Kurk Ribak Quartet

About

Lincoln Adler | Sax Greg Sankovich | Piano David Rokeach | Drums Kurt Ribak | Bass When Kurt Ribak (pronounced REE-bok, like the shoes) was three years old his mother found him dancing to the sound of the dishwasher. A Berkeley, CA native, Kurt won scholarships to Berklee College of Music, graduating with top honors. Kurt previously graduated from UC Berkeley, where he played classical music and played in the UC Jazz Ensembles. Kurt met pianist Greg Sankovich there and reconnected with his fellow San Francisco Boys Chorus alumnus, saxophonist Lincoln Adler . Greg is on all six of Kurt’s recordings, Lincoln on the last three. Drummer David Rokeach is on Kurt’s most recent recording, “PAST PRESENT FUTURE.” David toured nationally and internationally with Ray Charles and performed/recorded with Aretha Franklin, Patti LaBelle, Aaron Neville, Mavis Staples, Lou Rawls, Dr. John, Joe Henderson, Mark Murphy, Bluesman Charlie Musselwhite, the George Brooks-Zakir Hussain Group, Wilson Pickett, Joe Satriani, Rita Moreno, and many more. Kurt describes music as “Charles Mingus meets The Meters. They go to Duke Ellington’s house to jam, and every so often Cachao and Thelonious Monk sit in.” Kurt has shared the stage with circuses, preachers and fire-breathing strippers. (Kurt notes these were different events.) Venues range from Yoshi’s to a club where someone surreptitiously stashed a loaded .45 in his bass bag. Kurt no longer plays there. In 2012 Kurt was in an auto accident, seriously injuring his left hand and forearm. Thirteen operations and six years later he resumed playing full-time, much to the surprise of many surgeons. He notes, “It’s a tough way to find out, but when I was hurt I learned how many people loved me, cared about me. They say it takes a village to raise a child. It also takes a village to heal someone.” KCSM-FM , KPFA , KZFR , KKUP , San Diego’s Jazz 88 , PRI and other jazz stations play Kurt’s records. His band has sold out Yoshi’s and SFJAZZ. They have also performed at The Freight , San Francisco Jazz Festival , San Jose Jazz Festival , Nor-Cal Jazz Festival , Fillmore Street Jazz Festival , and Blue Note Napa .