greg Sankovich on piano and Randy Odell on drums, who will be playing there the previous Sunday with The Cottontails.  We're looking forward to the gig. They have good cheap drinks, folks are friendly, it's an easy place to hang out - how can you lose?

We have had large contingents from the South End Rowing Club show up.  My brothers and sisters from the club know how to party as well as how to swim, row, and play handball.  They had a ball.

This is a good, old-fashioned bar.  Not a bistro, not a coffeehouse with a liquor license, but a bar.  They book a lot of good music there, but it's a comfy, slightly funky place.

We have again invited Sheilani Alix and Bob Langlie to sit in on vocals as well as GG Amos, who is one hot guitarist and singer.  She fronts her own blues/R&B band in the Sacramento area.
 
Check out the the chopped, molded, pinstriped Chevy kustom parked in front of the Riptide.

Monday, Dec. 24, 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM
First United Methodist Church Christmas Eve Service,
with Rev. Dan Damon
First United Methodist Church
http://www.pointrichmond.com/methodist/
201 Martina St., Point Richmond, CA

I've played the Christmas Eve service at First United for a number of years now. I really like this church. It's a simple, sweet church with a welcoming congregation and a sanctuary with excellent acoustics. My trio has played a couple of concerts there. Rev. Dan Damon is a good person and has written many fine hymns. If you're looking for a spiritual place Christmas Eve, this is a good place to go. All are welcome.  

The band will be Rev. Dan Damon on piano, with Lincoln Adler on tenor and soprano saxophones, Jon Arkin on drums, and me on bass.  This will be a really fun band!

Mon., Dec. 24, 11:00 PM service
Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church
10 Moraga Valley Lane, Moraga CA 94556

I'll be playing the late Christmas Eve service at Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church.  I am the regular bassist for the church's Sunday services. The service will be a more traditional worship service, with mostly traditional music and arrangements. 

CANCELED THIS MONTH - Wednesday, Dec. 26, 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

This month we won't be at Cato's. we will be playing at Jupiter on the 26th.

Wednesday, December 26, 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
Kurt Ribak Trio - Original jazz
Jupiter
2181 Shattuck Avenue (at Center Street), Berkeley,
across from the Berkeley main BART station
510-THE-TAPS for directions
510-THE-ROCK for information on music and specials
http://www.jupiterbeer.com
No cover
21 and over

This is always a fun place to play. Jupiter is a very popular place - they've got an excellent beer selection, food, a patio area, and lots of attractive twentysomethings. It's near the UC campus and is easily accessible by BART. Have some beer and food, people watch or hang out with friends, and listen to us play. We will be playing in the patio barring inclement weather.

Greg Sankovich will be on keyboards, with Matt Willis on drums. 
 
  
 

Friday, December 28, 8:00 to 11:00 PM - and every Friday - Note gig is now later, NO LONGER 7 PM to 10 PM
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz -
Prima Ristorante
http://www.primaristorante.com/
1522 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA
Every Friday, 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
All ages
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Sunday, December 30, 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
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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.  Greg Sankovich will be on keyboards, with Matt Willis on drums.

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.  I've had friends comment that the happy hour arrangement is one of the best values in the city.  Beware, though - you sit in the dining room area, it's a lot more expensive!

This gig is very accessible by public transit.  It is near the F Market streetcar line (It's a block and a half away from Market) and the Embarcadero BART station. It is also very close to the Ferry Building. The ferry can be a wonderful way to get to and from San Francisco. I strongly encourage people to use any of these means for getting to the gig. For those of you in the East Bay, this is a very easy gig to get to by public transit. Besides, this way you don't need to worry so much about having a few drinks!

NEW YEAR'S EVE

Monday, December 31, 9:00 PM to 12:30 AM 
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz -
Prima Ristorante
http://www.primaristorante.com/
1522 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA
All ages

Thursday, January 3, 8:00 PM to 11:30 PM
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz
Pres a Vi
http://www.presavi.com/
1 Letterman Drive, Bldg. D
The Presidio
San Francisco, CA
All ages

Pres a Vi is a huge new restaurant in George Lucas' Letterman Digital Arts Center.  The executive chef is Kelly Degala and the food is from around the world. Gerardo Acevedo-Vanni, the General Manager, just arrived here after working as the GM of Prima.  The food is small plates from around the world.  The menu changes regularly and includes some really outstanding dishes.  

We play in the bar area, which has a great view of the Presidio, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Golden Gate.  As at Prima, to best hear the band have drinks in the bar or make a dinner reservation in the bar.

Greg Sankovich will be on keyboards, with Matt Willis on drums.

Two reviews by The San Francisco Chronicle's Michael Bauer - here and here.

Friday, January 4, 8:00 to 11:00 PM - and every Friday - Note the performance is now later, NO LONGER 7 PM to 10 PM 
Final five weeks of the gig
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz -
Prima Ristorante
http://www.primaristorante.com/
1522 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA
Every Friday, 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
All ages

Sunday, January 6, 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.  Greg Sankovich will be on keyboards, with Matt Willis on drums.

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.  I've had friends comment that the happy hour arrangement is one of the best values in the city.  Beware, though - you sit in the dining room area, it's a lot more expensive!

This gig is very accessible by public transit.  It is near the F Market streetcar line (It's a block and a half away from Market) and the Embarcadero BART station. It is also very close to the Ferry Building. The ferry can be a wonderful way to get to and from San Francisco. I strongly encourage people to use any of these means for getting to the gig. For those of you in the East Bay, this is a very easy gig to get to by public transit. Besides, this way you don't need to worry so much about having a few drinks!

Friday, January 11, 8:00 to 11:00 PM - and every Friday -
Note gig is now later, NO LONGER 7 PM to 10 PM
Final four weeks of the gig
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz 
Prima Ristorante http://www.primaristorante.com/
1522 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA
Every Friday, 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
All ages

Thursday, January 17, 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

Friday, January 18, 8:00 to 11:00 PM - and every Friday
- Note gig is now later, NO LONGER 7 PM to 10 PM
Final three weeks of the gig
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz 
Prima Ristorante http://www.primaristorante.com/
1522 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA
Every Friday, 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
All ages

Friday, January 25, 8:00 to 11:00 PM - and every Friday 
- Note gig is now later, NO LONGER 7 PM to 10 PM
Next to last Prima gig
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz 
Prima Ristorante http://www.primaristorante.com/
1522 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA
Every Friday, 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
All ages

Sunday, January 27, 7 PM to 10:30 PM - and the last Sunday of every month
Kurt Ribak Trio - Original Jazz plus blues and R&B - guests Bob Langlie, GG Amos, and Sheilani Alix
The Riptide
http://www.riptidesf.com
3639 Taraval @ 47th Ave.
San Francisco, CA
No Cover

the last Sunday of every month starting in January of 2008.
 
The Riptide is a way cool bar in the outer Sunset - in fact, it's almost at the Pacific Ocean.  It's a great funky little bar co-owned by Les James, the drummer for one of my favorite country bands, Red Meat.  There is a strong hipster element despite the location, and there is a very friendly vibe despite the hipster element.  Best of both worlds, really.  The band will be Greg Sankovich on piano and Randy Odell on drums.  We're looking forward to the gig. They have good cheap drinks, folks are friendly, it's an easy place to hang out - how can you lose?

We have had large contingents from the South End Rowing Club show up.  My brothers and sisters from the club know how to party as well as how to swim, row, and play handball.  They had a ball.

This is a good, old-fashioned bar.  Not a bistro, not a coffeehouse with a liquor license, but a bar.  They book a lot of good music there, but it's a comfy, slightly funky place.

We hope to have several special guests sitting in.  We have had Bob Langlie, Shilani Alix, and GG Amos sit in on vocals, and both GG and Tim Fox sit in on guitar.

Wednesday, January 30, 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.  Dave Casini on vibes plus TBA.

 

Friday, February 1, 8:00 to 11:00 PM
Note gig is now later, NO LONGER 7 PM to 10 PM
Last Prima gig
Kurt Ribak Trio - original jazz 
Prima Ristorante http://www.primaristorante.com/
1522 N. Main Street, Walnut Creek, CA
Every Friday, 8:00 PM to 11:00 PM
All ages

"One of the perks of being an unemployed musician is that you get to play much less bad music."
- Jack Daney

Quotes about Kurt - >

"Hugging Kurt is a like a big bear with no hair" - Monica, age 5, to her father

"Kurt is my new favorite Super-Hero. He rules the world!" - Megan, who is a bit older

"You're the bass player?! We thought you were the bouncer!" - two female patrons at Andrew Jaeger's

LIVE mp3s

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.

Kurt as a sideman - aka - Other People's Music

Sheilani Alix

Sheilani Alix often appears with us, and she often hires me and Greg Sankovich to back her.  She does a killer version of the Curtis Mayfield song "People Get Ready."

Here's Sheilani singing "The Nearness of You."

Lorna K

I have played with Lorna K for over a decade - she hasn't been playing out much lately but has been working on a CD project - "Lorna K and the Dunes." The recording features her take on songs by Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys as well as some radical reinterpretations of songs including Duke Ellington's "What Am I Here For."

Lorna will be appearing at The Plush Room in the York Hotel in San Francisco Monday, December 3in one of the final events before the venue closes. The instrumentalists on the recording and on the Plush Room date are Greg Sankovich on piano and Hammond Organ, Kurt Ribak on upright bass, Tom Griesser on clarinet and saxophone, and Bryan Bowman on drums.

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 played with Stephen Bigger at Moraga Valley Presbyterian Church, where he was 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.

T-Shirts
We have a few Kurt Ribak Trio t-shirts remaining. 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 L and men's from small to medium. 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.

Bay Area Jazz Resources

Groove Yard Record Store and Newsletter
Rick Ballard operates the Groove Yard at 5555 Claremont in Oakland. It's between the Rockridge and Temescal districts. It's a great jazz record store for used vinyl and new and used CDs by local as well as national and international artists. Rick has an e-mail newsletter. E-mail him at groove2@earthlink.net and request to be added and be up on the concerts, CDs, etc.

KCSM - FM Radio and Jazz Datebook
You can always check out who's playing in the Bay Area with KCSM-FM's Jazz Datebook.

You can listen to KCSM-FM  at 91.1 FM.  They are 24 hours jazz, no commercials. They are a huge contributor to the vitality of the Bay Area jazz scene.  You can listen online at http://www.kcsm.org/jazz91/listen.php

We're like, all up in literature and stuff

Candy from Strangers

Mark Coggins is the author of the August Riordan series of mystery novels. The August Riordan character is a wise-cracking tough guy PI who is also a jazz bassist.

I got to know Coggins a while ago and he asked if he could use some of my music for a KQED podcast of "Candy from Strangers", the third book in the August Riordan series. William P. Arney of the Noir City Film Festival reads the first chapter with my music accompanying the story - specifically, "Prelude to a B Movie" and "Pseudoafrocubanismo," which appeared on the Kurt Ribak Trio debut CD.

The podcast is permanently at the following location: http://www.kqed.org/arts/writersblock/episode.jsp?id=13480

iTunes users can access The Writers' Block via the following URL: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=82023860

Pulp Fiction
Also check out the Word for Word Theater Company performance of "Angel Face". This is a stage setting of a Cornell Woolrich story that originally appeared in the classic pulp magazine Black Mask.  Black Mask featured many of the best noir writers including Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler.

The Writers' Block is also distributed through NPR here: http://www.npr.org/rss/podcast/podcast_detail.php?siteId=5593982

To go directly to the audio, use either of these:
stream: http://www.kqed.org/.stream/real/topics/arts/writers-block/0701-coggins-bloc k.rm.ram or
download: http://podcastdownload.npr.org/anon.npr-podcasts/podcast/151/510076/7092336/ KQED_7092336.mp3

PRIMA GIG GETS PRESS

We continue to play every Friday at Prima. Thanks to all of you who let Prima owner Peter Chastain know we have a following. A review of the Friday night bar scene appeared in the Feb. 8, 2007 edition of the Contra Costa Times, in which the Kurt Ribak Trio is described as "delicious."

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.

site map page

Gig announcement archives

2007 gigs
October '07 gigs September '07 gigs July/August '07 June '07 gigs May '07 gigsApril '07 gigs March '07 gigsFebruary '07 gigs January '07 gigs

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
December '05 gigsNovember '05 gigsOctober '05 gigsSeptember '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
February November February September August July June May May March February

Music Videos - Old and Not So...

see... banjo does get the ladies all hot and bothered - check out this Eddie Peabody video

X
These guys were my favorite rock 'n roll band back in the day
See How We Are

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
Rubber Ducky - Sesame Street

Superstition - a burning version by Stevie Wonder on Sesame Street

Cardboard Upright Bass

Other videos

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 of mice and noses Hello Cthulhu is what happens when you cross Hello Kitty with H.P. Lovecraft, with a special holiday greeting from Hello Cthulhu.

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.

Japanese War Tubas  and other sonic oddities....

My Bald Head

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 the late 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.

Click on the covers above to go to the cdbaby website, where the recordings are for sale.

 

photo: Susan Bigger

photo: Mark Thomas

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