Rick Montalbano Jr.

21 year old Rick Montalbano has been playing professionally since the age of 13. Growing up in a musical family offered great opportunities for him to be exposed to world class musicians. In as early as grade school, he was playing with people like the great jazz saxophonists Sal Nistico and J.R. Monterose. As a Senior in High School, he won the very first J.R. Monterose Memorial Scholarship.
Rick was also selected as one of 5 young jazz musicians internationally to be awarded a scholarship and invitation to the prestigious National Foundation of the Arts 1995-96 Talent Search and Arts Recognition Week. He received a Clifford Brown/Stan Getz Fellowship and was invited to play a series of concerts for some of the top names in the jazz world at the International Jazz Educators Convention.
Rick has performed at the Syracuse Jazz Fest , the Chuck Mangione sponsored "Highfalls Jazz Festival" in Rochester and has been the house drummer for "Jazz Along The Mohawk", a popular regional festival.
With the Internationally known baritone saxophonist and perennial Down Beat poll winner Nick Brignola Quartet, Rick was featured nationally in an hour long PBS Jazz Special. That same group later won BET’s (Black Entertainment Television) best jazz video of the year.
His talents have been called upon to play with some of the finest jazz musicians in the world, including: Chuck Mangione, Phil Woods, Randy Brecker, Brad Melhdau, Dave Grusin, J.R. Monterose, Ralph Lalama, Phil Markowitz, and Don Menza.
Rick currently lives and plays in New York City, where was awarded a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music. He has completed 2 CD’s with a group called Full Circle, led by his father, playing original jazz music. Rick performs regularly with the Joel Frahm Trio. Look for Rick in April at the Blue Note in NYC.