Degrees: MA, 1991, CUNY Queens Coll; BM, 1980, Berklee Coll Music; AA, 1977, Cuyahoga CC Western Campus

Bio:

Rick Stone has been called “one of the finest straight-ahead guitarists on the current NYC jazz scene” (Robert Silverstein, MWE3.com). From fresh interpretations of jazz standards, to lyrically evocative originals, Rick’s fluid, full-bodied sound pays homage to the great jazz masters of the past while maintaining a personal style with a contemporary edge.

Rick’s latest CD Fractals with bassist Marco Panascia and drummer Tom Pollard reached #5 on the JazzWeek charts and made the Top-100 for the year 2011. His trio can be heard regularly at the Garage, the Bar Next Door and other NYC venues. For the last few summers he has toured Italy extensively as a guest artist and clinician. Rick began playing guitar at age nine in his hometown of Cleveland. His passion for jazz was sparked by a live performance of saxophonist Sonny Stitt. This marked the beginning a musical quest that led him to Berklee College of Music and then to New York where he found a fertile and stimulating environment in Barry Harris’ Jazz Cultural Theatre. While studying with the legendary pianist, Rick honed his craft sitting in with veteran players like Tommy Flanagan, Lionel Hampton, Clarence “C” Sharpe, and Junior Cook. Then, under the tutelage of jazz masters Jimmy Heath, Ted Dunbar, Donald Byrd and Hal Galper, he earned his M.A. in Jazz Performance at Queens College.

Soon Rick was developing a reputation in his own right. With performances at the Blue Note and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, he began leading all-star groups with musicians like Kenny Barron, Eric Alexander, Vernel Fournier, Richard Wyands, Ralph Lalama, Dennis Irwin and Billy Hart. He presented a series of NEA funded concerts entitled “A Tribute To The Masters Of Modern Jazz Guitar” and led a guitar series at the Swing Street Café where his duo mates included Peter Bernstein, Mark Elf, Roni Ben-Hur, Peter Leitch, Michael Howell and Freddie Bryant. He toured South America and played regularly at Sette MoMA with his trio, followed by a stint with swing clarinetist Sol Yaged.

A sought-after sideman, Rick has worked with Irene Reid, Ronny Whyte, Vince Giordano and Eric Person, and many others. He has released five recordings as a leader and is a featured sideman on recordings by Carol Sudhalter, Mary Ann Hurst, Carol Leven and Al Ashley with Dave Leibman.

A respected educator, Rick teaches at Hofstra University, Jazzmobile and the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music, and has presented clinics at IAJE, MENC and numerous colleges and universities. He writes for Just Jazz Guitar, Jazz Guitar Life, and Mel Bay Publications and has received IAJE Awards for Outstanding Service to Jazz Education and NEA performance fellowships. Rick recently launched the educational website JazzGuitarLessons.com where students can learn through video lessons, and printable study materials, as well as one-on-one instruction via Skype.

For booking information contact:
Rick Stone Music
phone 718-972-1220
email: booking@rickstone.com