POSTPONED

5/19/23 - Friday’s showcase with Rick and Julie has been postponed. Please check back for updates or follow us on Inst/FB.

Artist Showcase - Rick Montalbano & Julie Falatico in Partnership with CNY Jazz

This show is being presented in partnership with CNY Jazz Central.

An excerpt from Rick’s Website - “Was I There”

I was born in 1949, a year before the first half of the last century ended. I was very
fortunate to grow up in a time when live music was flourishing. I started playing at 11.
My first teacher, John Jaski, sent me on gigs when I was 13. The idea that people
would pay me to do what I loved to do seemed a little backwards I guess. I thought a
job was something you were forced to do and not supposed to enjoy.

So I started earning money at a young age and getting exactly the kind of education I
wanted from smart, funny, talented people, AKA musicians. I loved hanging out with
them. The life style suited me. It’s probably not necessary to say at that once I started
playing and making money, I stopped paying attention to school. After all, there was
music to be made and fun to be had. That’s the way my life was and is.

What a blessing to have all these wonderful musicians and mentors right here. There
was Jack Palmer, Dolores and Sammy Mancuso, Sal Amico, JR Montrose, Nick
Brignola, Sal Nistico, Jimmy Wormworth, the Zito family and Chick Esposito. On and
on the list goes. I played dance gigs early on with Johnny Salerno, Sal Alberico, Billy
Bartell, Paulie Gentile & Vinnie Petrucci. I accompanied variety shows put on by The
Rhythm-Lites, a group of young singers and dancers – a real throw back to the old
Vaudeville style. It was all invaluable experience.

The kind of training you can’t get in a school, a book, or a practice room… READ MORE AT http://rickmontalbano.com/about/